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HISTOKT 


— OF    THE — 


BAPTISTS  iN  MISSOURI 

— EMBRACING — 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF 

THE  ORGANIZATION  AND 

GROWTH  OF  BAPTIST  CHURCHES 

AND     ASSOCIATIONS ;     BIOGRAPHICAL 

SKETCHES  OF  MINISTERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL  AND 

OTHER  PROMINENT  MEMBERS  OF  THE 

DENOMINATION ;    THE  FOUNDING 

OF  BAPTIST   INSTITUTIONS, 

PERIODICALS,  &C. 


BY    K.  "S:    BUNCA^N, 


WITH  AN  lirrEOL=rcj;ioi«.BY 
W.   POPE  TEAMAN,  D.  D. 


ILLUSTRATED 

WITE  NUMEROUS  PORTRAITS  AND  OTHER 
ENGRAVINGS. 


SAINT  LOUIS; 
SCAMMELL  &  COMPANY,  Publishers. 

1882. 


93?.  s 
^9/ 


v» 


Copyright  1882, 

Ox  SCAM]\IELL  &  COMPANY, 

All  Riehta  Keserved. 


Y3/  £ 


PREFACE. 

rr^lHIS  volume  is  the  fruit  of  an  early  desire  to  know  more 
JL  of  the  doings  of  Baptist  Churches.  To  this  end,  full  twen- 
ty-five years  ago,  the  author  commenced  gathering  together  As- 
sociational  and  Church  records.  These  old  records  were  care- 
fully studied  and  then  as  carefully  filed  away.  Old  documents 
fell  into  his  hands  from  which  he  learned  that  the  original  Bap- 
tist settlements  in  Missouri  were  made  under  the  most  intense- 
ly interesting  circumstances — that,  in  point  of  fact,  the  Baptists 
literally  captured  the  Missouri  Territory  from  the  Spanish 
Catholics,  and  were  really  the  first  to  preach  the  gospel  and 
found  churches  west  of  the  Great  Eiver.  Thus  did  he  continue 
his  collections  and  researches  until,  quite  absorbed  in  the  sub- 
ject, it  occurred  to  him  that  a  "History  of  the  Baptists  in  Mis- 
souri" might  be  both  interesting  and  useful.  For  this  purpose, 
from  about  the  year  1865  he  labored  most  earnestly  to  complete 
his  files. 

In  the  year  1875,  at  the  request  of  the  managers  of  the  Central 
Baptist,  he  prepared  for  and  published  in  said  paper  a  number 
of  chapters  on  the  Early  Baptists  of  Missouri.  Soon  these  chap- 
ters were  called  for  in  book  form  for  permanent  use.  Thus  led 
on,  he  commenced  the  actual  preparation  of  the  work  now  com- 
pleted. During  its  prosecution  he  has  found  it  necessary  to  fol- 
low another  calling  at  a  nominal  salary,  from  which  he  had  to 
make  such  frequent  drafts  to  pay  express  and  postage  bills,  and 
also  sometimes  the  original  market  value  of  documents  almost 
daily  being  added  to  his  accumulating  files,  that,  much  of  the 
time,  those  dependent  uj)on  him  have  been  compelled  to  make 
very  great  sacrifices;  but  by  the  strictest  domestic  economy,  and 
the  generous  aid  of  kind  friends,  the  work  has  at  last  been  con- 
summated. Many  chapters  of  this  book  have  been  written  at  in- 
tervals in  his  office  work  which  ought  really  to  have  brought 
rest  to  his  tired  frame.  And  though  he  has  grown  prematurely 
gray  under  the  pressure,  he  desires,  in  this  connection,  to  express 
his  devout  gratitude  to  Almighty  God  for  his  abounding  grace 


VI  PREFACE. 

in  keeping  him  thus  far,  and  for  enabling  him  to  complete  the 
work,  which,  though  full  of  toil,  has  been  one  of  great  pleasure. 

This  is  not  a  traditional  book.  It  has  been  prepared  from  the 
testimony  of  original  documents  or  manuscripts  and  living  wit- 
nesses ;  nor  has  it  been  written  to  tickle  the  fancy  of  the  casual 
reader,  but  for  truth-seekers — for  those  who  are  desirous  of 
knowing  well-authenticated  historic  facts. 

The  plan  of  this  work  is  as  follows :  The  first  division  is  into 
Periods — from  1796  to  1810  forming  the  first  period,  and  each 
succeeding  decade  completing  another  period.  These  periods  are 
then  divided  into  chapters  of  a  convenient  length.  Sketches  of 
Associations  founded  in  Period  No.  1,  may  be  found  in  said  peri- 
od, and  thus  throughout  all  the  periods  ;  sketches  of  churches 
being  placed  in  connection  with  the  Associations  to  which  they 
belong ;  and  all  being  interspersed  with  biographical  sketches 
of  the  men  who  wore  more  or  less  prominent  in  building  up  said 
institutions.  Then  comes  the  Miscellaneous  Department,  con- 
taining: 1st.  Such  Biographical  Notices  as  are  not  found  in  the 
preceding  chapters;  2d.  The  Educational  Institutions  of  the 
State ;  3d.  Eeligious  Periodicals  ;  4th.  Baptist  Publication  In- 
terests; 5th.  The  Missouri  Test  Oath;  6th.  Statistical  Tables, 
&c.,  &c. 

My  object  has  been  to  preserve  from  oblivion  the  memory  of 
men  and  of  institutions ;  to  record  on  the  pages  of  history  im- 
portant events  in  the  rise,  progress  and  result  of  Baptist  senti- 
ments in  Missouri,  once  the  battle-ground  for  soul  freedom,  and 
where  the  final  blow  to  papal  supremacy  in  the  United  States 
was  struck.  In  seeking  to  accomplish  these  ends,  I  trust  my 
highest  motive  has  been  the  glory  of  God  in  the  advancement 
of  truth,  and  the  perpetuity  of  the  people  who  have  "preserved 
pure  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  through  all  ages;"  all  of  which 
I  have  desired  to  accomplish  without  partiality. 

Also,  the  author  wishes  here  to  acknowledge  material  aid  from 
the  writings  of  many  brethren,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned 
the  names  of  J.  M.  Peck,  J.  E.  Welch,  A.  P.  Williams,  E.  S. 
Thomas,  William  Polk,  William  Carson,  and  Wade  M.  Jackson, 
now  gone  home  to  rest;  and  S.  H.  Ford,  J.  H.  Luther,  E.  S.  Du- 
lin,  W.  Pope  Yeaman,  Jeremiah  Farmer,  and  a  host  of  others 
still  living;  and,  fearing  he  may  have,  in  a  single  instance,  fail- 
ed to  give  them  the  proper  credit,  he  takes  this  method  of  doing 
so,  and  likewise  to  express  his  gratitude  for  their  valuable  assis- 
tance. 


PREFACE.  Vll 

Praying  that  this  volume  may  be  followed  by  the  Divine 
blessing,  that  it  may  meet  with  a  hearty  and  cordial  reception 
by  the  denomination  as  well  as  by  many  others,  and  accomplish 
good  in  the  world,  it  is  sent  forth  upon  its  mission. 

E.  S.  DUNCAK. 
Montgomery  City,  Mo. 
August,  1882. 


IXTRODrCTIOX, 

EMBRACIXG 

A  SKETCH  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOE, 

BY    W,    POPE   TEAMAX,    D.  D. 


HISTOET  is  treasured  life.  To  it  the  intelligent  are  indebt- 
ed for  a  knowledge  of  the  facts  and  forces  in  the  progress 
and  development  of  human  society.  But  for  the  painstaking 
historian,  each  successive  generation  would  be  left  to  the  uncer- 
tain testimonj  of  tradition  for  those  ideas  and  institutions  of 
preceding  generations  upon  which  is  dependent  almost  all  valu- 
able knowledge.  Each  generation  would  be  left  to  grope  its 
way  in  the  imperfect  and  uncertain  light  of  each  dav's  experi- 
ence. The  writer  of  a  reliable  and  comprehensive  history  of 
any  people  or  period,  of  any  institutions  of  government  or  reli- 
gion, or  manners  and  pursuits  of  any  race  or  nationality,  has 
necessarily  led  the  intelligent  student  into  an  acquaintance  with 
the  leading  ideas  of  the  people  about  whom  he  writes,  for  the 
period  embraced  in  his  history,  and  he  discovers  to  the  student 
the  leading  facts  in  the  life  of  that  people — facts  that  were  the 
outgrowth  of  ideas, — and  then  in  turn  the  ideas  that  spring  forth 
from  these  facts.  In  these  ideas  and  facts  is  embraced  the  all  of 
the  inwardness  and  the  outwardness  of  human  life. 

Beligious  History  unfolds  to  the  student  nearly  all  of  the  more 
potent  forces  that  have,  through  the  ages,  worked  out  the  prob- 
lems of  the  individual  and  social  improvement  of  man.  Legis- 
lation, jurisprudence  and  literature  have  never  been  above  nor 
independent  of  the  forces  that  inhere  in  the  native  religiosity  of 
the  human  mind.  Science  technically  owes  its  development  and 
practical  formulations  and  utilizations  to  legislation  and  liter- 
ature. The  history  of  the  Christian  religion  is  the  history  of 
advanced  revelation  and  progressive  thoughtunder  the  guidance 
of  the  Spirit  of  the  Creator  of  all.  It  is  here,  and  here  only,  that 
are  found  those  active  principles  which  have  emancipated  thought 
from  fhe  thraldom  of  ignorance  and  the  domination  of  corrupt 
individual  minds.     Free  thought  and  the  liberty  of  individual 


INTRODUCTION.  IX 

6onscience — the  inalienable  rights  of  man — are  asserted,  defend- 
ed and  promoted  by  the  spirit  and  precepts  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. Its  light  dispels  the  darkness  that  gathered  over  man  as 
an  inevitable  and  unarbitrary  consequence  of  the  violation  of  the 
law  of  God — the  law  of  human  life.  The  Gospel  is  that  river 
which,  flowing  from  the  throne  of  Eternal  Truth,  has  carried  life 
whithersoever  it  has  flowed. 

Baptist  History  is  the  history  of  the  force,  purity,  and  pristine 
simplicity  of  the  Gospel  in  its  application  to  the  wants  of  man- 
kind— a  history  of  the  introduction  of  light  through  the  Mes- 
siah and  the  struggles  and  conflicts  for  the  maintenance  and 
universal  dissemination  of  that  pure  light. 

The  cardinal  and  vital  principles  of  the  doctrine  and  practice 
of  the  Baptists  underlie  and  create  that  spirit  and  form  of  thought 
to  which  is  traced  that  consciousness  of  individual  right  that  led 
on  to  the  assertion  and  establishment  of  religious  liberty,  and 
from  religious  liberty  comes  the  highest  and  best  forms  of  civil 
and  political  liberty.  It  requires  no  forcing  of  ideas  or  tortur- 
ing of  facts  to  convince  the  philosophic  historian  that  the  very 
idea  and  practice  of  Baptist  Church  polity  have  in  them  the  germ 
and  mainspring  of  the  highest  type  of  soul  liberty.  For  in  that 
idea  and  practice  is  a  recognition  of  individuality  of  faith  and 
accountability,  and  therefore  individual  right  in  all  matters  of 
conscience  and  ecclesiastical  government.  These  ideas  once 
reduced  to  practice  in  afl'airs  of  church  were  not  long  in  assert- 
ing themselves  in  state  afl'airs. 

The  History  of  Missouri  Baptists  is  the  history  of  one  geographi- 
cal division  of  that  apostolic  community  whose  light  and  power 
have  been  so  long  felt  in  the  amelioration  and  elevation  of  hu- 
man society.  A  history  well  worth  writing,  for  one  fact  if  for  no 
other,  that  the  Baptists  were  the  first  anti-Eoman  Catholics  who 
planted  the  standard  of  an  unpriestridden  Christianity  west  of 
the  Mississippi  Eiver.  The  impress  of  the  pure  and  simple  faith 
of  that  people  has  ever  been  seen  and  felt  in  the  institutions  and 
habits  of  the  free,  generous,  progressive  and  independent  thought 
of  Western  people. 

The  author  of  this  volume,  Eev.  E.  S.  Duncan,  is  a  native  Mis- 
sourian ;  and  herein  is  one  reason  why  he  should  have  undertaken 
the  work  which  is  now  ofl'ered  to  the  public.  It  is  full  of  singu- 
larly instructive  personal  and  general  incidents,  intimately  in- 
terwoven by  the  conditions  of  real  life  in  pioneer  enterprise  with 
the  planting  and  training  of  the  apostolic  church  in  a  virgin  soil. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Mr.  Duncan  is  fifty  years  of  age.  He  was  born  April  27, 
1832,  in  Lincoln  County.  His  father,  Lewis  Duncan,  was  a  native 
of  Virginia,  whose  wife,  Harriet  Kinnaird,  was  also  a  native  of 
that  State.  Lewis  Duncan  was  a  Baptist  minister.  He  with  his 
family  moved  to  Missouri  in  1828.  There  were  born  to  him  eight 
sons  and  three  daughters,  who  lived  to  maturity  and  married. 

In  Missouri,  at  that  early  day,  educational  facilities  were  rare 
and  imperfect.  A  farmer,  with  a  large  family  to  support,  and  his 


REV.  R.   S.  DIXCAN. 

time  divided  with  preaching,  it  was  almost  impossible  to  accumu- 
late sufficient  fortune  to  enable  the  sending  of  children  abroad  to 
school  for  an  education.  The  log  school-house,  with  a  few  weeks' 
school  in  the  winter,  was  the  total  of  school  opportunity.  The 
author  of  this  book  never  had  a  scholastic  education,  and  in  the 
technical  sense  was  not  educated.  Yet  he  is  an  educated  man. 
Self-reliance,  diligent  and  painful  toil,  inspired  by  a  noble  aim 
and  commendable  ambition,  led  him  at  the  age  of  earlj'"  manhood 
to  have  so  far  jnastered  the  rudiments  of  an  English  education, 
that  he  was  able  to  teach  a  school  in  which  Arithmetic  and 
the  English  Grammar  were  successfully  taught.  This  was  a  de- 
cided progress,  for  when  he  was  married  and  settled  in  life  he 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

could  read  and  write  only  imperfectly,  and  had  not  been  farther 
into  the  mysteries  of  arithmetic  than  the  "Single  Eule  of  Three/' 

In  1851  he  was  converted  and  baptized  into  Zion  Baptist 
Church,  Montgomery  County.  The  venerable  James  F.  Smith, 
who  still  lives,  full  of  life  and  honored  by  all  who  know  him, 
was  God's  chosen  servant  in  the  conviction  of  Mr.  Duncan.  In 
August,  1855,  he  was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  by  Bethle- 
hem Church,  Lincoln  Co.,  assisted  by  Walter  McQuie,  W.  D. 
Grant  and  Lewis  Duncan,  his  father.  His  services  were  at  once 
in  demand  for  the  pastoral  office.  In  this  capacity  he  has  occu- 
pied the  pulpits  of  the  following  churches  :  Bethlehem,  Sulphur 
Lick  and  Pleasant  Grove,  Lincoln  Co.;  Union,  Warren  Co.; 
Mount  Pleasant,  Loutre,  Zion,  Wellsville,  Hopewell  and  Middle- 
town,  Montgomery  Co.j  Mount  Zion,  Martinsburg  and  West 
Cuivre,  Audrain  Co.;  and  New  Hartford,  Pike  Co. 

During  much  of  the  time  of  the  pastoral  life  of  our  author  he 
was  compelled  to  do  farm  work  with  his  own  hands,  that  he 
might  support  his  family;  at  other  times,  from  necessity,  he 
taught  school.  In  the  early  period  of  his  ministry,  churches  in 
the  country  were  not  given  to  the  support  of  their  pastors,  and 
the  preachers  of  the  period  were  hard  working,  poorly  fed  and 
clad,  and  made  many  sacrifices  to  the  work  of  the  gospel.  Un- 
der all  these  disadvantages,  Mr.  Duncan  pursued  his  studies, 
never  daunted  by  the  seeming  insuperable  difficulties  that  frown- 
ed upon  his  noble  effort. 

During  the  sectional  war  in  this  country,  that  unnatural  and 
unconstitutional  law  was  enacted  by  the  party  in  power,  that 
made  it  a  criminal  offense  for  any  man  to  preach  without  having 
taken  the  Test  Oath.  Many  faithful  ministers  were  indicted  un- 
der that  law  for  preaching  the  gospel,  Mr.  Duncan  among  the 
number. 

In  the  summer  of  1869  he  was  chosen  Agent  for  Missouri  of 
the  Foreign  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention. 
Since  that  time,  with  only  a  short  interval,  he  has  continued  in 
the  service  of  said  Board  as  District  Secretary,  and  in  1881  he 
was  appointed  Vice-President  of  the  Board  for  Missouri.  He 
has  made  a  diligent  and  faithful  agent,  having  done  much  in  the 
way  of  increasing  interest  in  Baptist  Foreign  Missions,  and  in 
systemizing  that  work  in  Missouri. 

About  the  year  1857  or  '58  he  commenced  collecting  together 
material  which,  a  few  years  later,  led  to  the  conception  of  a 
written  history  of  the  Missouri  Baptists.  He  determined  to  per- 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 

feet,  as  nearly  as  possible,  his  collections  for  that  purpose,  and 
subsequently  began  the  preparation  of  said  work.  His  labors 
have  been  onerous.  No  writer  of  history  has  been  more  pains- 
taking to  gather  reliable  facts  and  dates,  to  arrange  such  in  their 
proper  order,  and  to  show  their  bearing  upon  Baptist  progress 
in  this  State.  None  but  those  who  have  done  a  like  labor,  or 
have  been  familiar  with  this  particular  work,  can  form  any  ade- 
quate idea  of  the  immense  labor  involved.  Almost  a  quarter  of 
a  century  devoted  to  such  an  undertaking  is  evidence  of  great 
characteristic  stability  and  commendable  devotion  of  spirit  and 
purpose  to  a  definite  and  worthy  object. 

During  this  long  period  Mr.  Duncan  has  produced  another 
work — The  History  of  Baptist  Sunday-schools — a  volume  of 
considerable  merit,  and  one  that  met  with  complimentary  favor 
in  Sunday-school  circles. 

The  studies,  writings,  sermons  and  secretarial  work  of  Mr. 
Duncan,  and  his  steady  advance  in  the  acquisition  and  utilization 
of  knowledge,  have  served  to  give  him  a  deserved  place  among 
men  of  rank.  In  all  this  time  and  work,  he  has  had  to  bear  his 
full  share  of  trials  and  afflictions  ;  but  these  have  ever  failed  to 
extort  from  him  a  word  of  murmuring  complaint,  but  on  the 
other  hand  have  served  to  develop  and  refine  a  higher  spiritual 
life,  clearly  observable  and  remarked  by  those  who  have  all  the 
while  known  him. 

Mrs.  Duncan,  the  wife  of  our  author,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Sarah  J,  Ervin,  has  been,  through  all  the  struggles  and  trials  of 
her  husband,  a  constant  and  affectionate  help-meet  and  sympa- 
thizer. She  was  a  native  of  Lincoln  County,  Missouri,  a  daugh- 
ter of  David  and  Olivia  Ervin,  and  grand-daughter  of  Hon.  Mal- 
com  Henry,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Missouri,  and  a  member  of 
the  Convention  that  framed  the  first  Constitution  of  the  State, 
in  1820. 

This  short  and  insufficient  sketch  is  written  as  a  deserved  tri- 
bute to  a  strong  and  good  man — one  of  those  self-made  men  to 
whom  all  intelligent  people  gladly  render  merited  honor.  He  is 
another  instance  of  the  effectiveness  in  every  good  work,  and 
the  triumphs  which  are  almost  sure  to  follow  as  the  reward  to 
self-reliance  and  integrity  of  purpose.  The  volume  to  which  1 
write  this  imperfect  introduction,  will  ever  keep  fresh  and  fra- 
grant the  name  of  its  author,  and  may  Missouri  Baptists  never 
forget  the  duty  and  pleasure  of  owning  and  reading  the  work. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PREFACE 5 

INTRODUCTION  by  W.  Pope  Yeaman— With  Sketch  of   the  Life  of  the 

Author          .        "    .            .             .            .            .            .            .            .  8 

CONTENTS 13 

LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 27 


PRELIMINARY. 

1682-1796. 

EARLY   SETTLEMENTS. 

La  Salle — District  of  Louisiana — Tradition — Upper  Louisiana — First  Settlement — 
Ste.  Genevieve — St.  Louis — St.  Charles — Louis  XIV. — Auguste  Chouteau — The 
Rude  Cabins — The  First  House  in  St.  Louis — The  Original  Districts  of  Mis- 
souri— Population,  &c.,  &c.  ......        31 


PERIOD  FIRST. 
^  1796-1810. 

CHAPTER  I. 

EARLY  BAPTISTS  OF  MISSOURI. 

First  Baptist  Families — The  "Lower  Country" — ^Formation  of  the  First  Church,  Ty- 
wappity — Thomas  Johnson,  the  First  Regular  Baptist  Minister  to  come  "West  of 
the  "Great  River" — David  Green — The  Second  Church  formed,  Bethel — Fiat- 
Boat  Traveling ;  the  "Setting  Pole" — ]\Ir.  John  Baldwin — Dr.  J.  C.  Maple's  Mem- 
orial Address— The  "Old  Log  House" — The  Gavel — William  Murphy  35 

CHAPTEE  II. 

EARLY  BAPTISTS  OP  MISSOURI  (CONCLUDED). 

The  Saint  Louis  District ;  First  Baptists  Therein — John  Clark,  the  Pioneer — The  Mu- 
sick  Family — Catholic  Oppression  and  Religious  Liberty — jVIeeting  Under  Diffi- 
culties—Thomas R.  Musick— Fee  Fee  Church,  the  Third  Formed— Cold  Water 
Church — James  Kerr — Funeral  in  the  A\'ilderness — Eld.  Brown — J.  T.  Green — 
J.  Hickman  ........  44 


PERIOD   SECOND. 

1810-1820. 

CHAPTER  I. 

BETHEL  ASSOCIATION. 
Formation  of  Other  Chm-ches — Providence,  Barren,  St.  Francois,  Bellview,  &c, — Qt- 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

ganization  of  the  First  Association — Sketches  of  John  Farrar — "William  Street — 
Wilson  Thompson — James  Philip  Edwards — Wingate  Jackson — Thos.  P.  Green 
— William  Pollc  and  John  Tanner  .....  67 

CHAPTEE  II. 

THE    MISSOURI  ASSOCIATION. 

Negro  Fork,  Upper  Cuivre,  and  Femme  Osage  Churches — The  Association  Formed — 
Life  of  Lewis  Williams — Of  Jno.  M.  Peck — The  Squatter  Family — Eock  Spring 
Seminary — The  First  Baptist  Newspaper  ....  76 

CHAPTEE  III. 

MISSOURI  ASSOCIATION  (CONCLUDED). 
James  E.  Welch — His  Conversion,  Marriage,  IVIission  to  St.  Louis,  General  Sunday 
School  Agency,  Sudden  Death — First  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis — The  Second 
Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis — L  T.  Hinton — Jerry  B.  Jeter — G.  Anderson — A.  H. 
Burhngham— W.  W.  Boyd— W.  M.  McPherson— N.  Cole— W.  M.  Page  and 
Mrs.  Page — Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Charles — Third  Baptist,  St.  Louis — 
Garrison  Avenue,  St.  Louis — John  Teasdale — ^^Vashington  Barnhurst — G.  A. 
Lofton — ^Marshall  Brotherton — P.  J.  Thompson — W.  M.  Senter — Fourth  Baptist 
Church,  St.  Louis— J.  V.  Schofield— Carondelet  Church— G.  L.  Talbot— Park 
Avenue  Church — Beaumont  Street  Church — Union  Church,  St.  Louis  94 

CHAPTEE  lY. 

MOUNT  PLEASANT  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Baptist  Church  on  Loutre — Joseph  Baker — Indian  Troubles — Origin  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  Bethel,  Mt.  Zion,  Salem,  and  Concord  Churches — Formation  of  the 
Mount  Pleasant  Association — William  Thorp — Preaching  in  the  Forts — J.  Hub- 
bard— E.  Turner — Coldon  Williams — D.  McLain — Adventure  with  the  Indians 
—William  Coates    ........  146 

CHAPTEE  V. 

MOUNT  PLEASANT  ASSOCIATION  (CONTINUED). 

Great  Prosperity — New  Associations  Formed — ^How  They  Divided — The  Case  of 
Lynch  Turner — Account  of  the  Division  on  Missions — Prinaitive  Baptists  and 
Missions,  or  Who  Are  Primitive,  Missionary  or  Anti-Missionary  Baptists? — 
Thomas  P.  Fristoe— Fielding  Wilhoite — The  Three  Horsemen— The  Old  Log 
Court  House,  Carrollton — The  Grand  Pviver  Country— The  Dc\irs  Headquarters 
— ^Ebenezer  Eodgers— W.  H.  Mansfield— The  Terrills,  Jesse  and  Benjamin      161 

CHAPTEE  VI. 

MOUNT  PLEASANT  ASSOCIATION  (CONCLUDED). 
Plan  of  Domestic  Missions— William  Duncan— Partuig  Scenes— From  the  Pulpit  to 
the  Grave — The  Slavery  Question— Addison  ]\I.  Lewis— The  Huguenot  Lawj^er 
— James  Porter — Union  with  Anti-Missionary  Baptists — Y.  R.  Pitts,  His  Last 
Hours  and  Sudden  Death- J.  W.  Terrill— S.  Y.  Pitts— G.  W.  Eobey— J.  B. 
•Weber— Sketches  of  Bee  Branch,  C 'liffton,  Friendship,  Huntsville,  Hickory  Grove, 
Mobcrly,  Mt  Horeb,  Mt.  Shiloh,  Mt.  Salem,  SaHsbury  and  other  Churches    185i 


CONTENTS.  XV 

PERIOD  THIRD. 

1820-1830. 

CHAPTEE  I. 

CUIVRE   ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  and  History  of — Church  Troubles  —  Sudden  Dissolution  of  Antioch 
Church — Siloam  Association,  Its  Origin  —  Cuivre-Siloam  Association — Extreme 
Calvinism — Thomas  Bowen — George  Clay — Ephraim  Davis — Darius  Bainbridgc 
—Thomas  J.  Wright  . 204 

CHAPTER  II. 

SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  of  the  First  Churches  in  the  District,  Kamsey's  Creek,  Peno,  and  Stout's 
Settlement  (New  Hope) — Biographical  Slcetches  of  Davis  Biggs — ^Jesse  Sitton — 
Bethuel  Riggs — Jeremiah  Vardeman,  His  Eventful  Life — The  Dancing  School, 
&c. — The  Roman  Catholics  at  Bardstown — Vai-doman's  Visit  to  Nashville — Set- 
tlement in  Marion  County,  Missouri  .....      211 

CHAPTER  III. 

SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION   (CONCLUDED). 

Controversy  on  Missions,  and  Its  Results — Division  of  the  Association — Prosperity  of 
the  Churches — List  of  Associational  Moderators — Sketches  of  Bowling  Green, 
First  Louisiana,  and  Other  Churches — ,Iohn  H.  Duncan — Robert  Gillmore — 
David  Hubbard — Anecdote  of  Hubbard — A.  D.  Landrum ;  How  He  Baptized  a 
Man  Privately— J.  H.  Keach— W.  F.  Luck— J.  D.  Biggs— W.  J.  Patrick        226 

CHAPTER  lY. 

CONCORD  ASSOCIATION. 

Cooper  County ;  First  Baptists  Therein — Formation  of  the  Association — ^History  of 
Big  Bottom,  Big  Lick,  and  Other  Churches — Luke  Williams — Revival  at  the 
Dance — John  B.  Longan — The  Lawyer  Outwitted — Controversy  on  ^Missions — 
Historic  Import  of  the  Term  "  United  Baptists  " — Peter  Woods  .         243 

CHAPTER  Y. 

CONCORD    ASSOCIATION    (CONCLUDED). 

Begins  to  Promote  Missions  as  a  Body — First  Executive  Board — Opposes  Alien  Im- 
mersion— Sunday  School  Convention  Formed — First  Baptist  Church,  Jefferson 
City — David  Allee — Snelling  Johnson — William  H.  Duvall — M.  D.  Noland — 
William  Clarke-Joseph  31.  Chainy— Andi-ew  Estes— G.  W.  Hyde— T.  W.  Bar- 
rett^B.  T.  Taylor  .  .  .  .  .       "    .  .259 

CHAPTER  YI. 

FISHING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

Its  Formation — Broad  Field  of— Strange  Views  of  Associational  Powers — Advisory 
Councils,  and  Not  Law-making  Bodies — Dr.  Peck's  Views  on  the  Subject — Anti- 
Mission  Policy  of  the  Association — Rejects  the  Messengers  of  Concord  and  Blue 
River  Associations — Declines  in  Membership  .  .  ,  ,       272 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

CAPE    GIRARDEAU   ASSOCIATION. 

Its  Formation,  History,  &c. — A  Primitive  Missionary  Body — ^Its  First  Executive 
Committee — First  Evangelists — The  Anti-Missionary  Controversy  and  Division — 
Minorities — Jno.  H.  Clark — Crushing  Influence  of  the  War  .  .       277 

CHAPTEE  VIII. 

SALEM   ASSOCIATION. 

Organization  and  History  of — Corps  of  Earnest  Preachers — Her  Highest  Degree  of 
Prosperity  in  1836 — Harmony  Interrupted — Split  on  Missions — Opposition  to  the 
"  Central  Society" — Becomes  Anti-Missionarj^ — Mistaken  Policj' — Peyton  Steph- 
ens— W.  Cunningham — Deacon  E.  Stephens — Jabez  Ham — Stephen  Ham — 
Theo.  Boulware— The  Shouting  Sister        .  .  .  .  .290 


PERIOD  FOURTH. 

1830-1840. 

CHAPTEE  I. 

FRANKLIN   ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  and  Early  History  of — J.  C.  Duckworth — Hon.  John  Hutchings — The 
Old  Pioneers — Consecration — Baneful  Influence  of  Intemperance — Robert  Car- 
penter— Fundamental  Law — Feet-Washing — ^War  Period — Missiionary  Revival 
Organization  of  the  Churches — James  AVilliams — G.  AY.  Sturdivant — The  Bap- 
tist Convention  of  Southern  Missom-i  .....       299 

CHAPTEE  II. 

BLUE   RIVER  ASSOCIATION. 

First  Churches — Organization  of  the  Association — "  United  Baptists  " — First  "Work — 
Account  of  the  "Split" — 3Icssengcr  of  Peace — Misrepresentation — Domestic 
Missionary  "Work — Progress — Sketches  of  the  Churches — John  Farmer — Bushy 
Head — Dr.  Lykins — G.  AV.  Sparks — Jeremiah  Farmer      .  .  .       307 

CHAPTEE  III. 

BETHEL   ASSOCIATION    (N.  E.) 

Organization  and  Faith  of — The  Conflict  on  Missions  and  Ultimate  DiAision  of — Pros- 
perity and  Growth — ^lission  Work — ^Ministerial  Education  Society — ]\Iale  and 
Female  College,  PalmjTa — History  of  the  Churches — AVilliimi  Carson — Jer.  Tay- 
lor— Christy  Gentr}' — William  Hurley — Robert  Hendren — J.  S.  Green — Anec- 
dotes— Mt.  Salem  Association  ......      322 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

THE   MISSOURI   BAPTIST   GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

How  it  Originated — John  Jackson — Prelirainarj'  Meeting — A'iolent  Opposition — Hard 
Names — The  Great  Revival  in  Cooper  County — Change  of  Name — ^Establish' 


CONTENTS.  XVll 

ment  of  The  Missouri  Baptist — Southern  Baptist  Convention — Uriel  Sebree — 
R.  Hughes— D.  H.  Hickman— A.  P.  Williams— Noah  Flood— X.  X.  Buckner— 
J.  B.  Woruall— L.  B.  Ely— W.  Pope  Yeaman— J.  T.  Williams— L.  M.  Berry 
— Table  of  Meetings  .......      338 

CHAPTEE  V. 

BLACK  RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

Organization,  Location  and  Field  of — Its  First  Ministers — ^Aggressive  Character — 
Growth— J.  W.  Brown— L.  L.  Stephens— J.  H.  Floyd    .  .  .382 

CHAPTER  VI. 

UNION   AND   LIBERTY  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Union  Association  Formed — ^Faith  of—Forms  a  Missionary  Society — ^Its  Growth — 
Peter  Williams — Division  of  the  Association — Basis  of  Union — Coldness — J.  H. 
Thompson — Liberty  Association  Formed — the  Local  Church  Idea  .      386 

CHAPTER  YII. 

LITTLE    BONNE   FEMME   ASSOCIATION. 

Organization  of,  When  and  Why — Early  Baptists  of  Boone  County — Bethel,  Little 
Bonne  Femme,  Cedar,  Union,  Columbia,  Nashville,  Kow  Salem,  JNIt.  Horeb, 
Concord,  Richland,  and  other  Churches — A  "  Big  Revival  " — Sunday-schools — 
First  List  of  Ministers — The  Unanimity  Rule — Method  of  Missions — Origin  of 
William  Jewell  College — Stephens  College — Bonne  Femme  Seminary — R.  Dale 
-James  Suggett— Thos.  H.  Ford— Da^^d  Doyle— R.  S.  Thomas— W.  M.  Jesse 
— H.  W.  Dodge— W.  H.  Burnbam— J.  M.  Robinson- E.  D.  Isbell— J.  M.  Mc- 
Guire — James  Harris  .......      391 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

LITTLE   PINEY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

At  First  "United  Baptists" — Then  Anti-Mission,  Anti-Bible|  Anti-Sunday-school 
Society,  and  Anti-College  JNIcn — The  Versixilles  Council — Trouble  Aboi}t  a 
Name — Mount  Pleasant  Old  School  Association — Real  Beginning  of — 
Old  School,  Not  Primitive — Retrogression — Adopts  the  Name  "Old  School" 
— Change  of  Policy — Protracted  3Ieetings — Revivals — The  Men  of  the  Past  Gen- 
eration— The  Present — Lamink  Rivkr  Association — Two  River  Old  School 
Association — How  and  When  Formed — Reject  the  Mission  System — A  Small 
Body— Henry  Louthan— F.  M,  Turner— Wm.  Priest        .  .  .      424 


PERIOD  FIFTH. 

1840-1850. 
CHAPTER  I. 

LIBERTY   AND   OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

When  Organized — When  The  Weak  Are  Strong — Baptist  Camp-meetings — Plan  of 
Missions — The  Communion  Question — Knapp's  Treatise — Biographies  of  Wil- 
liam Tatum— Henry  Akard— i)vaugeliet§— The  Ageocy  System— Kesults—Gea- 
3 


XVlll  CONTENTS. 

eral  Kevival  Interests — Unites  "With  The  Sac  Kiver  Association — Mt.  Pleasant, 
Greenfield,  Slagle  Creelc,  Friendship,  and  Springfield  Churches — Sac  River  As- 
sociation— Organization — Appellation — Anti-Mission  Proclivities — Elijah  Wil- 
liams— Revivals — U.vion  Association — Novel  Method  of  Forming — W.  F. 
Spillman — B.  Buckner — Mission  to  the  Cherokees — Kansas  Applies  for  Help — 
Division  of  the  Association — War  Troubles — Reorganization — Secession — Change 
of  Name  to  Springfield  Association — Greene  County  Association — An- 
other Sac  River  Association — New  Prospect  Association  .  .      434 

CHAPTER  II. 

SPRING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

Its  Formation — Location — Lunsford  Oliver — Customs — First  Preachers — ^Novel  Pro- 
ceedings— Revivals — Plan  of  Missions — Division  of  the  Association — Institution  of 
Learning — War  Period,  No  Meetings — A  Wise  Action — Second  Division — Shoal 
Creek  Association       ........      446 

CHAPTER  III. 

NORTH    GRAN£)   RIVER   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Organization — A  Blunder  and  How  blended — Voluntary  Missions — Great  Territory — 
Family  Prayer,  Circular  Letter  On — The  Colony  of  Ten  Churches — Endorses  the 
Test  Oath — Chesley  '^^'oodward — W.  Herron — J.  G.  Benson — Trenton,  Linneus, 
Union,  Pleasant  Grove,  Mt.  Nebo,  Providence,  Liberty,  Parson's  Creek,  Chilli- 
cothe,  and  Mt.  Olive  Churches  —  Linn  County  Association — Livingston 
County  Association — ^W.  W.  Walden  ....      454 

CHAPTER  IV. 

MOUNT    ZION    AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

How  It  Originated — When  Formed — Sweeping  Condemnation  of  the  Missionary  En- 
terprise— Henry  xV very.  Arrival  in  Missouri — .John  Warder,  the  Pioneer  of  La- 
fayette County— Pi.atte  River  Association  OF  "Regular"  Baptists — Nod- 
away Association — Osage  Association  of  Baptists  .  .      4(33 

CHAPTER  V. 

CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  "  PLATTE  PURCHASE." 
"Platte  Purchase,"  Where  and  What— Platte  River  Association — Union  Association — 
Change  of  Name  to  "  West  Union  "—The  War  Cloud  —  Devi\statiou  —  Graham 
Church— Northwest  ^Missouri  Association  —  C.  L.  Butts — St  Joseph  Associa- 
tion—Churches in  "Platte  Purchase":  Pleasant  Grove,  Mt  Zion,  Nishnabotany, 
Sonora  and  Others— The  Mission  Band— Jonas  D.  Wilson— Wm.  Harris— E.  S. 
Dulin ^'^8 

CHAPTER  VI. 

SALINE   ASSOCIATION. 

How  It  Originated— First  Constitution— Faith  of—  Sketches  of  Its  Churches:  Good 

Hope   (Big  Bottom),  High  Hill  Church  (Trouble  and  Settlement),  Rehoboth. 

Heath's  Creek,  Zoar,  Fish  Creek,  County  Line,  Bethel,  :Mianii,  Marshall,  Salt 

Pond  and  Others— Revised  Coastitu^ion— Summary  for  1879— Peyton  NowUn— 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

— A.  Gwinn — R.  Y.  Thomson — Russel  Holmaii — J.  L.  Hampton — W.  M.  Bell 
J.  C.  Maple— J.  L.  Tichenor— W.  R.  Painter  .  .  .  .479 

CHAPTEE  YIL 

MACON   ASSOCIATION. 

Constituent  Churches — Euphrates  Stringer — Change  of  Name — Second  Change — Pol- 
icy on  Missions — Great  RcAnval  at  Mt.  Salem — Trouble  on  Open  Communion — 
End  of  the  Controversy — Mt.  Pleasant  College  Adopted — Big  Spring  and  Blank- 
et Grove  Churches — Joseph  Oliver  .....      503 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

NORTH   UNION   AND   NORTH   MISSOURI   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Disagreement  Between  Elds.  Hite  and  Stringer — When  and  By  Whom  the  Associa- 
tion Was  Formed — A.  T.  Hite,  His  Early  Life,  Conversion,  Removal  to  Mis- 
souri, and  Pioneer  Life — Frontier  Scenes — The  Pet  Pig  in  the  JMeeting-house — 
Lewns  Conner — Growth  of  the  Association — North  ]VrissouRi  Association — 
First  Meeting — Successor  of  North  L^'nion — First  Constitution — Amended  Con- 
stitution— Unassociated  Churches — Ministerial  Destitution  .  .      510 

CHAPTEE  IX. 

NORTH   LIBERTY   ASSOCIATION. 

Why  Formed,  and  When — "  L^nited  Baptists  "  and  Their  Principles — War  with  the 
Anti-Missionaries — Fishing  River  Association,  Her  Strange  Action — Meeting- 
houses Closed — Eld.  Bouhvare's  Pamphlet — Constituent  Churches — Sketches  of 
New  Hope,  Richmond,  Little  Flock,  Second  Liberty,  and  Pleasant  Ridge  Church- 
es— Early  Ministers — Thomas  Rigg — Circular  Letter  on  Missions — Luke  Wil- 
liams— Franklin  Graves — Schools  and  Colleges — W.  C.  Barrett — H.  INI.  Richard- 
son— W.  H.  Thomas — O.  P.  Moss — Tables — Northwestern  Association        518 

CHAPTEE  X. 

OSAGE   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

Organization  of — Churches  of  in  1868 — Resolution  on  the  "  Missouri  Constitution  " — 
Mixed  Communion,  Trouble  On — J.  M.  Brockman — R.  'SL  Miller — Methodist 
Stronghold,  &c.  ........       535 

CHAPTEE  XI. 

WYACONDA   ASSOCIATION. 

The  Work  of  the  Pioneers — Wj'aconda  from  Bethel  Association — Its  Faith — Con- 
stitution in  Full — Wj'aconda  and  Gilead  Churches — War  Troubles— Fox  River, 
Mother  of  Churches — Dover,  Bear  Creek,  South  Fork,  South  Wyaconda,  Mt, 
Salem,  La  Grange,  Sand  Hill,  and  Other  Churches — Itinerant  Methods — Results 
— Aggression — Foreign  and  Home  Missions — Lemuel  Hatcher — Samuel  Nich' 
oils — James  M.  Lillard  •..,,,,      539 

CHAPTEE  XII. 

WEST    FORK   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Formation — Settlement  of  Daviess  Coimty— The  Mormons,  War  with  Them— First 


XX  CONTENTS. 

Churches :  Grand  River,  Union,  Friendship,  Pilot  Grove,  Zoar,  Crab  Orchard — 
Compromise  on  Missions — Other  Churches — Opinion  of  the  "War  and  the  Test 
Oath — State  Convention — Co-operation  with — Jno.  Woodward — Wm.  McCam- 
mon — The  Converted  Wife  and  the  Mad  Husband — Gentry  Baptist  Associa- 
tion— The  "  Old  "  Gentrj-  Association — The  New  Gentry — Churches  in  1868 — 
Missionary  Board — Query  on  the  Deaconship — The  New  Country — Heresies 
— Missouri  Baptist  Indian  Mission  Association'  .  .      652 

CHAPTEE  XIII. 

CEDAR   (now   ANTIOCH)   AND  GASCONADE    ASSOCIATIONS. 

When  First  Formed — Its  ^Ministers — ^Record  of  Meetings — Cedar  Church — Obadiah 
Smith — Sacrificing  ]\Ien — Thomas  Smith — Change  of  Name  to  Antioch — Com- 
munion Trouble — James  Johnson — William  Cook — Gasconade  Eiver  Asso- 
ciation—  First  Appearance  of  its  Name  —  Semi- Anti-Mission — Light  and 
Change  of  Views — Alien  Baptism — Pulpit  AiRliation — Dry  Fork  Association 
Formed  by  a  Colony  from  Gasconade         .....      563 


PERIOD   SIXTH. 

1850-1860. 

CHAPTER  I. 

BEAR   CREEK  ASSOCIATION. 

Origin  of — History  of  its  First  Churches — Constituent  Ministers — Progress  of  the 
Work — The  Great  Catholic  and  Lutheran  Field^ — Joseph  Nicholls — The  Little 
Baptist  House  in  St.  Louis — Lewis  Duncan — D.  W.  Nowlin,  Early  Life,  Con- 
version and  Doctrinal  Views  of— Thomas  T.  Johnson,  the  Revivalist — W.  D. 
Grant  .........      571 

CHAPTER  II. 

BETHEL   (NOW    CALLED    SOUTHWEST    BETHEL)    ASSOCIATION. 

The  First  fleeting— List  of  Churches — ^linisters — Mission  Spirit — Plan  of  Work — 

Associational  Powers — Cheap  ^lissions — Remarkable  Action — Baptists  Not  a 

\Law  Making  People,  as  Such — Change  of  Name     ....      585 

CHAPTER  III. 

BOURBOIS  AND    SMITH  VALLEY  ASSOCIATIONS, 

Its  Formation — Missionarj- — Refuses  Admission  to  Excluded  Churches — "Old  Mount 
Pleasant"  Church — Smith  Valley  Association — Rejects  "Alien"  Immersion 
— ^Friendship  and  Other  Churches     .  .  .  .  ' .  .      689 

CHAPTER  IV. 

CENTRAL   MISSOURI   AND    CONCORD    ASSOCIATIONS. 
Central    Missouri  from  Bethel — Feet- Washing— How   a  Church  was  Tried— The 
Wonderful  Revival— Another  New  Association— Numerical  Strength       .     694 


CONTENTS.  XXI 

CHAPTEE  Y. 

FREEDOM   ASSOCIATION. 

Formation — Policy — War  Influences — Reorganization — Confusion — Relsellion^Pro- 
scriptiou — Great  Destitution — ^Votion  on  the  Liquor  Traffic — D.  R.  Murphy,  His 
Night  Adventure,  and  Coming  to  Missouri — Geo.  Mitchell,  His  Education, 
Work  and  Death       ........      598 

CHAPTER  VI. 

JEFFERSON    COUNTY   ASSOCIATION. 

Origin  and  Name — Sabbath  Observance  and  Sabbath-schools— Bethlehem  and  Calvey 
Churches — ^David  Stites — Lebanon,  Swashing,  and  Other  Churches  .      607 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

NORTH    MISSOURI   AND    MOUNT    MORIAH   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Organization  and  Brief  History  of  North  Missouri  Association — Of  Mt.  Moriah — Pre- 
liminary Meeting — Its  Object — Circular  on  Communion — Summary — New  Sa- 
lem, Gentr3"V'ille,  and  Pleasant  Valley  Churches — Open  Communion  Trouble — 
Deacon  R.  D.  Black— B.  F.  Kenney— The  "  Test  Oath  "—Israel  Christie— J.  W. 
Black— Israel  Christie,  Jr.— B.  Wheeler— Sam'l  Weir- P.  E.  Jewejl— T.  M.  S. 
Kenney  .........      613 

CHAPTEE  VIII. 

ST.    FRANCOIS   ASSOCIATION. 

Organization  of — The  Itinerant  Sj"stem — The  Revival — The  New  Colony— Feet- 
washing — Sketches  of  the  Churches — Biographical :  C.  T.  Graham — A.  Hughes 
—J.  Crowley— W.  W.  Settle— Pinkney  Graham  .  .  .622 

CHAPTEE  IX. 

TEBO    ASSOCIATION. 

Early  Itinerant  Work  in — Formation — First  Ministers — Effects  of  the  War,  and  Sub- 
sequent Prosperity — First  Church,  Clinton — Sketches  of  Churches — Biographi- 
cal :  James  Woods — W.  A  Gray      ......      630 

CHAPTEE  X. 

UNION    ASSOCIATION    (hOWELL   COUNTY),    AND    OTHERS. 

First  Settlement  and  Churches  in  Howell  County — Richlantj  Association — Devas- 
tation— HuTTox  Valley  Association — Union  Association — The  Schism — 
W.  A.  Findle}- — State  Line  Association — Sketches  of  the  Churches :  Rich 
Valley,  Harmony,  Mill  Creek,  Mt.  Nebo,  Mt.  Hope  Nos.  1  and  2,  Richland — N. 
Barnett — Refugees       .  .  .      ■      .  .  .  .  .      635 

CHAPTEE  XI. 

ZION   AND    OZARK   ASSOCIATIONS. 

When  Formed — Sixth  Meeting — Its  Ministers — List  of  Meetings — The  Anti-element 
— Compromise — Baptist  College  at  Lebanon — S.  W.  Mo.   Convention — Declen- 


XXll  CONTENTS. 

Bion— W.  C.  Wheeler— H.  H.  Atchley— J.  H.  Lane— J.  B.  Miller— W.  H.  El- 
liott— Ozark  Association — G.  B.  Stogsdell — Lowry  Richardson  .      640 


PERIOD  SEVENTH. 

1860-1870. 

CHAPTEE  I. 

CANE   CREEK    AND   BUTLER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Date  and  Organization  of  Cane  Creek — Timothj'  Reaves — List  of  Churches  in  1867 
— W.  H.  Reaves — Public  Collections — "Alien  "  Baptism — Ministerial  Need — 
BuTi-ER  Association — First  Called  Western  Missouri — Quarterly  Communion 
— Affiliation  With  State  Convention — Help  From  the  Home  Mission  Society — 
Record  of  Meetings — Change  of  Name  to  Butler     ....      647 

CHAPTEE  II. 

CENTRAL  (formerly  CALLED   SEDALIA),  AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

"The  Queen  City  " — First  Baptist  Church,  Sedalia — East  Church — Sedalia  Associa- 
tion— Formation  of  and  Change  to  Central — South  Fork  Church — Isaiah  Spur- 
gin — E.  T.  Bro%vn — Pettis  County  Association — ^Why  Formed — Harmony 
Association — Why  Organized       ......      652 

CHAPTEE  III. 

GENERAL   BAPTISTS  AND   FREE   WILL   BAPTISTS. 

Bkthany  Association  of  General  Baptists — Missouri  Association  of  Gen- 
eral Baptists — Bio  Creek  Association  op  Free  Will  Baptists  659 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

THE    MISSOURI    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL   CONVENTION. 

Its  Constitution,  Motto,  Work,  and  Final  Dissolution — S.  W.  Marston — M.  L. 
Laws  .........      661 

CHAPTEE  V. 

MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 

Date  and  Purpose  of  Organization — Early  Prosperity — Carroll  County,  Sketch  and 
History  of  its  Churches — The  Three  Horsemen — Old  Log  Court  House — Car- 
rollton  Church — "  The  De\'ir8  Headquarters  " — Big  Creek,  Wakenda,  Beth- 
lehem, McCroskie's  Creek,  Good  Hope,  and  Other  Churches — Biographical :  J. 
M.  Goodson — Kemp  Scott,  Pioneer  Life — J.  D.  Murphy — G.  W.  Hatcher — C. 
Bullock '  .  .  .669 

CHAPTEE  TI. 

THE    MISSOURI   BAPTIST   STATE    CONVENTION. 

Where,  When,  and  Why  Formed — Objects — First  Executive  Board — "Test  Oath" 
Endorsement — Money  Expended  on  the  Field — Conference  for  Peace — Consolid- 


CONTENTS.  XXIU 

ation  with   General  Association  Proposed — How  Accomplished — Dr.  Burliug- 
ham's  Speech — Closing  RemarlvS      ......      683 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

NORTH    CENTRAL   ASSOCIATION. 

Meeting  of  the  Convention — First  Anniversary — The  Object  Stated — Faith  of — Ap- 
proves Test  Oath  Constitvition  of  Missouri — Rescinds  that  Approval — Summary 
of  the  Year  1874 688 

CHAPTEE  VIII. 

NORTHEAST   MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

Where  and  How  it  Originated — AVTien  Organized — A  Helper  of  the  State  Conven- 
tion— Disintegration — Not  Very  Prosperous — Biographical :  J.  M.  Ingold  and 
Stephen  G.  Hunt  —  Sketches  of  Highland,  Greensburgh,  and  West  Bethel 
Churches        ..  ^  ......       692 

CHAPTEE  IX. 

OLD    PATH    ASSOCIATION. 

Why  and  When  Organized — Early  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Hickory  County — First 
Minister — Ministers'  Salaries — London  Confession  of  Faith — Thomas  Moore's 
Apostasy — The  Case  of  J.  H.  Smith — Resolutions  and  Queries      .  .      695 

CHAPTEE  X. 

ROCK   PRAIRIE  (NOW   DADE    COUNTY)    AND    OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Rock  Prairie  Formed — Change  of  Name — Pastoral  Support,  Position  On — Confes- 
sion of  Faith — Missions — Lack  of  Unity — Nevada  Association — Sketches  of 
Churches:  Harmony,  Nevada  City — Report  on  Temperance — Webster  Asso- 
ciation— Sketches  of  Churches :  Antioch,  Cedar  Bluff,  Fairview,  Good  Hope, 
Good  Spring,  Mt.  Zion — Biographical:  Jacob  Mingus — E.  J.  Smith — E.  A. 
Mingus — Sketch  of  Prospect  Church  .....      700 

CHAPTEE  XL 

NEW   PROSPECT   ASSOCIATION. 

When  and  Where  Formed — Eld.  A.  May — Record  of  Meetings — The  Prefix  "Union" 
— The  EiTor  Corrected — Itinerant  Work — Consolidation  With  Sac  River  Asso- 
ciation— Union  Sunday-schools  vs.  Baptist  Sunday-schools — Dissolution  Consid- 
ered   ..........      710 


PERIOD  EIGHTH. 

1870-1880. 

CHAPTEE  I. 

LAFAYETTE   AND   JOHNSON,   AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 
Rise  of  Lafayette — Principles — Progress — Methods   of  Work — W.P.C. Caldwell — 
Jonathan  Gott — ^Wm.  C.  Ligon — Henry  Talbird — Lamine  Association— Bio- 


XxiV  CONTENTS. 

graphy  of  T.  V.  Greer — A.  Machett — Merameg  Association — Comes  froiil 
Franklin — Progresses — Retrogrades — Biographical :  Hiram  Smith — E.  Harmon 
— R.  N.  Gaugh — G.  Seymour — Sketches  of  Churches;  Pourche  a  Renault, 
White  Oak  Grove — Mount  Zion  Association — Sketches  of  Churches:  Fay- 
ette, Glasgow,  Chariton,  Mt.  Moriah  and  Rocheport  .  .  .       713 

CHAPTEE  II. 

PLEASANT   GROVE   AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

A  New  Organization — When  Formed — 'Where — Constituent  Churches — Caleb  Bush 
Visits  the  Churches — Method  of  Sunday-school  Work — Present  Strength — 
Dry  Fork  Association — Its  Location,  Origin,  G-rowth  and  Present  Strength 
— Dixon  Association  —  How  and  When  Formed — Landmark — Sketch  of 
F.  M.  Mathews — .James  River  Association  (Now  Lawrence  County  Associa- 
tion)— H.  C.  Lollar — Charleston  Association  .  .  .      729 

CHAPTEE  m. 

SHOAL   CREEK   ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  of — Its  Pioneers — Prevalence  of  Baptist  Sentiments — Views  of  Pastoral 
Support,  Missions  and  Education — Alien  Baptism — Excluded  Members — Bio- 
graphical :  Hezekiah  Dobbs — E.  W.  Downing        ....      737 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

SOUTHWEST   MISSOURI   BAPTIST    CONVENTION. 

Organization — Real  Aims — A  Co-worker  with  the  General  Association — College 
Founded — Trustees — Churches  Aided — Jas.  Schofield — B.  MoCord  Roberts   739 

CHAPTEE  V. 

WAYNE    COUNTY   AND    OSAGE   ASSOCIATIONS. 
Origin  and  History  of— Curious  Action  on  Domestic  Missions  .  .       742 

CHAPTEE  VI. 

MISSIONARY   SOCIETIES   OF    MISSOURI. 

The  Missionary  Society  of  Missouri  Baptists — The  Missouri  Baptist  Wo- 
m.vn's  Missionary  Society — Mrs.  O.  P.  ]\Ioss — The  Woman's  Baptist 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  Missouri        ....       745 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

THE    GERMAN   BAPTIST   CHURCHES   OF   MISSOURI. 

First  German  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis— C.  Schoemaker— F.  W.  Glatfeld— E.  S. 
Kupfer— C.  West— J.  S.  Gubelmann— J.  C.  Haselhuhn— C.  Ohlgart— J.  M. 
Hoefflin  —  First  German  Baptist  Church,  Concordia,  Lafayette  County  —  C. 
Kresse — Chr.  Werner— A.  Hausler— First  German  Baptist  Church,  Pin  Oak 
Creek — A.  Rauschenbusch — A.  Hoffman— First  German  Baptist  Church,  Hig- 
ginsville,  Lafayette  County — F.  W.  Greife  .  .  .  ,      752 


CONTENTS.  XXV 

CHAPTEE  YIII. 

THE    AFRICAN   BAPTIST    CHURCHES    OF    MISSOURI. 

First  Africaa  Church,  St,  Louis— The  Little  Sunday-school — J.  B.  Meachuni,  His 

Method  of  Emancipation — Second  African  Church,  St.  Louis — W.  P.  Brooks — 

North  Missouri  Association— Faith  of— First,  Second  and  Third  Districts  of 

— Eastern  and  Western  Divisions  of— Union  (Colored)  Association,  Beginning  of 

-Its  Churches — Emanuel  Cartwright  .....      755 


MISCELLANEOUS. 
CHAPTEE  I. 

BIOGRAPHICAL. 
David  Anderson — Samuel  Boone— J.  C.Armstrong — Nathan  Ayi-es — M.  J.  Breaker 
— S.  Driskell — Josiah  Duncan — B.  F.  Edwards — W.  L.  T.  Evans — Wm.  Fuqua 
— Henry  Farmer — Joseph  Flood — Jno,  P.  Glover — J.  N.  Griffin — Jno.  C.  Hern- 
don— Tyree  C.  Harris— Jesse  A.  Hollis— E.  C.  Hill— Wade  M.  Jackson— J.  P. 
Jesse — li.  M.  Jones — Wm.  M.  Jones — J.  T.  M.  Johnson — W.  P.  Lanier — Evan 
Lawler— E.  Landers— J.  H.  Luther— M.  P.  Matheny— A.  G.  Mitchell— John  S. 
Major— Walter  McQuie— Jno.  E.  Moore- David  Orr— Joab  Powell— Thos. 
Pitts — J.  W.  Renshaw  —  Wm.  Rice  —  James  Schofield  —  A.Sherwood  —  A. 
B.  Snethen— Elisha  Sutton— William  Thompson— Thos.  Taylor— M.  A.  Taylor 
— O.  Tompkins— Leonard  Turley— C.  C.  Tipton— E.  Towler— James  Walker- 
Anderson  Woods— A.  Baker— Peter  Brown— M.  T.  Bibb— R.  F.  Babb— B. 
Baker- J.  W.  Bradley— J.  B.  Fuqua— W.  R.  Green— John  Greenalgh— R.  F. 
Ellis— Wm.  Ferguson— P.  N.  Haycraft— S.  C.  Major— J.  P.  Smith— W.  H. 
Vardeman — Jesse  B.  Wallace — ^B.  F.  Lawler  ....       760 

CHAPTEE  II. 

EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

William  Jewell  College,  Founding  and  History  of— Dr.  Wm.  Jewell — College  Opens 
— Suspends — Resumes — Present  Condition — AV.  R.  Rothwell — J,  R.  Eaton — R. 
B.  Semple — J.  G.  Clark — Stephens  College — Its  Curators — E.  S.  Dulin — J.  L. 
Stephens — Mount  Pleasant  College — LaGrange  College — Competition  for  Loca- 
tion—  J.  F.  Cook — ^Resuscitation — Lexington  Female  College — J.  F.  Lan- 
neau — Hardin  College — The  Hardin  Donation — C.  H.  Hardin — IVIrs.  P.  A.  Baird 
— St.  Joseph  Female  College — The  Patee  House — McCune  College — A.  Slaugh- 
ter— Grand  River  College  —  Scholarships — Southwest  Baptist  College — J.  R. 
Maupin  —  Pierce  City  College — Mayfield-Smith  Academy — St.  Louis  Semin- 
ary      .....  .  .  ,  846 

CHAPTEE  IIL 

RELIGIOUS    PERIODICALS. 
Th&  MissouH  Baptist  of  1842 — The   Western   Watchman — Burning  of  the  Watch- 


XXVf  CONTENTS. 

man  Office — Another  Missouri  Baptist — Suspension  of — Missouri  Baptist 
Jour7ial,  1866 — J.  H.  Luther  and  K.  M.  Rhoades — The  Baptist  Record — Con- 
solidation of  the  Journal  and  the  Record — The  Central  Baptist  —  William 
Ferguson — W.  H.  Williams — The  Christian  Repository — S.  H.  Ford — Baptist 
Battle-Flag  (now  changed  to  The  American  Baptist  Flag) — D.  B.  RaySj?  5¥y 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

PUBLICATION   INTERESTS. 

The  St  Louis  Branch  House  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society — ^Lewis  E. 
Kline — The  St.  Louis  Baptist  Publishing  Company  .  .  .      910 

CHAPTEE  V. 

THE   MISSOURI    "TEST   OATH." 

The  Oath — Its  Penalty — How  Received  by  the  Denomination — Strictures  on,  by  Dr. 
W.  Pope  Yeaman — Decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  Thereon — Its  Abolition — 
"  Star  Chamber  "  Notes — State  of  Society  in  1865  and  1866 — Imprisonments — 
Indictments — Trials — Murders,  &c  .....      918 

CHAPTEE  YI. 

STATISTICAL   TABLES. 
Statistics  of  Missouri  Baptists  by  Decades  —  Statistical  Table  of  Missouri  Bap- 


tists 


980 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Eev.  Alvin  p.  Williams,  D.D.,  -     Full  Page,  Frontispiece. 

Eev.  E.  S.  Duncan,    ------  10 

The  Missouri  Pioneer's  Home  on  "The  Great 

EiVER,"        -----       Full  Page,  30 

Eev.  John  M.  Peck,  -            -            -            -              Full  Page,  34 

Old  Bethel  Church  House,       -            -            -            -  39 

Eev.  Thomas  E.  Musick,        -----  60 

Old  Fee  Fee  Church  House,       .            -            -            .  53 

Eev.  John  T.  Green,              .            .            -            -            -  55 

Eev.  Joshua  Hickman,     -----  56 

Lewis  Williams'  Certificate  of  Ordination,           FullPage,  82 

Eev.  James  E.  Welch,      -----  95 

The  Pioneer  Sunday-school,                         -             Full  Page,  100 

Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  •  -  Full  Page,  107 
Pulpit,  Baptistry  and  Gale  Memorial  Organ  in 

Second  Baptist  Church,        -            -            -            -  109 

Eev.  J.  B.  Jeter,  D.D.,    -----  115 

Eev.  Galusha  Anderson,  D.D.,         .            -            -            -  118 

Eev.  a.  H.  Burlingham,  D.D.,                ...  119 

Eev.  W.  W.  Boyd,  D.D.,       -----  120 

Hon.  W.  M.  McPherson,               .            .            -            -  121 

Hon.  Nathan  Cole,    ------  123 

William  M.  Page,             .            .            -            -            .  124 

Mrs.  W.  M.  Page,       ------  125 

Eev.  G.  a.  Lofton,  D.D.,            ...            -  135 

Hon.  Marshall  Brotherton,            ...            -  137 

William  M.  Senter,          -----  139 

Eev.  J.  V.  Schofield,  D.D.,              -            -            -            -  141 

Eev.  a.  a.  Kendrick,  D.D.,        .            -            .            -  144 

David  McLain's  Adventure  with  the  Indians,       Full  Page,  158 

Eev.  S.  Y.  Pitts, 198 

Eev.  G.  W.  Eobey,     ------  199 

Eev.  J.  B.  Weber,             .            .            -            -            .  200 

Eev.  Jeremiah  Vardeman,    -            -            -            -            -  221 

Jeremiah  B.  Yardeman,  -----  225 


XXVlll  LIST   OP   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The  Secret  Night  Baptism  ; — "  Would  ISTot  Tell 

Unless  He  was  Asked,"         .            .            .            .  237 

Eev.  James  D.  Biggs,       -----  241 

Eev.  Wiley  J.  Patrick,         .            .            -            .            .  242 

Eev.  G.  W.  Hyde,              .            _            -            .            .  268 

Eev.  T.  W.  Barrett,              -            -              _          -            -  269 

Eev.  John  H.  Clark,        -----  283 

Eev.  Thos.  P.  Stephens,        -            -            -            -            -  294 

Elijah  Stephens,              .            -            .            .            -  295 

Hon.  Wm.  Carson,      ------  330 

Hon.  David  H.  Hickman,            .            .            .            -  358 

Eev.  Noah  Flood,      ------  364 

Eev.  X.  X.  Buckner,         -----  368 

Hon.  J.  B.  Wornall,              -----  373 

Lewis  B.  Ely,        ------  374 

Eev.  W.  Pope  Yeaman,  D.D.,            -            -            -            -  375 

Eev.  J.  T.  Williams,        -----  378 

Eev.  L.  M.  Berry,      ------  379 

Eev.  David  Doyle,  M.  D.,           -            -            -            -  410 

Eev.  J.  M.  McGuire,              -            -            -            -            -  422 

Eev.  "Wm.  Harris,             -----  475 

Eev.  E.  S.  Dulin,  D.D.,  LL.D.,       -            -            -            -  476 

Eev.  Wm.  M.  Bell,            -----  499 

Eev.  J.  C.  Maple,  D.D.,        -            -            -            -            -  500 

Eev.  W.  C.  Barrett, 528 

Oliver  P.  Moss,          ------  530 

Eev.  Lewis  Duncan,        -----  576 

Eev.  David  W.  Nowlin,        -----  579 

Eev.  T.  T.  Johnson,          -----  582 

Feet-Washing;  A  Eare  Observance,          -            -            -  595 

Eev.  Wm.  W.  Settle,        -----  627 

Eev.  S.  W.  Marston,  D.D.,               -            -            -            -  665 

Eev.  J.  D.  Murphy,  D.D.,           -            -            -            .  679 

Eev.  G.  W.  Hatcher,             -----  681 

Eev.  Henry  Talbird,  D.D.,        -            -            -            -  7I8 

Eev.  H.  C.  Dollar,                 -----  734 

Mrs.  O.  p.  Moss,               -            -            -            -            -  749 

Eev.  J.  S.  GuBELMANN,           -----  753 

Eev.  J.  C.  Armstrong,     -----  761 

Hon.  Joseph  Flood,                -----  771 

Dr.  Eichard  M.  Jones,     -----  784 

Eev.  William  M.  Jones,        .            .           -           -           .  785 


tIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS.  XXlX 

Eev.  J.  H.  Luther,  D.D.,       -            -            -            -            -  790 

Eev.  M.  p.  Matheny,        -----  793 

Eev.  James  Schofield,          -            -            -            .            .  800 

Eev.  Adiel  Sherwood,  D.D.,       -            -            -            -  803 

Eev.  William  Thompson,  D.D.,  LL.B.,      -            -            -  809 
Eev.  M.  T.  Bibb,               -            -            -            -            -825 

Hon.  S.  C.  Major,      -            .            -            -            -            -  835 

Eev.  J.  F.  Smith,              .            .            -            -            -  837 

Eev.  W.  H.  Vardeman,          .            -            -            -            .  840 

Eev.  B.  F.  Lawler,           .            -            -            -            .  843 

Hon.  George  C.  Bingham,    -----  844 

William  Jewell  College,  Lib^^rty,  Mo.,           -       Full  Page,  849 

Dr.  William  Jewell,             -----  851 

Prop.  A.  J.  Emerson,        -----  857 

Eev.  W.  E.  Eothwell,  D.D.,            -            -            -            -  859 

Prop.  James  E.  Eaton,     -----  860 

Prof.  E.  B.  Semple,                -----  861 

Prop.  James  G.  Clark,  LL.D.,                -            -            -  862 

Stephens'  College,  Columbia,  Mo.,              -             Full  Page,  865 

Hon.  James  L.  Stephens,              .            -            -            .  867 

Mt.  Ple-\sant  College,  Huntsville,  Mo.,               -            -  869 

Eev.  J.  F.  Cook,  LL.D.,              -            .            -            .  875 

Baptist  Female  College,  Lexington,  Mo.,              Full  Page,  877 

Prof.  J.  F.  Lanneau,        -----  880 

Hardin  College,  Mexico,  Mo.,         -            -            -            .  882 

Hon.  Charles  H.  Hardin,           -            -            -            -  884 

Mrs.  H.  T.  Baird,      ------  885 

Prof.  A.  Slaughter,         -----  889 

Grand  Eiver  College,  Edinburgh,  Mo.,     -             Full  Page,  891 

Eev.  J.  E.  Maupin,           ...            -            -  892 

Southwest  Baptist  College,  Bolivar,  Mo.,             Full  Page,  893 

Pierce  City  College,  Pierce  City,  Mo.,             -             -  894 

Eev.  William  Ferguson,       -----  903 

Eev.  W.  H.  Williams,      -----  904 

Eev.  S.H.  Ford,  D.D.,  LL.D.,         -            -            -            -  906 

Eev.  D.  B.  Eay,  D.D.,      -----  908 

Saint  Louis  Branch  House,              .            -            -            -  gn 

Lewis  E.  Kline,    ---.--  913 


PRELIMINARY. 


1682-1796. 
EAELY  SETTLEMENTS. 
LaSalle — District  of  Louisiana — Tradition — Upper  Louisiana — First 
Settlement — Ste.  Genevieve — St.  Louis — St.  Charles — Louis  JCIV. 
— Auguste  Chouteau — The  Bude  Cabins — The  First  House  in  St. 
Louis — The  Original  Districts  of  Missouri — Population,  &c.  &c. 

ROBEET  Cavelier,  de  La  Salle,  a  Frenchman,  in  the  year 
1682,  took  formal  possession  of  the  country  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  by  this  act  the  King  of  France 
claimed  dominion  of  almost  the  entire  Mississippi  Valley,  which 
was  called  the  Province  of  Louisiana.  In  1763  France  relin- 
quished her  claim  to  all  the  country  east  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

France  ceded  to  the  United  States,  in  1803,  the  Province  of 
Louisiana,  but  Upper  Louisiana  was  not  transferred  until  March 
10,  1804;  after  which  all  this  vast  territory  north  of  the  south- 
ern boundary  of  Arkansas  and  west  of  the  Mississippi  River  was 
called  by  Congress,  The  District  of  Louisiana.  This  was  after- 
wards called  the  Territory  of  Louisiana,  and  still  later  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Missouri.  This  last  name  was  given  it  by  Congress  in 
1812,  and  embraced  what  is  now  known  as  the  States  of  Arkan- 
sas, Missouri,  Iowa,  Nebraska  and  Oregon,  and  the  larger  parts 
of  Kansas  and  Minnesota,  also  "Washington,  Montana,  Idaho, 
Dakota,  and  parts  of  Wyoming,  Colorado  and  the  Indian  Terri- 
tories. While  under  the  dominion  of  Spain,  this  country  was 
known  sometimes  by  the  name  of  Upper  Louisiana,  and  for  a 
short  time  after  its  cession  to  the  United  States  it  was  so  call- 
ed. The  capital  of  the  Territory  of  Missouri — Upper  Louis- 
iana— was  at  St.  Louis.  Under  this  organization  the  county  of 
St.  Charles  was  formed,  and  was  defined  as  all  that  part  of 
the  territory  north  of  the  Missouri  River  and  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River,  extending  to  the  Indian  Country  on  the  west 
and  the  British  Possessions  on  the  north.  This  was  undoubted- 
ly the  largest  county  ever  formed  in  America. 

In  the  year   1820  the  State  of  Missouri  was  organized,  and 


32  PRELIMINARY. 

admitted  into  the  Union  in  1821,  The  capital  was  at  St.  Louis 
until  November  1st  of  that  year;  at  St.  Charles  from  1821  to 
October  1,  1826;  since  which  time  it  has  been  at  Jefferson  City. 
By  act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1836,  the  western  boundary  was 
extended  to  include  the  ''Platte  Purchase,"  when  the  State  of 
Missouri  (the  Baptist  History  of  which  we  shall  try  to  write) 
attained  its  present  dimensions. 

Tradition  fixes  the  date  of  the  first  actual  settlement  of  white 
inhabitants  in  what  is  now  Missouri,  as  1735,  in  the  county  of 
Ste.  Genevieve.  Subsequently,  in  1763,  a  number  of  French 
families  came  from  Kaskaskia  and  St.  Philip  and  settled  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  The  next  settlement  was  in  what  is  now 
St.  Charles  County.  It  was  made  by  Blanchette  La  Chasseur, 
where  now  the  city  of  St.  Charles  stands,  in  1762. 

The  next  and  principal  of  all  the  early  settlements  was  made 
where  St.  Louis  now  stands,  in  the  year  1764.  The  circum- 
stances of  this  settlement  were  these:  Pierre  La  Clede  Liguest, 
in  1763,  ascended  the  Mississippi  Eiver  in  search  of  some  suit- 
able place  to  establish  a  permanent  trading-post  with  the  In- 
dians. He  stopped  at  Ste.  Genevieve,  but  failed  to  find  even 
temporary  accommodations  for  his  goods  and  party.  He  pro- 
ceeded as  far  north  as  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  Eiver;  he  then 
retraced  his  steps  and  landed  at  the  present  site  of  St.  Louis. 
He  blazed  a  number  of  trees,  and  said  to  Auguste  Chouteau,  a 
young  man  who  accompanied  him  :  "Next  spring  you  will  come 
here  and  make  our  settlement  after  the  plan  which  I  shall  fur- 
nish you."  Accordingly  in  the  early  spring  of  1764,  Auguste 
Chouteau,  with  thirty  picked  men,  came  to  the  selected  place, 
cleared  the  ground  and  erected  a  few  rude  cabins.  In  March, 
M.  Liguest  arrived,  laid  off  the  village,  and  called  it  St.  Louis, 
in  honor  of  Louis  XIV.,  King  of  France,  not  knowing  that  he 
had  already  ceded  the  territory  to  their  old  enemy,  Spain. 
Liguest  built  the  first  house  worthy  of  the  name.  It  had  a  cellar 
and  lower  story  of  stone,  and  was  on  the  square  where  Bar- 
num's  Hotel  now  stands. 

Originally,  Missouri  was  divided  into  five  Districts  : 

1st.  New  Madrid,  including  all  the  territory  between  the  south- 
ern boundary  of  the  State  and  Tywappity  Bottom. 

2d.  Cape  Girardeau,  including  all  the  territory  between  Ty- 
wappity Bottom  and  Apple  Creek. 

3d.  Ste.  Genevieve,  including  the  territory  between  Apple  Cr^ek 
and  the  Meramec  River, 


PRELIMINARY.  33 

4th.  St.  Louis,  including  the  territory  between  the  Meramec 
and  the  Missouri  Rivers. 

5th.  St.  Charles,  including  the  territory  between  the  Missouri 
and  the  Mississippi  Elvers — that  is,  all  north  of  the  Missouri 
Eiver. 

The  population  of  Upj^er  Louisiana,  or  the  Missouri  Territory, 
as  afterwards  called,  in  1799,  three  years  after  the  beginning  of 
Baptist  History,  was  6,028.  Ste.  Genevieve  was  then  the  most 
populous  district,  and  St.  Louis  next;  while  St.  Charles  was 
very  little  behind  either.  The  following  was  the  comparative  pop- 
ulation of  the  above  named  places  at  the  date  aforesaid:  Ste. 
Genevieve,  949;  St.  Louis,  925;  St.  Charles,  875. 

We  have  now  a  bird's-eye  view  of  what  Missouri  originally 
was. 


^m^'"" 


KEY.   JOItN'  M.  P£CK. 


HISTOET 

OF  THE 

Baptists  in  Missouri 


PERIOD    FIRST. 

1796-1810. 

CHAPTER  I. 

EAELY  BAPTISTS  OF  MISSOUEI. 

First  Baptist  Families — The  "Lower  Countrj'" — Formation  of  the  First  Church, 
Tywappity — Thomas  Johnson,  the  First  Eegular  Baptist  Minister  to  Come  West  of 
the  "Great  Kiver" — David  Green — The  Second  Church  Fonned,  Bethel — Flat- 
hoat  Traveling ;  the  "  Setting  Pole" — Mr.  John  Baldwin — Dr.  J.  C.  Maple's  Me- 
morial Address — The  "  Old  Log  House  " — The  Gavel — "William  Murphy.  • 

MANY  years  before  Missouri  became  a  state,  and  while  her 
territory  was  controlled  by  foreign  kings,  a  few  Baptists 
came  and  settled  in  her  borders.  At  that  time  Romanism  was 
the  established  religion,  and  hence  there  was  no  freedom  of 
conscience  allowed.  Those  who  met  to  worship  God  in  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  ancient  faith,  did  so  at  their  peril.  The  few 
Baptists  who  were  here  prior  to  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, were  frequently  threatened^by  the  emissaries  of  the  pope; 
but  they  "  counted  not  their  lives  dear  unto  them,"  and  went 
forward,  not  fearing  them  who  could  kill  the  body,  but  trust- 
ing in  "  Him  who  had  power  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in 
hell."  They  seemed  to  become  emboldened  by  the  threats  of 
the  papal  2:)arty,  and  raised  their  voices  in  opposition  to  the  su- 
perstitions, corruptions,  and  innovations  of  the  Eomish  Church; 
and  in  the  defense  of  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  a  personal 
and  living  faith  in  Christ.  Those  were  noble  spirits  that  first 
planted  the  standard  of  a  pure  gospel  west  of  the  Mississippi 
River. 

The  first  Baptists  of  whom  we  have  any  account  (and  they 
were  the  first  Christians  other  than  Catholics),  that   ever  set 


36  EARLY   BAPTISTS   OP   MISSOURI. 

foot  on  the  soil  of  Missouri,  were  Thomas  Bull,  his  wife,  and 
her  mother,  Mrs.  Lee.  They  settled  in  what  is  now  Cape  Grir- 
ardeau  County,  in  1796.  Mrs.  Bull  and  Mrs.  Lee  died  before 
the  first  church  was  organized.  The  next  that  came  to  this  part 
of  Missouri  were  Mr.  Enos  Eandol  and  wife,  and  Mrs.  Aber- 
nathy,  the  wife  of  Mr.  John  Abernathy,  in  1797,  and  settled  a 
few  miles  south  of  Jackson,  the  present  county  seat,  on  Ean- 
dol's  Creek,  so  called  in  honor  of  Enos  Eandol,  the  first  settler 
on  it. 

These  families  lived  several  years  in  the  midst  of  forest  wilds, 
with  Indians  on  almost  every  hand;  entirely  destitute  of  ordi- 
nary church  privileges,  though  they  occasionally  met  together 
— not  public!}" — to  sing  and  pray,  and  worship  God  in  the  wil- 
derness. They  were  not,  however,  destined  to  live  thus  always. 
Tn  the  year  1799  they  were  encouraged  by  a  visit  from  Eld. 
Thomas  Johnson,  an  aged  Baptist  preacher  from  Georgia,  who 
was  probably  the  first  Baptist  preacher  of  the  regular  order 
who  ever  came  west  of  the  "  Great  River."  Eld.  John  Clark, 
who  was  a  Baptist  in  principle,  though  not  a  member,  preceded 
him  one  year.  The  particulars  of  Clark  will  be  given  when  we 
reach  the  St.  Louis  District. 

Of  Thomas  Johnson's  life  we  have  limited  information.  He 
was,  doubtless,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Georgia,  where  he  resided 
at  the  time  of  his  missionary  tour  west  of  the  ''Great  River." 
Most  of  his  ministerial  life  was  spent  as  missionary  to  the 
Cherokee  Indians  in  his  native  state.  His  visit  to  Missouri  was 
a  great  blessing  to  the  scattered  sheep  of  this  great  wilderness. 
Though  contrary  to  law,  he  preached  the  blessed  gospel  to 
them  ;  not  in  stately  houses  of  worship  ;  not  in  the  large  public 
gathering,  but  in  the  log  cabins  and  out  of  the  way  places,  and 
to  small  companies  of  eager  listeners  with  honest  purposes  and 
warm  hearts.  They  made  no  great  parade  about  their  meet- 
ings, lest  they  should  be  interrupted  by  the  agents  of  the  pope. 
The  prcacliing  of  this  old  pioneer  was  fruitful  of  good  even  be- 
yond the  encouragement  it  gave  to  those  who  loved  the  Lord. 
During  his  stay,  Mrs.  Ballou,  the  wife  of  one  of  the  oldest  set- 
tlers, was  converted  under  his  preaching,  and  baptized  by  him  in 
Eandol's  Creek.  This  was  undoubtedly  the  first  baptism  ever 
administered  in  Missouri.  As  there  was  not  yet  a  church  in  the 
territory,  Mr.  Johnson,  following  an  old  custom,  gave  Mrs. 
Ballou  a  "Certificate  of  Baptism,"  which,  practically,  answered 
all  the  purposes  of  a  "  Letter  of  Dismission," 


EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   MISSOURI.  37 

Elder  Johnson  died  in  his  native  state  about  the  year  1830. 

The  year  1805  constituted  a  new  era  among  the  Baptists  in 
this  part  of  the  territory.  One  year  before,  France  had  ceded 
Upper  Louisiana  to  the  United  States,  -which  event  brought  with 
it  the  enjoyment  of  religious  liberty*  Another  fact  also  contrib- 
uted this  year  to  the  prosperity  of  the  Baptist  cause.  It  was  the 
coming  to  the  territory  of  Eld.  David  Grreen,  of  whom  God 
Beemed  to  have  made  choice  as  the  instrument  to  permanently 
plant  the  gospel  seed  in  this  "Western  Wilderness.*' 

David  Green — was  a  native  of  Virginia.  He  spent  the  most  of 
his  life  in  North  and  South  Carolina,  preaching  the  gospel  to  the 
poor.  During  the  early  settlements  of  that  state  he  moved  to 
Kentucky,  were  he  resided  till  1805,  when  he  came  to  Missouri. 
A  few  Baptist  families  had  moved  and  settled  in  Tywappity  Bot- 
tom, some  ten  or  twelve  miles  south  of  Cape  Girardeau.  Sev- 
eral others  had  also  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  Jackson.  To 
these  families  Bro.  Green  preached  for  a  while,  and  then  return- 
ed to  his  home  in  Kentucky.  But  the  condition  of  his  brethren 
in  the  Missouri  Territory  rested  so  heavily  upon  his  mind  that  he 
could  not  remain  away  from  them,  and  the  next  spring  he  came 
with  his  family,  and  fixed  his  home  in  Cape  Girardeau  County. 
He  continued  his  labors  among  the  pioneers  of  that  district,  or- 
ganized the  first  two  churches  in  the  territory,  and  was  taken 
home  to  rest  on  the  9th  of  December,  1809.     (Reid's  3IS.) 

The  first  Baptist  church  ever  formed  in  the  Missouri  Territory 
was  in  the  Tywappity  Bottom. 

As  there  has  been  some  doubt  about  the  date  of  this  church, 
and  as  the  honor  of  being  the  first  has  been  claimed  for  an- 
other, we  give  the  testimony  entire,  on  which  this  statement  is 
made  : 

"  In  this  vicinity  the  first  Baptist  church,  called  Tywappity, 
was  organized  in  1805,  of  some  8  or  10  members.  This  was 
the  first  religious  congregation,  other  than  Eoman  Catholics, 
that  was  gathered  west  of  the  "  Great  Eiver."  The  next  year 
(1806),  the  second,  called  Bethel,  was  gathered  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  present  site  of  Jackson,  about  a  dozen  miles  northwest  of 
Cape  Girardeau.  In  this  vicinity,  quite  a  colony  of  Americans 
from  Kentucky  and  other  states,  including  several  Baptist  fam- 
ilies, had  settled.  A  preacher  by  the  name  of  Green  officiated 
with  these  churches  in  their  early  formation. 
"Tywappity  Church  was  a  feeble  body  from  the  first,  and  be- 
came defunct  after  a  few  years,  but  was  reorganized  in  1809,  or 


38  iSARLY    BAPTISTS    OP    MISSOURI. 

another  church  occupied  its  place,  to  which  Mr.  Edwards  minis- 
tered in  1817.  The  meetings  were  held  at  Eoss'  Point  and  Perry, 
at  or  near  the  present  site  of  Commerce  in  Scott  County." 
{Peck's  ^^Reminiscences  of  3fo.,"  W.  Watchman,  vol.  8.) 

Those  pioneers  endured  many  hardships.  Even  ten  or  twelve 
years  after  the  date  last  named,  they  were  sometimes  reduced 
almost  to  starvation.  We  give  the  following  description  by  an 
eye-witness : 

"On  Saturday,  November  15,  1817,  we  were  circumnavigating 
the  '  Great  Bend,'  the  flood  of  the  Ohio  checking  the  current. 

"When  we  left  Shawneetown,  there  was  not  half  a  barrel  of 
flour  in  the  place,  and  it  was  by  a  special  favor  that  we  got  two 
loaves  of  bread.  We  had  lain  in  a  supply  of  fresh  beef,  and  the 
captain  had  a  small  stock  of  hard  sea  biscuit.  A  supply  of  eatables 
of  some  sort  must  be  had  at  the  first  settlement,  and  this  proved 
to  be  Tywappity  Bottom,  on  Sunday  at  12  o'clock.  Here  I  found 
two  Baptist  families,  learned  some  important  facts  about  the  state 
of  religion  and  schools  in  this  part  of  the  territory,  but  no  milk 
and  no  meal  could  be  had.  We  obtained  a  few  ears  of  damp 
corn  from  the  field,  and  a  bushel  of  potatoes.  The  mills,  such 
as  then  existed,  were  out  of  repair,  and  no  family  enjoyed  the 
benefit  of  corn-dodgers.  Hominy  was  the  substitute  for  bread. 
Our  progress  by  the  setting  poles,  the  cordelle,  and  'bush-whack- 
ing,' from  this  time  until  we  reached  St.  Louis,  was  at  the  rate 
of  8  or  10  miles  each  day.  On  the  17th,  we  reached  Eoss'  Point, 
where  bluff's  jut  into  the  river,  and  where  resided  John  Baldwin, 
Esq.,  a  Baptist  of  some  prominence.  Here  also  I  found  and  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Eld.  James  P.  Edwards,  who  subsequently 
died  in  the  western  part  of  Kentucky."  (Jhid.') 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  Bethel  Church  was  the  second 
gathered  in  the  territory.  It  was  organized  July  19,  1806,  a 
short  distance  south  of  the  present  site  of  Jackson,  the  county 
seat  of  Cape  Girardeau  County.  We  write  with  the  old  "book 
of  records"  before  us.  David  Green,  minister,  and  Deacons 
George  Lawrence  and  Henry  Cockerham  officiated  in  the  con- 
stitution. 

The  constituent  members  were  Eld.  David  Green,  Thomas  Eng- 
lish, William  Mathews,  Leanna  Green,  William  Smith,  Jane  Eng- 
lish, Agnes  Ballou,  Thomas  Bull,  Clary  Abernathy,  Edward 
Spears,  Catherine  Anderson,  Anderson  Eogers,  Eebekah  Ean- 
dol,  John  Hitt  and  Frances  Hitt — in  all  fifteen. 

Eld.  David  Green  ministered  to  this  flock  in  the  wilderness 


EARLY   BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI. 


39 


for  a  few  years  and  died.  Thomas  Bull  was  chosen  writing  clerk, 
and  William  Mathews  as  singing  clerk. 

Bethel  Church,  though  the  second  organized,  may  be  regarded 
as  the  first  permanent  church  organization  in  Missouri;  the  first 
(Tywappity)  having  become  defunct  not  long  after  it  was  gath- 
ered ;  and  from  Bethel  Church,  directly  or  indirectly,  sprang  all 
the  churches  that  composed  the  first  association. 

The  first  house  of  worship  ever  erected  in  Missouri,  save  by 
the  Catholics,  was  built  by  the  Bethel  Church  not  long  after  its 
organization.  It  was  constructed  mainly  of  very  large  yellow 
poplar  logs,  well  hewn  ;  was  about  twenty  by  thirty  feet,  and  lo- 
cated about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Jackson. 


OLD  BETHEL  CHURCH  HOUSE. 


In  October,  1875,  the  Cxeneral  Association  of  Missouri  met  at 
St.  Joseph.  On  the  first  day  of  the  session,  Eev.  J.  C.  Maple  pre- 
sented the  moderator  with  a  handsomely  mounted  gavel,  made 
of  wood  from  one  of  the  sills  of  the  old  Bethel  Church  house, 
accompanied  by  the  subjoined  address,  and  sketch  of  the  early 
Baptists  of  the  Cape  Girardeau  District. 


40  EARLY    BAPTISTS   OF    MISSOURI. 

ADDKESS  OF  KEY.  J.  C.  MAPLE,  D.  D. 

*'  Brother  Moderator  and  Brethren  :  I  have  a  pleasant  duty, 
which  I  desire,  by  your  permission,  to  perform. 

"  It  is  known  to  you,  my  brethren,  that,  as  in  other  states,  the 
Baptists  were  among  the  first  to  erect  the  standard  of  the  Cross 
in  Missouri.  And  though  we  are  not  of  those  who  have  faith  in 
the  preserving  power  of  relics  or  amulets,  we  do  believe  in 
guarding  with  care  our  records,  and  that  both  duty  and  affection 
require  us  to  treasure  some  of  the  mementos  of  the  men  and 
their  work  who  were  the  pioneers  in  this  great  state. 

"From  1731  to  1803,  the  condition  of  the  governmental  affairs 
of  the  province  of  Louisiana,  which  then  included  what  is  now 
the  State  of  Missouri,  was  far  from  being  settled.  The  question 
of  Spanish  or  French  rule  was  not  arranged  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  people.  Yet  for  years  the  '  Upper  Territory '  was  under 
the  control  of  a  Spanish  governor  whose  headquarters  were  at 
Cape  Girardeau.  Here  he  ruled  with  the  pomp  and  severity  of  an 
oriental  prince.  He  was  never  without  his  retinue  of  priestly 
advisers.  Influenced  by  these  vassals  of  the  pope,  he  at  one  time 
issued  an  order  that  all  the  people  who  resided  within  a  distance 
of  fifteen  miles  from  his  mansion,  should,  on  a  certain  day,  at- 
tend 'mass'  at  Cape  Girardeau.  The  few  Baptists  then  in  the 
province,  and  residing  within  the  district  named  in  the  order, 
dared  to  disobey  the  command.  And  it  was  only  by  what  the 
priests  termed  '  the  neglect  of  the  governor,'  that  they  narrowly 
escaped  the  penalties  of  their  heretical  insubordination. 

"In  1806  the  Bethel  Baptist  Church  was  organized  and  soon 
afterwards  a  house  was  built  in  which  they  met  to  worship  God. 
This  was  the  first  house  of  worship  built  by  anti-Catholics,  west 
of  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  From  the  Great  River  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean  this  log  house  was  the  only  building  devoted  to  the  service 
of  the  Living  God. 

"The  membership  of  the  church  was  not  large,  but  formed  an 
active,  consecrated  band.  When  visited  by  those  remarkable 
pioneers,  Peck  and  Welch,  they  found  here  an  earnest,  liberal, 
working  missionary  body.  Even  the  amount  of  money  contrib- 
uted for  missions  has  been  kept  upon  the  records  by  the  un- 
wearied chronicler,  Rev.  John  M.  Peck. 

"But  in  a  few  years  a  portion  of  the  church  withdrew,  and  form- 
ed a  new  organization  in  the  village  of  Jackson,  one  mile  north  of 
the  old  Bethel  meeting-house.  This  was  not  the  first,  but  the 
fourth  colony  which  had  gone  out  from  the  mother  church.     But 


EARLY  BAPTISTS  OP    MISSOURI.  41 

those  who  remained  after  the  formation  of  the  Jackson  Church 
unfortunately  became  anti-missionary,  and  of  course  the  Bethel 
Church  ceased  to  exist  with  the  death  of  those  who  were  the 
members. 

"The  church  in  Jackson,  therefore,  is  the  proper  representative 
of  this  first  Baptist  church  of  Missouri.  And  at  the  suggestion  of 
Rev.  W.  J.  Patrick  to  the  pastor  of  that  church,  Rev.  James  Reid, 
I  had  this  gavel  made.  It  is  composed  entirely,  except  the  moun- 
tings, of  wood  taken  from  one  of  the  sills  of  this  first  temple 
erected  in  the  '  Western  Wilderness,'* 

"The  old  house  has  been  torn  down.  The  hand  of  time  and 
the  ruder  hand  of  man,  have  fully  accomplished  the  work  of 
demolition. f  But  that  spiritual  temple,  of  which  every  truly 
regenerated  man  and  woman  forms  a  part,  will  never  feel  the 
weight  of  years,  nor  yield  to  the  wasting  force  of  time.  Sus- 
tained by  the  Almighty  Hand,  this  more  glorious  structure  which 
we  labor  to  erect,  vf\\\  endure  with  the  rock  upon  which  it  is 
founded,  not  only  through  the  ages,  but  its  existence  is  absolute 
and  eternal. 

"This  little  piece  of  wood  may  serve  to  remind  us  of  the  small 
beginning  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Missouri,  sixty-nine 
years  ago.  In  less  than  seven  decades  the  one  church  has  in- 
creased to  1,292,  and  the  little  band  that  then  stood  alone  in  this 
vast  region  has  become  nearly  90,000 — to  say  nothing  of  the 
large  numbers  and  the  glorious  work  now  being  accomplished 
in  other  states  and  territories  west  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

"We  may  well  to-day  exclaim,  'What  hath  God  wrought!' 

"And  while  we  should  carefully  avoid  all  vain-glorying  over 
our  numbers,  let  us  to-day  take  fresh  courage  from  this  little 
memento  of  the  past,  and  seek  an  increase  of  consecration  to  the 
Master's  work,  commensurate  with  our  numbers  and  our  oppor- 
tunities. We  have  not  now,  as  then,  a  single  log-house  in  the 
wilderness,  but  many  elegant  houses  of  worship,  and  what  is 
still  better,  a  noble  band  of  able  and  consecrated  ministers,  who 
preach  the  word  of  life  in  these  well-built  temples. 

*  This  gavel  is  a  handsomely  polished  instrument  and  maybe  seen  at  the  annual 
sessions  of  the  General  Association  in  the  hands  of  the  president  of  the  body. 

f  The  old  building  was  standing  in  1871,  four  years  before  the  above  was  written. 
The  writer  then  visited  it,  but  it  had  long  ceased  to  be  used  as  a  house  of  worship. 
We  looked  at  the  old  walls  of  the  building — now  doorless  and  windowless,  and  with- 
out a  floor — and  thought  of  the  men  and  women  who,  while  the  Indians  and  the 
wolves  prowled  around  them,  used  to  meet  there  and  worship  God. 


42  EARLY   BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI. 

"  "We  have  all  needed  facilities  for  great  usefulness.  And  let 
us,  my  brethren,  with  the  call  of  this  gavel,  hear  the  voice  of  the 
little  band  that  began  the  work  in  this  great  state,  exhorting  to 
greater  activity,  and,  in  the  name  of  Him  by  whom  they  con- 
quered, promising  us  yet  grander  victories. 

"  To  your  care,  my  dear  brother,  as  the  moderator  of  this  body, 
I  commit  this  memento.  And  when  seven  more  decades  have 
passed  by,  may  it  appear  that  our  growth  has  continued  at  least 
to  equal,  if  it  shall  not  surpass,  the  rate  of  the  j)ast."* 

Eev.  John  M.  Peck  visited  the  Bethel  Church  in  1818,  of  which 
he  thus  writes : 

"  On  the  7th  of  November — Saturday — I  met  the  church  in 
Bethel  meeting  house.  Eld.  Wm.  Street,  who  had  come  from  a 
settlement  down  the  St.  Francois,  had  preached  before  my  arriv- 
al. The  church  sat  in  order  and  transacted  business.  I  then 
preached  from  Isaiah  53 ;  1,  and  Eld.  James  P.  Edwards  followed 
me  from  John  14  •  6.  The  people  tarried  through  all  these  exer- 
cises with  apparent  satisfaction.  Custom  and  common  sense  are 
the  best  guides  in  such  matters.  Dinner  was  never  thought  of  on 
meeting  days.  The  Cape  Girardeau  Society,  auxiliary  to  the 
United  Society,  had  already  been  formed  in  this  vicinity,  and 
there  were  more  real  friends  and  liberal  contributors  to  missions 
in  this  church,  than  any  other  in  the  territory.  Yet  in  a  few 
years,  from  the  formation  of  Jackson  and  a  few  other  churches 
from  this,  the  death  of  some  valuable  members,  and  removal  of 
others  of  a  different  spirit,  Bethel  Church  had  "Ichabod"  writ- 
ten on  her  doors.  It  became  a  selfish,  lifeless,  anti-mission 
body."  {Peck's  Reminiscences  of  Missouri.') 

The  same  writer,  on  the  Sabbath  following,  preached  a  mis- 
sionary sermon  from  Exodus  33  j  15,  and  followed  it  with  a  col- 
lection amounting  to  $31.37. 

The  Bethel  Church  sent  messengers  to  the  Eed  Biver  Associ- 
ation, Kentucky,  in  1810,  and  so  continued  to  do  until  the  form- 
ation of  the  Bethel  Association  in  1816, f  an  account  of  which  will 
be  given  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

A  Baptist  preacher  by  the  name  of  William  Murphy,  a  native 
of  Ireland,  from  East  Tennessee,  with  his  son  William,  and  Mr. 
Silas  George,  located  claims  just  south   of  the  present  site  of 

*  'From,  iha  Minutes  of  the  MissouH  Baptist  General  Association,  1875,  pages  7 
and  8. 

t  Life  of  Eld.  Wilson  Thompso7i,  p.  175 ;  also  Minutes  of  Bethel  Church,  June, 
1810,  and  Bubsequent  years. 


EARLY    BAPTISTS    OP    MISSOURI.  43 

Farmington,  St.  Francois  County,  in  1798.  Eev.  Murphy  and  Mr. 
George  both  died  on  the  road  home,  as  they  returned  for  their 
families.  David  Murphy  cut  the  first  tree  in  what  was  known  as 
the  ''Murphy  Settlement." 

Mrs.  Sarah  Murphy,  the  widow  of  Eev.  Wm.  Murphy,  in  1804, 
came  to  the  claim  located  by  her  husband  in  1798,  in  company 
with  her  sons,  Isaac  and  Jesse,  and  a  grandson  and  several  others. 
Three  3^ears  after  she  came  to  this  country,  she  organized  a  Sun- 
day-school which  continued  in  successful  operation  for  many 
years.  The  school  was  organized  not  far  from  where  Farmington 
now  stands. 


CHAPTER    II. 


EAELY  BAPTISTS  OF  MISSOUEI. 

(Concluded.) 

The  Saint  Louis  District;  First  Baptists  Therein — John  Clark,  the  Pioneer — The 
Musick  Family — Catholic  Oppression  and  Kcligioiis  Libert}' — Meeting  Under  Dif- 
ficulties— Thomas  K.  ^Musick — Fee  Fee  Church,  the  Third  Formed — Cold  Water 
Church — James  Kerr — Funeral  in  the  Wilderness — Eld.  Brown — J.  T.  Green — J. 
Hickman. 

THE  first  Baptist  families  that  emigrated  to  this  part  of  the 
territory,  came  from  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina  and 
Kentucky,  in  1796  and  1797.  They  lived  several  years  under 
the  Spanish  Government.  Several  of  the  children  and  some  of 
the  family  connections  of  Col.  Daniel  Boone  were  among  the 
number.  Col.  Boone  himself  vras  not  a  member  of  any  church, 
but  he  was  in  sentiment  a  Baptist,  and  was  religiously  inclined. 

''Among  these  pioneers  across  the  Mississippi,  were  Abraham 
and  Sarah  Musick,  Abraham  Musick,  Jr.,  and  Terrill  Musick, 
Adam  and  Lewis  Martin  and  their  wives,  Jane  Sullens,  Sarah 
Williams,  who  lived  to  see  her  son  and  four  grandsons  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  Mrs.  Whitley  and  E.  Eichardson  and  wife,  all  of 
whom  settled  within  the  present  boundaries  of  St.  Louis  Co. 
The  Boone  family,  David  Darst,  William  Hancock,  Flanders 
Callaway,  and  others,  settled  on  the  north  side  of  the  Missouri 
Eiver,  from  twelve  to  forty  miles  above  St.  Charles."  (Peck's 
narrative  in  Benedict  and  Triennial  Register j  1836.) 

The  French  liberalists  often  boasted  that  the  Sabbath  should 
never  cross  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  Such  was  the  prevailing  sen- 
timentwhcn  the  first  Baptists  came  into  this  district.  It  was  com- 
mon for  men  to  attend  "  church  "  on  festival  occasions,  and  the 
better  informed  treated  the  ministry  with  respect,  but  the  most 
of  them  regarded  religion  as  priestcraft — a  very  good  thing  for 
the  ignorant  and  vicious,  but  quite  unnecessary  for  gentlemen. 

These  Baptists  of  the  first  period  encountered  difficulties  from 
other  sources  than  French  infidelity.  They  were  now  under 
the  dominion  of  the  Pope  of  Eome,  and  were  required  by  law  to 
bring  up  their  children  in  the  faith  of  the  Eomish  hierarchy. 


EARLY   BAPTISTS    OP    MISSOURI.  45 

On  the  first  of  January,  1798,  Gayoso,  Commandant  General, 
issued  orders,  among  which  were  instructions  as  follows : 

"  Liberty  of  conscience  is  not  to  be  extended  beyond  the  first 
generation;  the  children  of  the  emigrants  must  be  Catholics. 
Emigrants  not  agreeing  to  this  must  not  be  admitted,  but  re- 
moved, even  when  they  bring  property  with  them.  This  is  to 
be  explained  to  settlers  who  do  not  profess  the  Catholic  reli- 
gion." 

This  was  the  sixth  article. 

The  seventh  regulation  *'  expressly  recommended  to  the  com- 
mandants to  watch  that  no  jjreacher  of  any  religion  but  the  Catho- 
lic, comes  into  the  province."  {Martinis  History  of  Louisiana^ 
vol.  2,  p.  90;  in  Father  Clark,  p.  223.) 

These  instructions  were  not  enforced  by  post  commandants, 
which,  however,  was  not  the  fault  of  the  Catholic  faith,  but 
grew  out  of  the  disposition  to  encourage  emigration,  and  a  lib- 
eral-mindedness  on  the  part  of  the  commandants. 

All  American  emigrants  were  examined  as  to  their  faith, 
but  Christians  of  almost  any  sect  could  give  satisfactory  answers 
to  their  questions.  We  give  the  following  as  an  example  :  "  '  Do 
you  believe  in  Almighty  God?  In  the  Holy  Trinity?  In  the 
true  apostolic  church?  In  Jesus  Christ  our  Savior?  In  the 
holy  evangelists,'  &c.  To  these,  and  other  questions  of  a  gener- 
al character,  affirmative  answers  being  given,  the  ceremony 
would  close  with  ^un  hon  Catholique'  (a  good  Catholic)."  {Father 
Clark,  p.  225.) 

While  under  the  dominion  of  Spain,  Missouri  was  a  Catholic 
country  (Eoman  Catholicism  was  the  religion  of  the  territory); 
but  on  being  transferred  to  the  United  States  in  1804,  it  became 
free  for  all  sects  and  denominations,  and  to  persons  of  no  reli- 
gion. In  a  very  large  measure  honor  is  due  to  the  Baptists  for 
the  existence  of  this  freedom.  Freedom  in  religion  has,  from 
the  beginning,  been  a  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination. Prior  to  the  American  Revolution  they  stood  al- 
most alone  in  the  defense  of  this  doctrine.  The  colony  of  Hhode 
Island  was  founded  by  the  agency  of  Baptists ;  and  this  was  "the 
first  civil  government  upon  earth  that  gave  equal  liberty  of  con- 
science." 

Bancroft  (History  of  the  U.  S.,  vol.  2,  pp.  66,  67)  says :  "Free- 
dom of  conscience,  unlimited  freedom  of  mind,  was,  from  the 
first,  a  trophy  of  the  Baptists." 

In  his  Essay  on  Toleration,  the   celebrated  John  Locke  says: 


46  EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI. 

"  The  Baptists  were  the  first  and  only  propounders  of  absolute 
liberty,  just  and  true  liberty,  equal  and  impartial  liberty." 
(Jones'  Vindication,  p.  15.  in  Rel.  Lib.,  by  Bitting,  p.  14.) 

Upon  investigation  it  will  be  found  : 

1st.  That  liberty  of  conscience  is  not  a  mere  accident  with  the 
Baptists,  but  is  a  logical  result  of  long  cherished  principles.  It 
is  an  outgrowth  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  denomin- 
ation. 

2d.  That  intolerance  is  a  natural  and  logical  result  of  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Eomish  Church.  In  his  encyclical  letter  in  1832, 
Gregory  16th  denounced  religious  liberty  as  "that  pest  of  all 
others  most  to  be  dreaded  in  a  state," 

Again,  prelates  are  required  to  take  the  following  oath  of  of- 
fice: '<  Heretics,  schismatics  and  rebels  to  our  said  lord  (the 
pope)  or  his  aforesaid  successors,  I  will  to  my  utmost  persecute 
and  oppose."     {Bel.  Lib.,  by  Bitting,  p.  37.) 

The  first  Baptists  of  St.  Louis  County  formed  three  settle- 
ments:  one  near  the  Spanish  Pond,  north  of  St.  Louis;  another 
between  Owen's  Station  (Bridgeton)  and  Florissant ;  and  still 
another  on  Fee  Fee's  Creek. 

For  several  years  these  pioneer  emigrants  were  destitute  of 
preaching  and  other  religious  privileges.  The  first  preacher 
that  came  among  them  to  break  the  bread  of  life  was  Eev.  John 
Clark,  in  1798.  And,  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn,  he 
was  the  first  preacher,  other  than  Eoman  Catholic,  that  ever  set  foot 
on  the  icestcrn  shore  of  the  3fississippi  River.  Tradition  in  the  fam- 
ily says  Thomas  E.  Musick  preceded  Clark  one  year.  Clark 
lived  in  New  Design,  Illinois,  and  at  first  only  made  occasional 
visits  to  Missouri,  preaching  to  the  scattered  sheep,  but  subse- 
quently made  regular  trips,  after  the  style  of  a  Baptist  pastor, 
making  monthly  visits  to  three  or  four  churches;  or  like  a 
Methodist  circuit  rider  passing  the  rounds  of  his  circuit. 

John  Clark — was  a  native  of  Scotland.  He  was  born  near  the 
city  of  Inverness,  which  was  once  regarded  as  the  capital  of  the 
Scottish  Highlands,  on  the  29th  of  Kovember,  1758.  His  ances- 
tors for  several  generations  were  born,  lived  and  died  at  the 
same  place.  The  family  connections  for  many  generations,  were 
strict  Presbyterians.  The  classics,  mathematics,  Presbyterian 
catechism  and  forms  of  religious  worship  were  taught  the  chil- 
dren in  the  parish  schools,  and  in  the  fimilies,  in  that  part  of 
Scotland.  Young  Clark  received  a  liberal  education  in  the  com- 
mon branches,  but  had  a  great  aversion  to  the  classics.     During 


EARLY  BAPTISTS  OF  MISSOURI.  47 

his  youth  he  was  very  amiable,  kind-hearted,  moral  and  gener- 
ous j  remarkably  industrious — never  idle. 

About  1786,  or  1787,  he  removed  to  Georgia  and  settled  on 
the  waters  of  the  Savannah  River,  and  under  the  ministry  of 
Elds.  John  Major  and  Thomas  Humphries,  united  with  the  Meth- 
odists, and  in  1791  was  received  on  trial  as  a  preacher  and  placed 
on  the  Richmond  circuit  in  the  region  of  Georgia.  Three  years 
after  this  he  was  ordained  as  deacon  by  Bishop  Asbury. 

Mr.  Clark  had  great  veneration  for  John  Wesley  as  a  reform- 
er in  the  church  of  England,  but  was  singularly  scriptural  and 
conscientious  in  all  his  religious  views,  and  learned  from  the 
New  Testament  that  a  church  was  a  local  society — that  all  dis- 
cij^les  should  begin  and  end  in  the  local  society  or  church  in 
which  the  members  are  in  covenant  relation.  So  dissatisfied  did 
he  become  with  the  episcopal  mode  of  church  government,  that 
in  1795  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  M.  E.  Church.  In 
1796  he  started  westward  on  foot,  and  after  tarrying  awhile  in 
Kentucky,  came  on  to  Illinois,  where  he  lived  (if  indeed  it  could 
be  said  he  had  any  settled  home)  when  he  visited  Missouri  in 
1798. 

At  this  time  he  was  generally  regarded  an  independent  Meth- 
odist, though  he  was  in  sentiment  a  Baptist.  About  the  year 
1803  he  became  a  Baptist  officially,  after  the  following  singular 
manner: 

He  was  intimate  with  an  Independent  Methodist  preacher  by 
the  name  of  Talbot.  Both  were  dissatisfied  with  their  baptism. 
A  meeting  was  appointed.  Talbot  baptized  Clark,  who  in  turn 
baptized  Talbot  and  several  others.  "At  the  next  regular  meet- 
ing, a  month  later,  Mr.  Clark  baptized  two  or  three  others  of 
his  society.  *  *  *  It  was  ten  or  twelve  years  after  this  before 
he  became  regularly  connected  with  the  Baptist  denomination." 
(Father  Clark,  p.  238.) 

Eld.  John  Clark  was  therefore  the  pioneer  preacher  of  Mis- 
souri. His  mode  of  traveling  was  on  foot.  There  were  no  rail- 
roads and  steamboats  in  those  days.  In  fact  horses  were  a  scarce 
article.  He  traveled  thiis  as  far  west  as  Bluftton,  which  was 
then  the  extreme  frontier;  south  to  St.  Clair  County,  and  north 
as  far  as  Monroe  County.  In  the  midst  of  so  much  arduous  toil 
consequent  upon  these  extensive  excursions,  in  the  early  summer 
of  1824  (an  unusually  wet  season),  the  roads  being  very  muddy, 
and  especially  so  on  foot,  Mr.  Clark's  friends  in  Missouri  furnish- 
ed him  with  a  pony,  put  on  him  a  saddle,  bridle  and  saddle-bags, 


48  EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF   MISSOURI. 

and  induced  him  to  ride  on  his  customary  circuit.  He  started, 
but  was  greatly  troubled  lest  the  pony  should  hurt  himself  or  hurt 
him.  Whenever  he  came  to  a  creek  or  muddy  slough,  he  would 
dismount,  throw  his  saddle-bags  over  his  shoulder,  take  off  his 
nether  garments,  and  carefully  lead  his  horse  through  mud  and 
water,  often  to  the  depth  of  three  feet.  His  thoughts  were  so 
distracted  in  his  care  for  the  animal,  that  on  his  return  home  he 
entreated  his  friends  to  take  back  the  horse  and  relieve  him  of  a 
burden  that  actually  interfered  with  his  religious  and  ministerial 
duties.  He  would  travel  through  heat  and  cold,  wet  and  dry, 
rather  than  miss  an  appointment.  On  one  occasion  he  actually 
traveled  all  night  in  order  to  reach  his  destination.  The  cir- 
cumstances are  thus  related  by  his  biographer  : 

"The  ferry  boat  below  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  Eiver  had 
been  destroyed  in  a  flood,  and  the  ferry  not  again  established. 
Without  knowing  this,  Mr.  Clark  started  from  the  Spanish  Pond, 
intending  to  cross  at  this  upper  fej'ry,  which  would  have  been  a 
gain  of  thirty  miles.  He  was  obliged  to  turn  down  to  St.  Louis. 
His  appointment  next  day  was  at  Judge  Lofton's,  sixteen  miles 
above  Alton,  Eesolute  on  fulfilling  his  engagements,  though  three 
score  and  ten  years  had  brought  on  him  the  infirmities  of  age,  he 
made  his  way  to  St.  Louis  and  crossed  the  ferry  about  dark.  In 
traveling  along  the  muddy  pathway,  in  thick  darkness,  he  became 
fatigued,  and  was  repeatedly  compelled  to  rest  by  leaning  against 
a  tree.  He  reached  the  house  of  a  hospitable  Presbyterian 
friend  at  breakfast.  He  was  excessively  fatigued,  and  on  inquiry 
the  family  were  astonished  to  learn  that  he  had  traveled  the 
whole  night  and  preceding  day.  Eegarding  such  an  effort  as  an 
undue  sacrifice  from  a  feeble  old  man,  his  hospitable  friend  ven- 
tured an  admonition  that  he  should  not  expose  himself.  He 
received  a  response  in  his  mild  voice:  'O,  my  dear  brother,  souls 
are  precious,  and  God  sometimes  uses  very  feeble  and  insignifi- 
cant means  for  their  salvation.  The  people  expect  me  to  fill  my 
appointments,  and  the  only  way  was  to  reach  here  this  morning. 
This  is  nothing  to  what  our  divine  Master  did  for  us.' 

"  He  had  walked  eight  miles  to  his  customary  crossing  place 
on  the  river,  thence  eighteen  miles  to  St.  Louis,  twenty-four 
miles  to  LTpper  Alton,  and  by  two  o'clock  he  was  sixteen  miles 
further,  preaching  to  the  congregation  in  Lofton's  Prairie.  This 
made  sixty-six  miles  walking  in  a  muddy  path,  without  sleep, 
so  conscientiously  strict  was  he  to  fulfill  his  engagements," 
{Father  Clark,  p.  272.) 


EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI.  49 

"Father  Clark"  was  never  married.  While  spending  his  time 
in  Illinois,  he  usually  made  his  home  with  one  or  the  other  of 
his  intimate  friends,  Capt.  Joseph  Ogle  or  Eld.  James  Lemen, 
Sen.  Among  his  most  intimate  friends  in  Missouri  were  William 
and  Elijah  Patterson,  at  whose  hospitable  dwellings  he  usually 
found  a  home  from  about  the  year  1814. 

At  an  early  day  he  formed  societies,  one  in  Spanish  Pond 
Settlement,  the  other  on  Cold  Water,  both  of  which  finally  be- 
came Baptist  churches.  The  exact  date  of  these  societies  is  not 
now  known. 

These  are  the  leading  facts  of  Bro.  Clark's  life.  He  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus  in  1833,  being  nearly  75  years  old. 

The  second  preacher  that  came  to  this  part  of  the  territory 
and  proclaimed  the  gospel  was  James  Kerr.  We  have  the  fol- 
lowing brief  account  of  him: 

"James  Kerr — a  minister  of  the  Baptist  church  (whose  father 
emigrated  from  Ireland,  and  was  a  Presbyterian),  was  born  in 
the  state  of  Pennsylvania  on  the  8th  of  October,  1749.  In  1780, 
with  a  wife  and  two  infant  daughters,  he  settled  two  miles  from 
where  Danville,  Kentucky,  now  stands.  In  1797,  his  oldest 
daughter,  with  her  husband,  removed  and  settled  twelve  miles 
west  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  Two  years  later,  in  1799,  he  with  his 
wife  came  on  horseback  from  Kentucky  to  Missouri,  to  visit 
their  daughter  and  look  at  the  country  Ij^ing  between  the  two 
great  rivers,  and  when  within  six  miles  of  her  daughter's  home, 
Mrs.  Kerr  suddenly  sickened  and  died.  Few  Americans  were 
then  in  the  country,  but  it  was  determined  that  the  memory  of 
the  deceased  should  be  commemorated  according  to  the  relig- 
ious customs  of  her  fathers,  and  after  due  notice  her  funeral  ser- 
mon was  pronounced  by  her  stricken  husband,  in  the  presence 
of  all  the  Americans  then  in  the  surrounding  country,  on  the 
20th  of  October,  1799,  and  was  long  remembered  by  those 
'  strangers  in  a  strang'e  land'  as  an  occasion  of  extraordinary  in- 
terest, in  which  the  minister,  always  earnest  and  gifted  with  na- 
ture's eloquence,  subdued  every  heart  and  laid  the  foundation 
among  his  hearers  for  one  of  the  most  blessed  Baptist  congre- 
gations subsequently  established  in  the  earlier  history  of  the 
territory  and  state  of  Missouri. 

"  This  devoted  pioneer  minister  removed,  with  all  his  other 
children,  to  St.  Charles  County,  in  1808,  where  he  died  Septem- 
ber 27,  1811.     Of  his  nine  children,  who  lived  to  become  heads 
of  families,  all  died  in  the  fellowship  of  the  God  they  had  served. 
4 


50 


EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI. 


His  sons  were  men  of  great  respectability  and  fine  intelligence, 
exerted  a  wide  influence  for  good  wherever  they  lived,  and  each 
filled  responsible  public  trusts.  His  four  daughters  survived  to 
be' regarded  truly  as  'mothers  in  Israel.'"  (Southwest  Presby- 
terian, March,  1870.) 

Another  name  deserves  to  be  added  to  the  list  of  pioneer 
preachers  of  Missouri.  It  is  that  of  Thomas  R.  Musick,  who,  in 
1801,  visited  the  pilgrim  settlers  of  the  St.  Louis  district.  In 
company  with  the  pious  John  Clark,  and  a  preacher  by  the  name 
of  Brown,  he  traveled  and  preached  among  them. 

Thomas  E.  Musick — was  of  Welsh  descent;  born  in  Spottsyl- 
vania  County,  Virginia,  Oct.  17,  1756.     The  origin  of  the  name 
-^^'^^"^=^-  Musick  is  quite  in- 

teresting. More 
than  a  century  and 
a  half  ago  a  small 
boy  was  found  wan- 
dering  alone  in 
the  province  of 
Wales.  lie  could 
tell  nothing  of  his 
destination  or  of  his 
ancestry.  He  could 
only  tell  them  his 
name  was  George. 
As  he  developed 
into  manhood  he 
showed  a  fondness 
for  music  and  be- 
came an  excellent 
singer.  As  ho  lack- 
ed a  surname,  and 
showed  an  unusual 
KEv.  THOMAS  K.  MUSICK.  attachment  for  mu- 

sic, his  protector  conceived  the  idea  of  naming  him  Musick  (the 
manner  of  spelling  the  word  then),  and  hence  he  was  called 
George  Musick.  Such  is  the  tradition  now  in  the  family,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  of  its  correctness.  Many  years  ago  George 
Musick  came  to  America,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  called  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  raised  a  family  consisting  of  five  sons  and  sev- 
eral daughters.  Ephraim  was  the  fourth  son  of  George  Musick, 
and  the  father  of  Thomas  R.  Musick,  the  subject  of  this  sketchi 


EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI.  61 

Ephraim  Musick  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
when  his  son  Thomas,  at  the  age  of  17,  was  converted  to  God  and 
proposed  to  join  the  Baptists,  he  met  with  violent  opposition 
from  the  father.  Thomas,  however,  was  not  to  be  deterred  from 
his  duty  to  God.  His  convictions  were  strong  that  the  Baptists 
held  the  truth  in  greater  purity  than  any  other  people.  He  united 
with  them  in  his  native  state,  and  soon  after  this  began  preach- 
ing. When  a  young  man  he  moved  to  North  Carolina  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  Nevil,  who  proved  to  be  to  him  "  a  helpmeet" 
truly.  As  to  when  he  was  ordained,  we  have  no  account.  At  the 
time  of  his  first  visit  to  Missouri,  in  1801,  he  was  a  resident  of  the 
Green  River  district  in  Kentucky,  where  he  had  been  in  a  revival 
for  several  months,  and  about  one  hundred  converts  had  been 
baptized.  "  Coming  from  the  midst  of  an  extensive  and  power- 
ful revival  of  religion,  he  was  in  a  spirit  of  preaching,  and  cared 
little  for  the  Spanish  calahoza.  He  visited  every  family,  in  which 
professors  of  religion  were  to  be  found,  in  the  districts  of  St. 
Louis  and  St.  Charles,  and  during  three  weeks'  sojourn,  preached 
fifteen  times  to  congregations  assembled  in  log  cabins  and  in  the 
woods,  on  short  notice,  to  hear  him.  He  was  threatened  with 
the  calaboza  repeatedly." 

Eld.  Musick  moved  his  family  and  settled  in  Missouri  in  1803, 
some  say  1804.  He  was  doubtless  the  first  Baptist  minister  that 
ever  permanently  settled  in  the  state.  In  1811  an  extensive  re- 
vival spread  over  the  district,  and  he  preached  almost  uninter- 
ruptedly night  and  day.  Out  of  this  work  he  came  with  his  voice 
very  much  shattered,  from  which  he  never  afterwards  fully  re- 
covered. In  1823  or  '24  he  lost  the  companion  of  his  early  man- 
hood, after  which  he  sold  his  little  farm  about  a  mile  or  a  mile 
and  a  half  north  of  Bridgeton.  After  this  ho  taught  school  and 
preached  alternatelj^.  His  plan  was  to  travel,  j)reaching  until 
he  exhausted  his  means,  then  go  into  the  school-room  and  teach 
again.  In  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  his  labors  in  the  ministry 
were  confined  to  the  counties  of  St.  Louis,  Franklin,  Gasconade 
and  Osage,  south  of  the  Missouri  Eiver ;  and  Lincoln,  Pike, 
Montgomery,  Audrain  and  Callaway,  north  of  the  river. 

To  illustrate  the  dangers  braved  by  the  first  Baptists  in  the 
state,  it  is  related  that,  on  a  certain  Sunday,  he  had  an  appoint- 
ment in  one  of  the  settlements  ]  and  such  had  been  the  demon- 
strations of  hostility  from  the  friends  of  the  Catholic  authori- 
ties that  his  nephew,  Asa  Musick,  accompanied  him,  and  with 
gun  in  hand  sat  as  his  guard  during  services. 


52  EARLY    BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI. 

Elder  Musick  was  not  regarded  as  a  deep  doctrinal  preach- 
er, but  his  discourses  were  well  connected  and  his  points  were 
macie  clear.  His  strength  was  in  exhortation.  His  appeals  to 
sinners  were  often  very  pathetic.  In  doctrine  he  was  strongly 
Calvinistic,  and  he  was  said  to  be  anti-missionary  in  sentiment ; 
notwithstanding  which  he  seldom  preached  without  earnestly 
calling  on  sinners  to  repent. 

In  his  later  ministry  he  was  cotemporary  with  Eld.  Lewis  Wil- 
liams, and  now  sleeps  by  his  side  in  the  old  Fee  Fee  Cemetery 
in  St.  Louis  County.    He  died  December  2d,  1842. 

Among  the  records  we  find  the  name  of  a  Brother  Brown,  a 
Baptist  minister  from  Kentucky,  who  was  associated  in  an  early 
da}'  with  Clark  and  Musick,  preaching  to  and  gathering  together 
t-he  scattered  sheep  of  this  western  wilderness.  Elder  Brown 
came  in  a  very  early  day  to  the  territory  and  made  his  home  in  a 
frontier  settlement  above  St.  Charles.  He  died  in  1802,  and  his 
funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  Elder  Musick. 

From  the  scattered  condition  of  the  early  Baptist  families,  and 
a  number  of  other  circumstances,  no  church  was  formed  for  sev- 
eral years  after  Father  Musick  settled  in  the  district.  But  he 
and  Father  Clark  continued  to  visit  the  different  settlements, 
and  preach  to  these  hardy  pioneers. 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  what  is  now  St.  Louis  County,  was 
organized  by  Elder  Musick  in  the  year  1807,  called  Fee  Fee's 
Creek  from  a  small  stream  near  which  the  meeting  was  held. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  most,  if  not  all,  the  constituent 
members  :  Adam  Martin,  and  his  wife  Mary  Martin ;  Abram  Mu- 
sick, and  his  wife  Sarah  Musick  ;  Terrill  Musick  ;  John  Sullens, 
and  his  wife  Jane  Sullens;  Eichard  and  Susan  Sullens;  Pru- 
dence Musick ; Hildebrand  ;  Susan  Link,  John  Howdershell, 

and  his  wife  Joicy  Howdershell.  This  was  the  second  permanent 
church  organization  in  the  territory,  the  Bethel  having  preceded 
it  one  3''car,  and  it  is  the  oldest  church  now  in  existence  in  the 
state,  so  far  as  we  can  learn,  since  the  Bethel  has  ceased  to  exist. 

The  records  of  the  Fee  Fee  Church,  from  its  organization  to 
1830,  were  burned  with  the  Eev.  John  M.  Peck's  library.  The 
facts  given  of  that  early  period  can  be  relied  on,  having  been 
furnished  by  a  living  witness,  Mrs.  Kate  Martin,  the  oldest  sur- 
viving member  of  the  church.  Great  prosperity  followed  the 
labors  of  this  pioneer  band,  and  in  1820  the  church  had  grown 
in  numbers  and  influence,  having  upon  its  roll  at  that  time  over  100 
names.     The  first  house  of  worship  was  a  hewed  log  building  on 


EARLY   BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI. 


63 


Fee  Fee  Creek,  about  two  miles  southwest  of  the  present  site. 
What  is  now  known  as  the  old  Fee  Fee  church  house,  was  built  of 
brick  about  1831  or  '32,on  the  old  road  from  St.  Charles  to  St.  Louis. 
In  1870,  while  Eev.  Joshua  Hickman  was  pastor,  the  church 
completed  a  new  brick  house  of  worship  40x60  feet,  located  on 
the  present  rock  road  from  St.  Louis  to  St.  Charles,  and  erected 
on  a  beautiful  site  of  five  acres  of  land,  the  gift  of  Bro.  Erastus 
Post.  The  house  is  elegant,  has  a  commodious  auditorium,  aiid 
in  the  basement  three  rooms  for  the  social  services  and  Sunday- 
school.  It  was  dedicated  in  July,  1870,  the  sermon  being  preach- 
ed by  Eev.  W.  Pope  Yeaman,  who,  on  the  occasion,  lifted  a  collec- 
tion, supposed  by  the  committee  at  the  time  to  be  sufficient  to  free 
the  new  enterprise  of  debt.     It  transpired  afterwards,  however, 


-p^t.-rn^MCO.y./: 


OLD   FEE  FEE   CHtlRCH- HOUSE. 

that  a  large  debt  was  still  on  this  beautiful  property.  The  finan- 
cial crisis  of  1873,  and  the  death  of  some  of  the  members  of  the 
church,  and  partial  failure  of  others,  combined  to  make  the  re- 
maining debt  quite  a  burden  to  the  surviving  members.  Not  un- 
til 1882  was  this  debt  finally  and  fully  paid.  The  occasion  was 
one  of  great  rejoicing  to  the  members  of  this  historic  church, 
and  on  the  9th  of  April  of  that  year  the  church  held  a  thanks- 
giving and  memorial  service,  and  invited  their  fast  and  generous 
friend  of  years'  standing,  Dr.  W.  Pope  Yeaman,  to  return  and 
preach  the  jubilee  sermon,  which  he  did,  to  a  large  concourse, 
from  Matt.  25  ;  23  :  "Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servants." 

The  following  have  labored  as  pastors  of  this  church:  Thomas 
R.  Musick  was  pastor  upwards  of  30  years,  John  Clark,  J.  M. 


54  EARLY   BAPTISTS   OF    MISSOURI. 

Peck,  Thos.  P.  Green,  William  Hurley,  J.  C.  Herndon,  Adiel 

Sherwood, Hawkei', James,  J.  W.  Thwing,  W.  H. 

Vardeman,  J.  B.  Fuqua,  Joshua  Hickman,  Joseph  Hay,  S.  H. 
Ford,  J.  B.  English,  J.  H.  Luther  and  J.  T.  Green.  In  1882  the 
church  numbered  76  members,  and  was  out  of  debt. 

Cold  "Water. — This  was  the  second  church  organization  in  the 
St.  Louis  district.  The  records  before  us  show  that,  after  some 
dissension  as  to  whether  the  Baptist  community  on  Cold  Water 
should  become  an  "arm"  of  Fee  Fee  Church  or  of  an  Illinois 
church,  being  advised  by  the  preachers  present  when  assembled 
at  the  house  of  Wm.  Patterson,  a  visible  church  was  constituted 
the  10th  of  March,  1809,  under  the  appellation  of  "The  Baptist 
Church  on  Cold  Water,  Missouri-Territory." 

Thomas  P.  Musick  was  for  some  years  pastor,  and  was,  we 
think,  succeeded  by  John  Clark  after  his  removal  to  the  terri- 
tory. 

This  community  of  Baptists  had  much  trouble  on  the  slavery 
question.  The  records  show  that  an  emancipation  Baptist  church, 
on  Canteen  Creek,  Illinois,  in  July,  1812,  established  an  "  arm  " 
on  Cold  Water,  and  18  persons  were  received  into  it.  This  "arm" 
continued  to  exist  until  I^ovember,  1834.  It  was  then  organized 
into  an  independent  church,  called  "The  Baptized  Church  of 
Christ,  Friends  to  Humanity,  on  Cold  Water."  The  Cold  Water 
Church  continued  its  records  until  May,  1819,  when  they  cease. 
The  church  of  1834  died  in  or  about  1888  or  '39,  and  on  the  23d 
of  September,  1841,  the  present  church  on  Cold  Water,  called 
Salem,  was  oi-ganized  by  Elds.  John  C.  Herndon  and  Thomas  P. 
Green.  The  constituent  members  of  this  church  were  from  the 
old  extinct  churches  orUnion  and  Cold  Water,  and  twelve  in  all 
viz. :  Cumberland  James,  Gilbert  James,  William  James,  Solomon 
Eussel,  Edward  Hall,  Aseneth  Patterson,  Ann  E.  Henley,  Sarah 
Hume,  Keziah  James,  Eveline  James,  Ellender  A.  Eussel,  Fran- 
ces Monroe  and  Elizabeth  Blackburn. 

Eld.  John  Lee  officiated  as  minister  at  times  for  the  emancipa- 
tion Baptist  church  of  1834. 

Eld.  John  C.  Herndon  was  first  pastor  of  Salem,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by^Bayless,  Hawker,  Clark,  James,  Hickman  and  Sher- 
wood. 

As  Elds.  Green  and  Hickman  were  for  some  time  associated 
as  pastors  of  the  foregoing  historic  churches,  we  place  their 
sketches  in  this  connection  as  follows  : 

John  Thomas  Green — was  born  in  Crittenden  County,  Ky.,  June 


Early  baptists  of  Missouri. 


55 


4,  1847,  He  moved  with  his  parents  to  Fayette  County,  111., 
in  1852.  In  early  youth  he  was  impressed  with  the  idea  that  he 
was  to  be  a  preacher  of  the  gospel ;  in  fact  he  practiced  boy- 
ish preaching  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  was  con^ 
verted  to  Christ  and  united  with  the  Baptist  church  at  the  age 
of  17.  March  1,  1865,  he  enlisted  in  the  IT.  S.  service,  and 
served  till  the  close  of  the  war.  At  the  time  of  his  conversion 
he  was  seized  with  the  conviction  that  he  must  preach.  In  1868 
after  sevei-al  years  of  most  intense  struggle  against  this  convic- 
tion, he  entered  the  University  of  Chicago  as  a  ministerial  stu- 
dent. Here  he  spent  four  years,  entered  the  Baptist  Theological 
Seminary  in  1872,  and  graduated  in  the  class  of  1875,  receiving 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
the  University  Place  (now  Memorial)  Baptist  Church,  Chicago, 
June  25, 1873.  He  entered  upon  his  first  pastorate  at  Moweaqua, 
111.,  Jxily,  1875,  where  he  was  ordained  Sept.  16th  of  that  year. 
Was  married  to  Miss  Melvina  E.  Bower,  of  Macon  County,  111., 
November     12, 


1876.  Received  and 
accepted  a  call  to 
the  pastorate  of 
the  Park  Avenue 
Church,  St.  Louis, 
Dec,  1876.   Jan.  27, 

1877,  he  was  called 
to  endure  the  great- 
est trial  of  his  life, 
the  death  of  his  be- 
loved mother.  He 
was  blest  in  his 
pastorate  at  Park 
Ave.,  though  moun- 
tains of  difficulty 
rose  on  every  side. 
In  January,  1879, 
he  entered  upon  his 
pastorate  at  Fee 
Pee,  the  "Mother 
Church  of  Missou- 
ri."     He  has   been 


PvEV.  JOHN  T.   GREEX. 


instrumental,  under  God,  in  paying  off  the  debt  of  nearly  $5,000, 
which  had  rested  upon  the  church  for  nearly  twelve  years. 


56 


EARLY   BAPTISTS    OF    MISSOURI. 


Joshua  Hickman — is  a  native  of  Mason  County,  Kentucky. 
He  was  born  March  16,  1826  j  and  at  the  age  of  12  years  he  was 
converted.  Two  years  after  this  event  he  united  with  the  Baptist 
church  at  Mayslick,  where  he  was  raised,  and  was  baptized  by 
A.  D.  Sears,  D.D.,  of  Louisville,  Ky.  In  March,  1850,  the  church 
licensed  him  to  preach,  and  at  once  called  him  to  fill  the  pulpit 
once  a  month  in  connection  with  Dr.  S.  L.  Helm,  the  pastor.  In 
September,  1850,  he  entered  the  Western  Theological  Institute, 
at  Covington,  Ky.,  of  which  Dr.  S.  W.  Lynd  was  president,  and 
continued  there  until  November  of  the  year  following.  He  then 
came  to  Missouri,  and  spent  the  winter  of  1851  and  '52  in  St. 
Joseph,  j)reaching  most  of  the  time  for  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  that  city,  during  which  time  26  were  added  to  the  church. 
While  in  St.  Joseph,  at  the  call  of  the  Baptist  Church,  he  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  by  Elds.  W.  H.  Thomas  and  Jonas  D. 
Wilson.       This  was  in  March,  1852,  and   the  next  month   he 

moved  to  St.  Louis, 
and  was  married  on 
the  25th  day  of 
December,  1852,  to 
Mrs.  Martha  J.  Kri- 
der,  who  became 
the  mother  of  five 
children,  and  died 
in  January,  1862. 
He  was  again  mar- 
ried March  26, 1866, 
to  Mrs.  Isabella 
Crouse,  of  St.  Louis 
^'    County. 

Elder  Hickman 
continued  in  St. 
Louis  and  vicinity 
for  more  than  27 
years,  preaching  for 
the  churches  at  Fee 
REV.  JOSHUA  HICKMAN.  Fcc,    Salcm,    Ches- 

terfield, Antioch,  and  Bernard  Street,  St.  Louis.  During  this  pe- 
riod he  spent  three  years  as  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Gen- 
eral Association,  and  one  year  as  general  agent  of  the  Central 
Baptist.  He  then  went  to  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo.  and  became  pas- 
tor of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  that  city. 


PERIOD  SECOND. 

1810-1820. 


CHAPTER    I. 
BETHEL  ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  of  Other  Churches — Providence,  Barren,  St.  Francois,  Bellview,  «&c.— Or- 
ganization of  tlie  First  Association — Sketch  of  John  Farrar — William  Street — 
Wilson  Thompson — James  Philip  Edwards — ^^Vingate  Jackson — Thomas  P.  Green 
— William  Polk — John  Tanner. 

IN  1816,  Missouri  was  still  a  wild  territory.     There  were  a 
few   Baptist   churches   scattered  from  New  Madrid   to  Old 
Franklin,  but  there  was  no  associational  confederacy  of  the  de-- 
nomination. 

The  first  gathering  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an  association 
was  held  in  the  county  of  Cape  Girardeau,  at  the  small  log  meeting- 
house of  Bethel  Church,  the  second  Lord's  Day  in  June,  1816. 
The  convention  was  opened  with  prayer  by  Eld.  Thomas  Dono- 
hue.  Eld.  James  Edwards  preached.  Isaac  Sheppard  was  cho- 
sen moderator,  and  Thomas  Bull  clerk.  The  following  churches 
and  messengers  were  enrolled  : 

Bethel  Church  :  Thomas  Bull,  John  Sheppard,  Eld.  Benjamin 
Thomson  and  Robert  English ;  Tywappity  Church :  Henry 
Cockerham,  John  Baldwin  and  William  Eoss ;  Providence 
Church:  William  Savage;  Saline  Church:  Eld.  Thomas  Dono- 
hue  and  John  Duval;  St.  Francois  Church:  Eld.  William 
Street  and  Jonathan  Hubble;  Turkey  Creek  Church:  William 
Johnson,  Daniel  Johnson,  E.  Eevell  and  S.  Baker. 

Elders  H.  Cockerham,  John  Farrar,  Thomas  Douohue  and 
James  P.  Edwards  were  appointed  to  preach  and  constitute 
churches  in  different  parts  of  the  territory,  after  which  the  con- 
vention adjourned  to  meet  again,  on  the  last  Saturday  of  Sep- 
tember in  the  same  year,  at  the  same  place,  Bethel  meeting- 
house, and  complete  the  organization. 

In  accordance  with  the  foregoing  preliminary  arrangements, 
another  meeting  was  held  at  the  Bethel  church  house  near  Jack- 
son, the  county  seat,  the  fourth  Saturday  in  September,  1816, 
and  the  first  Baptist  association  west  of  the  Mississippi  Biver 


58  BETHEL   ASSOCIATION. 

was  fully  organized  and  called  Bethel,  after  the  name  of  the 
church  with  which  it  met.  Bethel,  Tywappity,  Providence,  Bar- 
ren, Bellview,  St.  Francois  and  Dry  Creek  Churches  were  the 
constituents,  whose  aggregate  membership  was  230.  Eld.  Thom- 
as Donohue  preached  the  introductory  sermon  on  this  memor- 
able occasion.  The  preachers  who  were  members  of  this  first 
association,  were  Henry  Cockerham,  John  Farrar,  Wm.  Street 
and  James  P.  Edwards. 

The  origin  of  Bethel  and  Tywappitj^  churches  has  already 
been  given. 

Providence  Church — was  constituted  in  August,  1814,  by  Elds. 
Wilson  Thompson,  John  Farrar  and  James  E.  Welch,  the  latter 
of  whom  was  a  licentiate,  at  that  time  on  a  visit  to  the  territory 
from  Kentucky-  The  church  was  formed  in  a  small  log  house 
on  the  St.  Francois  Eiver,  not  far  from  where  Fredericktown, 
Madison  Co.,  now  stands,  built  for  the  purpose  of  holding  wor- 
ship in,  and  capable  of  containing  about  seventj^-five  persons.  This 
body  was  first  an  ''arm"  of  Bethel  Church.  At  an  early  day 
Eld.  J.  M.  Peck  visited  this  church  and  circulated  a  subscription 
paper  to  secure  money  to  enable  Eld.  Farrar  to  visit  it  monthly. 
He  secured  about  $60.  Several  weeks  after  this  the  church  took 
up  the  subject,  and  the  majority  actually  voted  to  burn  the  sub- 
scription paper.  What  a  deed  !  But  it  was  done,  and  we  make 
the  record  to  shame  men  who  may  now  be  disposed  to  flagrant- 
ly violate  Baptist  rights  and  privileges. 

Barren  Church — was  situated  in  a  tract  of  country  then  known 
as  the  "Barrens,"  about  twenty  miles  below  Ste.  Genevieve,  in 
what  is  now  Perry  County.  It  was  constituted  the  first  Satur- 
day in  July,  1816.  Thomas  Donoliuc  was  pastor  until  his  death. 
Among  its  members  were  Obadiah  Scott,  Mr.  Duvall  and  Elisha 
Belcher.  This  church  was  situated  in  a  strong  Eoman  Catholic 
settlement,  and,  by  deaths  and  removals,  it  became  after  a  few 
years  of  toil  extinct. 

St.  Francois  Church. — The  exact  date  of  organization  is  not 
known.  On  the  18th  of  June,  1814,  the  old  Bethel  Church  dis- 
missed by  letter  Eld.  John  Farrar  and  forty -four  others  to  form 
a  church  of  this  name.  Prior  to  this,  they  had  been  known  as 
the  "  St.  Francois  Arm  of  Bethel  Church."  It  took  its  name 
from  the  river  that  rises  in  several  branches  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Iron  Mountain.  This  church  held  its  meetings  about  twentj''- 
five  miles  below  the  village  of  St.  Michael,  and  had  Eld.  Wm. 
Street,  a  most  excellent,  devoted  and  faithful  man  for  its  pastor. 


BETHEL    ASSOCIATION.  59 

Bellview. — This  church  was  situated  in  Washington  County, 
ten  01*  twelve  miles  south  of  Potosi,  in  one  of  the  best  farming 
settlements  in  this  part  of  Missouri.  The  exact  date  of  its  or- 
ganization is  not  known.  In  1818  it  reported  23  members.  It 
was  one  of  the  constituents  of  Bethel  Association  in  1816.  In 
1818  Eld.  Felix  Bedding  was  its  pastor.  He  was  a  son  of  Eld. 
Joseph  Bedding,  a  pioneer  of  Kentucky. 

Mr.  Bedding  was  so  far  anti-missionary,  that  when  the  leading 
members  of  his  church  at  Bellview  wished  to  circulate  a  sub- 
scription to  enable  him  to  devote  more  of  his  time  to  preaching 
the  gospel,  he  absolutely  refused  to  permit  any  such  thing  to  be 
done.  He  would  accept  no  perquisites  from  the  church  for  his 
labors  unless  it  was  bestowed  in  the  most  private  manner. 

Dry  Creek  Church. — The  time  and  place  of  the  organization 
of  this  body  is  not  known.  It  was  one  of  the  pioneer  churches, 
and  a  constituent  of  Bethel  Association  in  1816. 

At  the  first  meeting  the  Bethel  Association  adopted  the  arti- 
cles of  faith  set  forth  by  the  Virginia  Baptists,  at  the  time  the 
Begulars  and  Separates  formed  a  union.  It  was  hence  organiz- 
ed upon  the  principles  of  the  United  Baptists,  and  to  this  day 
holds  to  the  same  faith.  As  to  when  and  where  the  meeting  of 
the  association  was  held  in  1817,  we  are  not  informed.  In  1818 
the  association  was  held  in  what  was  called  ''The  Barrens" 
(now  Perry  County),  at  the  cabin  of  Mr.  Duval,  one  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Barren  Church. 

Two  corresponding  messengers  were  present  at  this  session, 
viz. :  Eld.  "Wm.  Thorp,  from  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  then  but 
recently  organized  in  the  Boone's  Lick  country,  Missouri;  and 
Eld.  Josiah  Horn,  from  Little  Eiver  Association,  in  Southern 
Kentucky.  Also,  Elds.  J.  M.  Peck,  Thos.  P.  Green  and  others 
were  present  as  visitors.  Eesolutions  passed  favorable  to  missions. 

The  following  record  is  from  "  Reminiscences  of  Missouri,"  by 
J.  M.  Peck,  who  says  that  they  are  from  the  records  of  the  asso- 
ciation for  1818,  the  first  year  he  visited  the  body : 

"  September  28th,  the  business  relating  to  missions,  postponed 
last  year,  was  taken  under  consideration,  and  Bro.  Peck  called 
on  for  information  on  the  subject.  Several  interesting  communi- 
cations wore  read,  and  a  circular  from  the  Baptist  Board  of  For- 
eign Missions  j)resented,  and  the  great  eiforts  made  in  the  Chris- 
tian world  to  promote  the  cause  of  Christ  stated,  together  with 
the  views,  proceedings,  object  and  success  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination generally  in  this  great  and  good  work.     Therefore, 


60  BETHEL   ASSOCIATION. 

"  Resolved,  That  Eld.  Thomas  P.  Green  (near  Jackson,  Cape 
Girardeau  County)  be  our  corresponding  secretary,  to  open  a 
correspondence  with  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
transmit  to  their  secretary  a  copy  of  our  minutes,  and  receive 
communications  from  them. 

"  Heard  a  plan,  drawn  up  by  Bro.  Peck,  to  promote  the  gos- 
pel and  common  schools,  both  among  the  settlers  and  the  Indi- 
ans in  this  country,  which  we  think  would  be  highly  useful,  and 
which  we  earnestly  desire  to  see  carried  into  effect.     Therefore, 

^'■Resolved,  That  we  view  with  pleasure  the  exertions  of  our 
brethren,  J.  M.  Peck  and  J.  E.  Welch,  united  in  the  western 
mission,  to  spread  the  gospel  and  promote  common  schools, 
both  among  the  white  settlers  and  Indians  in  this  country,  and 
that  we  recommend  the  above  plan  for  the  consideration  of  the 
churches  and  the  liberal  public.  As  Bro.  Peck  proposes  to  com- 
municate an  outline  of  the  plan,  it  is  hoped  that  each  church  will 
consider  on  it,  and  instruct  their  delegates  against  the  next  as- 
sociation."    {Western  Watchman,  vol.  8,  p.  118.) 

Says  the  same  author:  "The  doings  of  this  meeting  became 
the  rallying  point  between  the  friends  and  the  opponents  of  the 
missionary  enterprise,  that  continued  to  agitate  the  churches, 
and  produced  a  division  in  the  old  Cape  Girardeau  Association" 
(this  was  a  daughter  of  the  Bethel),  "and  the  formation  of  the 
'New  Cape  Girardeau  Association,'  as  a  missionary  organization 
in  1840."     {Ibid.) 

Eld.  Wm.  Polk,  during  his  lifetime,  wrote  a  history  of  Bethel 
Association,  which  was  published  in  the  Ironton  Baptist  Journal 
and  also  in  the  Christian  Repository.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
body  from  an  early  day.  To  him  we  are  indebted  for  many  of 
the  facts  in  this  history.  He  says  of  the  meeting  of  1818  :  "Com- 
munications were  submitted  by  J.  M.  Peck  on  Foreign  Missions, 
which  resulted  in  a  resolution  favorable  to  the  missionary  en- 
terprise. But  the  next  year  it  was  withdrawn,  and  in  1820  re- 
newed again.  It  was  then  resolved  that  the  churches  send  up 
their  views  at  the  next  association,  when  the  correspondence 
was  again  dropped,  and  never  afterwards  renewed.  {Chris.  Rep., 
vol.  VI.,  part  2,  p.  37.) 

Of  the  preachers  who  formed  this  first  association  in  Missouri, 
the  following  records  have  been  preserved : 

John  Cockerham — was  pastor  at  Tj^wappitj'- in  1816.  Of  his 
coming  to  Missouri,  we  have  no  record.  Soon  after  the  organ- 
ization of  Bethel  Association  he  left  this  part  of  the  territory. 


BETHEL    ASSOCIATION.  61 

John  Farrar — was  ordained  to  the  ministry  at  the  call  of 
Bethel  Church,  by  Elds.  Golden  Williams  and  Fielding  Wolfe, 
June  18th,  1814.  He  was  a  preacher  of  moderate  abilities,  but  a 
godly,  praying  man.  He  was  courteous  in  his  manners,  mild  in 
his  address,  amiable  in  his  disposition,  sound  and  unwavering 
in  his  doctrine.  He  preached  at  Providence  Church  until  about 
the  year  1825,  and  then  moved  into  Washington  County,  where 
he  died  in  1829.  He  was  one  of  the  worthy  and  successful  pio- 
neer preachers  of  Missouri. 

William  Street — was  also  a  minister  of  those  early  times. 
Though  a  man  of  no  extraordinary  ability  as  a  preacher,  he  was 
much  beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him,  because  of 
his  consistent  life  and  his  zeal  in  the  great  cause  he  had  espous- 
ed. He  resided  on  St.  Francois  Eiver,  Wayne  County,  in  a 
house  he  had  built,  and  which  was  covered  with  shingles  fasten- 
ed on  with  wooden  pegs ;  this  he  had  to  do,  not  for  want  of 
means,  but  on  account  of  his  remote  situation.  He  was  a  man 
of  wealth  j  had  a  number  of  slaves  and  abundant  property.  He 
would  often  solicit  protracted  meetings,  and  would  feed  and 
lodge  all  the  visiting  brethren  and  sisters  rather  than  burden  his 
poorer  neighbors.  He  was  frequently  chosen  moderator  of  the 
association,  which  place  he  filled  with  dignity  and  satisfaction 
to  his  brethren.  He  died  in  Wayne  County  in  1843  or  '44,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  about  90  years. 

Eld.  Wilson  Thompson — was  one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of 
Missouri,  and  although  not  in  the  formation  of  the  Bethel  Asso- 
ciation, nor  living  in  the  state  at  that  time,  yet  such  was  his  con- 
nection with  the  first  Baptist  churches  in  Southeast  Missouri, 
that  he  merits  a  place  in  this  history  just  here.  He  was  a  de- 
scendant of  respectable  Welsh  and  English  ancestors,  the  oldest 
son  of  Closs  and  Eebekah  Thompson,  born  August  17,  1788,  in 
Woodford  County,  Ky.  His  ancestors  were  almost  all  Baptists. 
His  first  awakening  was  at  a  baptismal  scene.  He  fled  from  the 
water's  edge  into  the  adjoining  forest,  and  fell  prostrate  on  the 
ground.  Thick  darkness  and  gloom  fell  around  him,  so  that  he 
could  scarcely  see  any  object,  though  the  sun  was  shining  bright. 
Finally,  being  led  to  contemplate  the  mediatorial  and  sacrificial 
work  of  Christ  for  him,  light  shone  round  about  him  and  he  was 
filled  with  joy  and  peace. 

After  he  grew  up  to  manhood,  as  a  means  of  support  and  men- 
tal culture,  he  taught  school  for  several  years.  This,  however, 
was  not  until  after  he  commenced  preaching.     Under  his  mental 


62  BETHEL   ASSOCIATION. 

discipline  and  efforts  to  teach  others,  his  active  mind  developed 
rapidly,  and  he  gained  some  celebrity  as  a  school  teacher.  After 
many  struggles  with  himself  he  began  preaching — or  trying  to 
preach,  as  he  called  it — when  about  twenty  years  of  age.  Some 
of  his  early  efforts  were  followed  with  wonderful  effects. 

In  May,  1810,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Marj^  Grigg,  of  Camp- 
bell County,  Ky.,  and  emigrated  to  the  Missouri  Territory  the 
following  January,  settling  in  the  neighborhood  of  Jackson, 
Cape  Girardeau  County.  Here  he  taught  school  and  preached 
as  opportunity  offered.  The  inhabitants  then  lived  in  small  set- 
tlements of  log  cabins. 

His  preaching  was  well  received;  a  revival  in  old  Bethel 
Church  was  the  result,  and  there  was  a  mighty  shaking  among 
the  dry  bones.  His  uncle  Benjamin  Thompson  was  among  the 
converts,  and  subsequently  became  a  minister.  The  revival  con- 
tinued about  eighteen  months  and  was  by  no  means  confined  to 
Bethel  Church,  where  it  commenced,  but  spread  into  the  different 
settlements,  reaching  in  one  case  as  far  as  Caldwell's  Settlement, 
some  sixty  miles.  Thompson  says:  *'  During  the  revival  I  bap- 
tized 400  or  500  subjects,  some  old  and  some  young,  some  white 
and  some  black,  but  all  professed  to  be  sinners  and  to  trust  in 
Christ  as  their  Savior."* 

This  was  indeed  a  most  wonderful  work  for  those  times  and 
circumstances;  yea  !  we  will  add  Avonderful  for  even  the  present 
times.  About  the  close  of  this  wonderful  work  of  grace,  the 
Bethel  Church  numbered  186  members.  We  will  here  relate  an 
incident  of  the  great  revival  of  1812  and  '13  :  A  negro  man, 
Dick,  the  property  of  Judge  Green,  an  avowed  infidel,  though  a 
good  citizen,  was  converted.  Mr.  Green  forbade  Dick's  baptism, 
threatened  to  whip  Dick  and  sue  the  man  that  baptized  him. 
Thus  the  matter  went  for  a  time.  About  three  months  after 
Dick's  conversion,  he  attended  Eld.  Thompson's  meeting  at 
Bethel  and  asked  to  be  baptized.  "Why,"  said  Mr.  Thompson, 
''are  you  not  afraid  of  your  master,  Dick?  The  Bible  says,  'Obey 
your  masters.'  "  He  replied  :  "  I  got  two  masters  :  one  is  greater 
than  the  other.  My  Great  Master  says,  Be  baptized,  and  I  wish 
to  obey  Him,"  The  baptism  was  performed ;  the  two  daughters 
of  Mr.  Green  witnessed  it,  but  decided  to  say  nothing  of  it  to  the 
father,  and  thus,  if  possible,  save  poor  Dick  a  whipping.  About 
two  weeks  after  this,  Judge  Green  came  home  in  a  fine  humor, 
and  began  praising  Dick  in  the  highest  terms.     "  Dick  has  al- 

*  Life  of  Eld.  Wilson  Thompso7i,  p.  190, 


BETHEL    ASSOCIATION.  63 

ways  been  my  best  servant,"  said  he  ;  "  but  for  some  weeks  past 
he  has  been  better  than  usual.  The  horses  shine  from  his  rub- 
bing them,  late  and  early,  and  he  keeps  every  thing  in  the  very 
best  of  order."  The  girls,  thinking  this  was  the  best  time  to 
tell  about  Dick,  said  :  ''  Father,  we  can  tell  you  what  has  made 
Dick  so  much  better  of  late." 

''What  has  done  it?"  said  he. 

"  Why,  a  few  weeks  ago  we  were  at  Bethel,  at  meeting,  and 
Mr.  Thompson  baptized  Dick,  and  he  seemed  so  happy  when 
they  all  gave  him  their  hand,  and  called  him  brother." 

"  Did  you  see  Mr.  Thompson  baptize  Dick  ?"  said  the  Judge. 

"  Yes,  sir,  we  saw  it  all." 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Green,  "I  wish  to  Grod  he  would  baptize  all 
my  negroes,  if  it  would  make  them  as  good  as  Dick."* 

Wilson  Thompson  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  a  gospel 
minister  some  time  after  he  commenced  preaching.  His  ordin- 
ation occurred  in  April,  1812,  at  the  request  of  Bethel  Church, 

Elds.  John  Tanner  and Stilly  acting  as  a  presbytery.     In 

July  following  he  was  chosen  pastor  of  Bethel  Church.  About 
this  time  his  field  of  labor  embraced,  in  addition  to  Bethel  Church 
and  neighborhood,  Johnson's  Settlement,  about  twenty  miles 
southwest  of  Bethel;  Caldwell's  Settlement  on  St.  Francois  Riv- 
er, near  St.  Michael,  about  sixty  miles  from  Bethel  Church  ;  and 
Saline  Settlement,  forty  miles  north  of  Bethel.  These  settle- 
ments he  visited  monthly,  in  doing  which  he  traveled,  going 
and  coming,  240  miles.  In  1813  Mr.  Thompson  removed  to  the 
state  of  Ohio,  having  spent  a  little  more  than  two  years  in  Mis- 
souri. 

James  Philip  Edwards. — This  pioneer  of  the  West  first  came 
to  Missouri  Territory  in  1811,  and  settled  in  Cape  G-irardeau 
County.  He  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1782  ;  was  in  stature 
rather  under  than  above  the  medium,  but  wiry  and  compact,  with 
great  powers  of  endurance.  His  opportunities  for  an  education 
had  been  much  better  than  the  majority  of  ministers  of  that  early 
day.  He  studied  for  the  bar  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  his  native  state,  but  his  inclination  for  the  sacred 
calling  predominated,  and  he  commenced  preaching  soon  after 
his  settlement  in  Missouri,  having  been  ordained  at  the  call  of 
the  Bethel  Church,  on  the  10th  of  April,  1812.  In  the  year  1817 
we  find  him  actively  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  ministr3^  In 
the  summer  of  this  year  he  made  an  extended  missionary  tour  in 

*  Life  of  Eld.  Wilson  Thompso)i,  pp.  193,  194. 


64  BETHEL   ASSOCIATION. 

the  lower  part  of  the  territory,  during  which  he  visited  all  the 
principal  settlements  on  the  Arkansas,  the  St.  Francois  and  the 
White  Elvers,  and  traveled  more  than  a  thousand  miles.  In  some 
places  he  found  the  people  not  only  destitute  of  ministers  of  any 
denomination,  but  deplorably  ignorant  of  the  gosj^el;  while  in 
other  settlements  some  attention  was  paid  to  religion.  Late  in 
the  fall  of  the  same  year  (1817),  "when  Dr.  Peck  was  on  his  way 
to  Missouri,  the  craft  on  which  he  was  a  passenger  '  lay  up '  for 
a  day  or  two  at  Ross'  Ferry,  a  few  miles  below  Capo  Girardeau. 
Here  he  found  Bro.  Edwards,  and  that  acquaintanceship  began 
which  lasted  through  the  lifetime  of  the  former."  In  1818  Fa- 
ther Edwards  left  Missouri  and  settled  in  Union  County,  Illinois, 
and  spent  the  most  of  the  residue  of  his  life  in  that  state  and 
Kentucky.  He  fell  asleep  just  before  the  storm  of  1861,  and  was 
buried  at  his  old  home  in  the  last  named  state. 

"  In  1820,  the  Hephzibah  Church  united  with  the  Bethel  Asso- 
ciation. This  church  was  constituted  by  Wingate  Jackson,  in 
Ste.  Genevieve  County,  the  same  year.  It  was  located  on  the 
waters  of  the  Big  Saline,  in  a  settlement  called  New  Tennessee. 
The  members  in  the  constitution,  eight  in  all,  were  Eld.  Wingate 
Jackson,  Obadiah  Scott,  Noah  Hunt,  Joel  and  Enos  Hamers.  and 
three  females. 

"WiNOATE  Jackson — was  born  in  Virginia,  in  1776.  His  pa- 
rents emigrated  to  the  state  of  Kentucky  in  the  early  part  of  his 
life.  In  his  early  youth  he  professed  religion  and  joined  the 
Baptists.  He  was  ordained  in  that  state  and  was  for  many  years 
a  prominent  and  useful  preacher  among  the  Kentucky  Baptists. 
He  removed  to  Missouri  while  it  was  a  wilderness,  and  preach- 
ed with  great  acceptance  through  the  bounds  of  Bethel  Asso- 
ciation. He  was  ever  ready  to  visit  the  churches  in  all  cases  of 
difficulty,  and  received  the  blessings  of  a  peace-maker.  On  one 
occasion,  there  being  seven  accessions  to  the  church  while  it  was 
destitute  of  a  pastor,  Jackson  and  the  writer  of  this  were  sent 
for,  so  that  one  or  the  other  might  come,  and  there  be  no  dis- 
appointment. The  church-house  was  occupied  by  the  pedobap- 
tists,  and  the  circuit  rider  made  an  appointment  for  the  forenoon 
to  sprinkle  an  infant.  Both  met  at  the  same  time,  and  Elder 
Jackson  and  the  circuit  rider  took  their  places.  The  circuit 
rider  preached,  and  at  the  close  of  his  discourse  called  for  the 
subject  of /iis  ceremony,  making  the  following  remarks:  'We 
are  the  people  who  believe  in  free  agency,  and  that  every  per- 
son should  judge  and  choose  his  own  mode  of  baptism.'     He 


BETHEL   ASSOCIATION.  65 

then  called  for  the  baby,  went  through  the  ceremony,  and  gave 
way. 

"Jackson  then  rose,  took  charge  of  the  congregation,  and  after 
singing  a  hymn,  he  said  he  was  well  pleased  with  the  sentiments 
expressed  by  the  brother.  He  also  believed  in  the  doctrine  of 
free  agency ;  and  was  most  earnestly  in  favor  of  their  choosing 
for  themselves.  But,  said  he,  the  brother  was  very  inconsistent 
when,  after  such  remarks,  he  sprinkled  water  in  that  babe's  face, 
when  it  could  not  help  itself  and  was  incapable  of  choosing;  and 
from  the  way  it  cried  and  resisted,  we  know  the  ceremony  was 
no  way  pleasing  to  it. 

"  The  circuit  rider  was  set  on  tire  by  these  remarks,  and  rose 
up  majestically  and  challenged  Jackson  to  debate. 

"  '  There  is  nothing  to  debate  between  us,'  replied  Jackson. 
'  Reconcile  your  principles  expressed,  with  this  practice  of 
yours,  and  the  question  is  settled.' 

"  The  circuit  rider  took  up  his  saddle-bags  and  left,  while  Jack- 
son went  on  and  preached  most  acceptably  to  the  large  and 
waiting  congregation. 

"  He  was  a  man  careful  to  put  the  churches  on  their  guard 
against  all  imposition;  yet  avoided  at  the  same  time  all  unnec- 
essary controversy.  Teaching  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  he 
dwelt  on  experimental  and  practical  religion.  He  was  a  very 
profound  man  in  the  Scriptures,  and  was  held  in  his  day  as  a 
standard  preacher.  Long  after  his  death,  when  the  propriety  of 
inviting  mourners  forward  was  questioned  by  some,  it  was  re- 
membered and  used  with  effect,  'that  Father  Jackson  had  prac- 
ticed it.'  So  true  is  it  that  the  good,  though  dead,  yet  speak 
to  us. 

''  I  might  dwell  at  length  on  the  labors  of  this  faithful  man  of 
Grod.  It  is  due  to  his  memory  that  this  much  should  be  said. 
The  churches,  in  their  prosperity  or  in  their  struggles,  should  be 
reminded  that  there  sleeps  beneath  the  soil  of  this  growing  state, 
men  who  labored  on  amid  obscurity  and  want,  and  passed  through 
trials  the  most  severe,  that  they  might  establish,  under  God,  the 
good  old  cause  in  Missouri. 

''But  as  these  things  might  not  be  interesting  to  the  numerous 
readers  of  the  Journal,  I  shall  close  this  sketch  by  adding  that, 
in  1835,  he  rested  from  his  labors,  and  went  from  the  storms  of 
earth  to  the  eternal  sunshine  of  glory."* 

In  1821   the  association  had  increased  to  14  churches,  with  u 

*   Wm.  Polk,  in  Ironton  Baptist  Journal,  Vol.  I,  No,  4, 
5 


66  BETHEIi    ASSOCIATION. 

membership  of  417.  Some  of  the  churches  were  located  in  the 
territory  of  Arkansas,  and  were  soon  after  dismissed  to  form  a 
new  association  in  that  country. 

"In  1822  the  Bethel  Association  appointed  Elds.  Street,  Clark 
and  Edwards  to  visit  Arkansas  Territory  and  constitute  therein 
two  churches.  The  point  they  were  to  visit  was  some  250  miles 
from  their  homes,  and  most  of  the  way  a  wilderness,  where  the 
Indian  camp  was  far  more  frequently  met  with  than  the  white 
man's  cabin  ;  but  as  servants  of  the  Lord  they  i^roceeded  regard- 
less of  danger  and  difficulty.  But  they  did  not  go  unaided  by  their 
brethren.  As  soon  as  the  appointment  was  made  known,  the 
brethrenmanifested  their  liberality  as  in  the  days  of  the  apostles, 
and  members  subscribed  toward  their  outfit,  and  sufficient  means 
were  collected  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  trip.  They  con- 
stituted two  churches,  Union  and  Little  Flock,  in  Lawrence 
County,  Arkansas  Territory,  both  of  which  applied  for  and  were 
admitted  into  membership  at  the  session  of  the  association  in 
September,  1823." 

In  1824  Bethel  dismissed  nine  churches  to  form  Cape  Girar- 
deau Association.  They  were  Dry  Creek,  Bethel,  Tywappity, 
Clear  Creek,  Apple  Creek,  Ebenezer,  Big  Prairie,  Hebron  and 
Shiloh.  She  also  dismissed  two  other  churches  in  1831,  to  aid 
in  the  formation  of  Franklin  Association.  So  that  the  Bethel 
has  been  somewhat  of  a  parent  among  the  associations  in  South- 
east Missouri. 

In  the  year  1825  Pendleton  Church  was  constituted  in  a  settle- 
ment six  miles  west  of  the  present  town  of  Farmington.  This 
settlement  was  made  up  chiefly  of  immigrants  from  Pendleton 
District,  South  Carolina,  and  hence  its  name. 

One  year  after  it  was  constituted,  in  1826,  this  church  united 
with  the  association.  James  Holbert  was  its  early  pastor,  and 
sustained  this  relation  until  1838,  when  he  removed  to  Crawford 
County,  and  Eld.  Wm.Polk  became  pastor,  and  so  continued  for 
more  than  twenty  years.  For  a  while  this  pastorate  did  not 
bring  prosperity  to  the  church,  but  in  after  years,  under  it,  the 
church  enjoyed  several  very  precious  revivals,  and  in  1859  it  num- 
bered over  100  members,  after  having  dismissed  others  to  consti- 
tute new  churches.  This  body  has  sent  forth  several  faithful 
heralds  of  the  Cross.  She  has  stood  firm  when  oppositions  have 
beat  on  her  in  all  their  fury.  Firebrands  have  been  thrown 
into  her  midst;  seeds  of  discord  have  been  scattered ;  but  the 
former  would  not  burn,  nor  the  latter  take  root  and  grow. 


BETHEL   ASSOCIATION.  67 

Before  us  lie  the  minutes  of  1827.  This  year  the  session  was 
held  at  Providence  Church,  Fredericktown,  on  the  22d  to  the 
24th  days  of  September.  The  introductory  sermon  was  deliv- 
ered b}^  Eld.  D.  Orr.  Eld.  AVingate  Jackson  was  chosen  moder- 
ator, and  Simeon  Frost  clerk. 

At  this  meeting  the  New  Hope  and  Little  Flock  Churciies  sent 
up  this  request:  "We  pray  you  as  an  advisory  council,  to  devise 
some  plan  whereby  the  destitute  churches  and  the  vicinities  may 
be  supplied  with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel." 

In  answer  to  this,  "the  association  agreed  to  choose  j^reach- 
ers  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  destitute  churches  and  set- 
tlements, and  to  preach  to  them,  filling  their  offices  as  gospel 
ministers,  and  report  to  the  next  association.  They  then  chose 
Brethren  Wingate  Jackson,  James  Williams,  David  Orr  and  John 
Farrar." 

Nine  churches  sent  messengers  this  year,  viz. :  Providence, 
Bellview,  St.  Francois,  Hephzibah,  New  Hope,  Pendleton, 
Crooked  Creek,  Little  Flock  and  Liberty.  They  reported  17 
baptisms  and  a  membership  of  227.  There  were  present  six  or- 
dained ministers  and  six  licentiates. 

Eld.  William  Polk  says  : 

"In  the  year  1834  there  was  a  council  held  with  Pendleton 
Church,  August  1st  and  2d.  The  messengers  from  the  churches 
met  to  confer  on  the  faith  and  order  of  the  association,  and  as 
the  term  'United' has  not  been  generally  used  in  the  official 
records  of  the  association,  the  propriety  was  taken  into  consid- 
eration, and  the  faith  and  order  compared  with  that  of  the  Uni- 
ted Baptists  of  the  United  States,  descending  from  the  Union  in 
Virginia. 

"Bro.  Wingate  Jackson  presided  as  moderator,  and  it  was 
agreed  unanimously  that  Bethel  Association  was  the  legal  de- 
scendant of  the  United  Baptists  of  Virginia.  The  proceedings 
of  this  meeting  were  presented  to  the  association  the  same  fall, 
1834,  and  unanimously  received  and  ordered  to  be  printed  with 
the  minutes. 

"  From  that  time  to  the  present,we  have  been  known  as  '  Uni- 
ted Baptists,'  by  using  the  term  in  all  official  works  of  the  asso- 
ciation and  churches.  And  for  this  the  association  and  churches 
have  been  reproached  on  one  side  for  M'^earing  it,  because  it  was 
thought  to  fence  out  Parkerism  or  the  two-seed  doctrine;  and 
on  the  other  side,  because  she  could  not  tack  on  the  surname 
'  missionary.' 


68  BETHEL    ASSOCIATION. 

"Bethel  Association  has  not  connected  herself,  as  a  body,  with 
any  missionary  organization,  foreign  or  domestic,  outside  of  her 
own  bounds,  since  the  year  1821,  when  the  correspondence  was 
dropped  with  the  Foreign  Board  of  Missions. 

"  Her  actions,  as  brought  to  view  in  the  last  chapter,  show  that 
she  was,  in  her  younger  days,  an  active  missionary  body,  but 
the  anti-missionary  element  finally  succeeded,  in  a  measure,  in 
putting  a  quietus  on  the  spirit  of  missions." 

Two  things  should  be  considered  in  connection  with  the  fore- 
going action  of  the  council : 

1st.  It  would  have  been  in  perfect  concord  with  the  commis- 
sion to  have  been  "  connected  with  some  missionary  organiza- 
tion outside  of  her  own  bounds,"  since  the  command  of  Christ 
requires  that  his  gospel  should  be  preached  in  "all  the  world." 

2d.  The  great  body  of  the  Baptist  denomination  has  never 
recognized  as  any  part  of  its  official  name,  the  title  of  "Mission- 
ary;" while  at  the  same  time  they  have  ever  been  a  missionary 
people.  "Missionary,"  if  incorporated  into  the  name  of  all  Bap- 
tists who  promote  missions  at  home  and  abroad,  through  soci- 
eties, churches  or  associations,  would  by  no  means  be  a  distin- 
guishing appellation  ;  for  not  only  is  the  principal  Baptist  family 
missionary  in  spirit  and  practice,  but  almost  all  the  minor  sects 
among  the  Baptists  are  so  too.  As  a  rule  (except  in  those  states 
affected  by  the  union  of  the  Regular  and  Separate  Baptists,  in 
which  case  they  are  called  "United  Baptists"),  the  great  body 
of  the  denomination  is  known  under  the  simple  cognomen  of 
"  Baptists." 

The  Bethel  Association  held  its  session  in  1837  with  the  Pen- 
dleton Church.  The  Little  Piney  Association  j^etitioned  for  cor- 
respondence, which  was  cordially  granted  and  reciprocated.  The 
preaching  and  business  of  the  session  Averc  conducted  with  gen- 
eral satisfaction.  Much  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity  was  mani- 
fested, and  the  outpourings  of  the  Spirit  of  God  were  witnessed 
on  that  memorable  occasion, 

Hcphzibah  Church,  Ste.  Genevieve  County,  was  the  place  of 
meeting  in  1838.  Several  brethren  were  present  from  Little 
Piney  Association.  At  this  meeting  a  motion  was  made  to  drop 
the  name  "United."  A  warm  debate  followed,  in  which  Oba- 
diah  Scott,  an  old  and  venerable  soldier  of  the  Cross,  and  Eld. 
"Wm.  Polk,  long  a  member  and  minister  in  the  association,  plead 
earnestly  that  the  union  which  had  so  long  existed  should  still 
gontinue,     It  was  ^  melting  scene,  when   old  Bro.  Scott,  wit'i 


BETHEL   ASSOCIATION.  69 

tears  freely  flowing  down  his  withered  cheeks,  besought  them 
not  to  thus  break  the  union  between  brethren  of  the  same  house- 
hold. Some  of  the  principal  advocates  of  the  proposition  were 
then  merging  into  Parkerism,  or  two-seed-ism,  where  they  even- 
tually landed.  The  following  was  agreed  upon  :  "  This  assoei- 
tion  wishes  her  churches,  if  they  think  proper,  to  accede  to  the 
voluntary  council  of  Yersailles,  and  report  to  the  association." 

For  three  years  this  proposition  aifected  the  peace  of  some 
of  the  churches.  During  this  time  Parkerism  found  its  way 
into  the  association,  though  in  disguise.  If  the  reader  should 
ask,  "What  is  Parkerism?"  we  would  answer,  fatalism,  antino- 
mianism,  two-seed-ism  —  something  akin  to  universalism  and 
atheism — it  is  the  worst  of  all  isms.  It  dishonors  God,  and  gives 
the  devil  the  honor  of  being  the  father  of  a  great  portion  of  the 
human  family. 

Connected  with  the  early  history  and  work  of  the  Bethel  As- 
sociation, was  a  most  useful  and  devoted  minister  of  the  gospel, 
an  account  of  whom  we  have  reserved  to  this  date.  We  allude 
to  the  worthy  and  amiable 

Thomas  Parish  Green — than  whom  few  men  have  done  more 
to  build  up  the  Baptist  denomination.  He  was  born  in  Chatham 
County,  ISTorth  Carolina,  June  3,  1790.  He  emigrated  with  his 
father  and  family  in  1807  to  Maury  County,  Tennessee,  where,  un- 
der the  ministry  of  Eld.  John  Record,  he  was  converted  and  bap- 
tized into  the  fellowship  of  Lebanon  Baptist  Church,  in  the  spring 
of  1812.  Ho  removed  to  Missouri  in  the  year  1817  and  settled  in 
Cape  Girardeau  County,  where  he  was  very  successful  in  building- 
up  Christ's  kingdom,  and  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  except  a 
few  short  intervals.  From  his  entrance  upon  the  work,  he  be- 
came an  earnest  advocate  of  the  Sunday-school  and  missionary 
cause  in  South  Missouri.  In  this  work  he  met  with  considerable 
opposition  from  churches  which  were  somewhat  tinctured  with 
antinomianism,  and  opposed  both  missions  and  Sunday-schools  j 
but  under  the  conviction  that  he  was  right  and  that  "  the  gospel 
must  be  published,"  he  persevered  amidst  all  difficulties,  until 
he  saw  much  good  fruit  from  his  labors  in  the  pioneer  associa- 
tions of  the  state.  He  was  the  author  of  the  resolutions  on  for- 
eign missions  adopted  by  the  Bethel  Association  at  its  session  in 
1818.  In  the  years  1829  and  1830  he  published  the  Western  Pio- 
neer, at  Eock  Spring,  Illinois ;  acted  as  agent  of  the  American 
Sunday-school  Union  in  1831,  for  South  Missouri,  in  the  prose- 
cution of  which  work  he  visited  and  established  schools,  and 


70  BETHEL   ASSOCIATION. 

procured  libraries  in  the  following  counties,  viz.  :  New  Madrid, 
Scott,  Cape  Girardeau,  Perry,  Madison,  St.  Francois,  Wayne  and 
Stoddard.  He  accomplished  much  good  in  the  capacity  of  mis- 
sionary of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society,  to 
which  work  he  was  appointed  soon  after  the  formation  of  said 
society.  He  moved  to  St.  Louis  and  became  pastor  of  the  Second 
Baptist  Church  in  June,  1835,  and  sustained  this  relation  one 
year,  foiir  months  of  which  time  he  kept  the  Bible,  Tract  and 
Sunday-school  Depository  in  St.  Louis. 

Eld.  Green  was  an  extraordinary  man.  Eaised  without  any 
educational  advantages,  he  made  himself  a  scholar.  For  some 
time  his  mind  w^as  entangled  in  the  meshes  of  antinomianism  and 
anti-missionism,  but  he  burst  the  death-cerements  and  stood  forth 
the  champion  of  living  truth  and  missionary  effort.  Illustrative 
of  the  spirit  of  the  man,  Ave  give  the  following  anecdote,  for 
which  we  are  indebted  to  Deacon  Sandy  Pratt,  of  "Wright  City, 
Missouri : 

In  the  year  1835  the  Cuivre  Association  met  somewhere  in 
Lincoln  Count}'.  Thomas  P.  Green  was  present  as  a  correspond- 
ing messenger.  The  association  was  anti-missionary.  Soon  after 
Bro.  Green's  appearance  in  the  meeting,  several  of  the  older 
members  of  the  body  held  a  caucus  to  consult  as  to  the  best  pol- 
icy to  pursue  relative  to  the  visiting  minister.  They  saw,  and 
so  decided,  that  Green  was  an  intelligent  man,  an  excellent 
preacher,  and  a  decided  missionary.  They  could  not  mistreat  a 
visiting  minister  from  a  sister  association,  yet  they  feared  the 
consequences  if  Bro.  Green  should  preach.  The  brethren  finally 
agreed  that  he  must  preach.  Accordingly  it  was  arranged  to 
have  three  sermons  on  Sunday  in  the  following  order :  1st.  Eld. 
Robert  Gilmore  (Bro.  Gilmore  was  at  that  time  opposed  to 
missions,  and  subsequently  related  these  facts  to  Bro.  Pratt); 
2d.  Thos.  P.  Green  ;  and,  3d.  The  strongest  man  they  had  (name 
not  given).  The  understanding  was,  that  Bro.  Gilmore  should 
attack  Sunday-schools,  mission  and  Bible  societies,  &c.,  with  the 
expectation  that  Green  would  attempt  to  answer  him,  in  which 
event  the  third  man  was  to  wind  up  Green.  Old  Father  Gilmore 
carried  out  his  part  of  the  programme.  Eld.  Green  arose,  took 
his  text,  and  without  the  slightest  reference  to  the  former  dis- 
course, preached  a  precious,  melting,  gospel  sermon.  Almost 
the  entire  audience  was  delighted,  and  when  Green  quit,  the 
whole  house  was  bathed  in  tears.  The  masses  were  carried 
away  with  the  sermon,  for  it  had  been  a  rich  feast.     The  servant 


bethkl  association.  71 

of  the  Lord  had  fed  his  people.  Eld.  Green  was  master  of  the 
situation.  The  minister  who  was  to  follow  had  nothing  to  say. 
He  of  course  could  say  nothing  against  Green,  for  he  had  not 
entered  into  the  controversy. 

The  labors  of  this  man  of  God  were  signally  blessed,  hundreds 
having  been  brought  into  the  fold  of  Christ  through  his  instru- 
mentality. The  churches  of  Cold  "Water,  St.  Louis  County;  the 
Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis;  Cape  Girardeau,  Bethel,  and 
a  number  of  others  in  South  Missouri,  reaped  fruit  from  his  la- 
bors. 

Eld.  Green  died  in  the  triumphs  of  a  personal  faith  in  Christ. 
During  the  larger  portion  of  his  sickness  his  sufferings  were  great, 
but  he  bore  them  with  calmness  and  patience.  ]^ot  long  before 
he  died,  he  said  to  a  brother  by  his  bedside  (Eld.  J.  11.  Clark), 
"Brother,  I  have  labored  for  thirty  years  in  the  cause  of  Christ, 
and  only  regret  that  I  have  not  been  more  faithful.  From  the 
time  I  commenced  preaching,  I  consecrated  mj'self  entirely  to 
the  work,  though  sometimes  at  a  great  sacrifice.  Yet  I  do  not 
regret  what  I  have  lost;  and  if  I  had  my  time  to  live  over,  with 
all  the  facts  before  me,  I  would  enter  the  ministry." 

Like  one  of  God's  servants  of  old,  he  called  his  family  and 
friends  to  his  bedside,  bade  them  an  affectionate  farewell,  gave 
them  a  dying  blessing,  and  admonished  them  to  prepare  to  meet 
him  in  heaven. 

At  his  home  in  the  city  of  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo.,  he  breathed 
his  last  on  the  11th  of  July,  1843,  being  then  in  the  54th  year  of 
his  age,  after  a  painful  illness  of  twenty-five  days,  which  he 
bore  with  patience  and  resignation.* 

The  Bethel  Association  held  its  session  in  1840  with  the  Beth- 
any Church.  Correspondence  was  dropped  with  the  Little  Pi- 
ney  Association,  because  she  refused  to  correspond  with  any 
United  Baptist  Association. 

Bethany  Church  has  been  quite  a  fruitful  vine.  Pour  other 
churches  were  organized  of  members  of  this  church,  all  of  which 
were,  in  1859,  working  members  of  Bethel  Association.  And 
there  were  in  that  year  two  Sunday-schools  under  the  auspices 
of  the  mother  church.  During  the  ministrations  of  Eld.  Wm. 
Polk,  he  baptized  in  behalf  of  Bethany  Church  337  persons,  and 
at  no  time  were  there  exceeding  200  members  in  the  church, 
such  was  the  migratory  condition  of  the  people  of  that  country. 

*  For  many  of  the  facts  in  the  foregoing  sketch  we  are  indebted  to  Eld.  J.  H, 
Clark,  in  the  Christian  Repository,  \o\.  \Til, 


72  BETHEL   ASSOCIATION. 

William  Polk. — This  Missouri  minister  was  born  in  Georgia, 
January  18,  1806,  and  united  with  the  Baptists  at  the  age  of  23 
years.  He  comnienced  preaching  in  1831,  and  was  married  (date 
unknown)  to  Miss  Mary  Sharp,  where  Arcadia  now  stands,  then 
in  Madison  County. 

Of  his  life  work  in  the  ministry,  it  may  be  said,  that  he  was 
the  most  energetic,  as  well  as  by  far  the  most  popular,  preacher 
in  Southeast  Missouri.  Kind,  S3nnpathetic,  truly  pious,  and  ever 
punctual ;  he  always  had  the  confidence  of  the  public,  regardless 
of  sectarian  prejudice  or  political  differences,  in  a  measure  un- 
paralleled. The  eloquence  or  fame  of  other  deserving  ministers 
never  drew  such  crowded  houses. 

He  was  sometimes  chosen  moderator  of  his  association.  At 
the  session  of  1838  he  was  in  the  chair  when  an  effort  was  made 
by  the  Parkerites  to  change  the  constitution  of  the  association, 
and  drop  the  term  "  United."  Mr.  Polk  was,  at  the  time,  young 
in  the  ministry;  but,  together  with  Obadiah  Scott  (and  of  the 
ministers  then  in  the  body  they  were  alone)  he  stood  firm  upon 
the  original  platform. 

In  January  of  1859  he  started  a  monthly  paper  at  Ironton, 
called  the  Ironton  Baptist  Journal.  In  volume  I.  of  said  paper 
appeared  a  history  of  Bethel  Association  as  editorial,  a  few  num- 
bers of  which  came  into  our  possession,  and  have  rendered  assist- 
ance in  those  sketches. 

In  the  popular  acceptation  of  the  term,  his  sentiments  were  not 
anti-missionar}',  though  he  was  not  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
great  body  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  evangelical  work.  He 
had  an  aversion  to  the  term  *'  missionary."  As  seen  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  association,  he  and  his  people  had  a  system  by  which 
they  promoted  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  Under  their  system 
they  employed  an  itinerant,  but  were  not  willing  to  call  him  a 
missionary.  He  thus  gave  much  of  his  time  and  talent  to  the 
churches  without  remuneration,  an  error  which  his  family,  now 
living  in  comparative  poverty,  are  free  to  confess.  And  truly  it 
was  an  error.  No  man  has  the  moral  right  to  rob  his  family  by 
giving  his  time  to  others  for  any  purpose.  A  minister  of  the  gos- 
jiel  is  no  exception  to  this  rule.      Bro.  Polk  died  Nov.  1,  1864. 

In  the  year  1841  the  association  met  with  the  New  Hope  Church, 
St.  Francois  County,  Missouri.  The  Colony  Church  was  received 
into  the  association  at  this  session.  It  came  with  15  members. 
Tliis  church  was  constituted  in  the  summer  of  1841,  at  the 
dwelling-house  of  L.  Parks,  in  a  new  settlement  called  Colony 


UETHKL   ASSOCIATION.  73 

Settlement,  some  five  miles  east  of  Farmington,  in  St.  Francois 
County.  The  inhabitants  of  this  settlement  were  from  Virginia, 
Kentucky  and  North  Carolina,  and  at  the  time  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  church,  a  house  sixteen  feet  square  would  hold  the 
entire  audience.  During  a  term  of  less  than  twenty  years  this 
church  received  by  baptism  about  250  members,  numbers  of 
whom  were  dismissed  and  went  into  other  counties,  while  others 
went  out  and  formed  churches  in  the  country  adjacent.  This  body 
had  in  1859  a  Sabbath-school  of  60  scholars,  and  kept  up  a 
prayer-meeting. 

The  minutes  of  1859  show  that  the  session  this  year  was  held 
with  the  New  Hope  Church,  St.  Francois  County,  on  the  last 
Saturday^  in  September. 

Eld.  Wm.  Polk  preached  the  introductory  sermon,  and  was 
also  selected  as  moderator  j  Eld.  W.  A.  Hamilton  was  chosen 
clerk.  Three  new  churches  were  received,  viz. :  Mt.  Zion,  Lo- 
cust Grove  and  White  Oak  Grove.  Nineteen  churches  appear 
as  members  of  the  association,  almost  all  of  which  report  bap- 
tisms— in  all  87;  total  membership,  834. 

Eld.  E.  Moore  was  appointed  by  the  meeting  to  supply  with 
preaching  the  destitute  in  the  bounds  of  the  association.  Eld. 
Wm.  Polk,  W.  Covington,  G.  W.  Eennick,  W.  Burke  and  C.  Gid- 
eon were  appointed  a  committee  to  meet  with  Eld.  Moore,  the 
evangelist,  every  three  months  in  the  year,  and  also  to  make 
collections  by  subscriptions  and  in  any  other  way  they  might 
think  proper.  The  funds  on  hand  were  taken  to  make  an  outfit 
for  Bro.  Moore. 

In  1829  the  following  churches  made  application  for  dismis- 
sion for  the  purpose  of  organizing  an  association  in  the  territory 
of  Arkansas,  viz. :  Spring  Eiver,  New  Hope,  Little  North  Fork 
and  Eichland.  The  delegates  from  these  churches  requested 
help.  The  association  appointed  Eld.  J.  Williams/S.  Frost,  J. 
Wilburn,  Elder  M.  Bailey  and  Eld.  W.  Street,  to  meet  and  con- 
fer with  the  delegates  at  Spring  Eiver  Church,  the  second  Satur- 
day in  November,  1829.  This  church  takes  its  name  from  the 
beautiful  stream  near  which  itstands,  the  crystal  waters  of  which 
glide  gently  over  its  pebbly  bottom.  After  the  above  dismis- 
sions, so  far  as  our  records  show,  Bethel  Association  was  wholly 
in  Missouri. 

In  1845  its  numerical  strength  was  between  300  and  400.  In 
1870  10  churches  were  represented,  which  reported  13  baptisms 
and  a  total  membership   of  311.     The  minutes  of  1872  are  COQi 


74  BETHEL   ASSOCIATION. 

tained  in  a  neatly  printed,  though  small  pamphlet  of  thirty 
pages.  The  session  was  held  with  the  Texas  Church,  St.  Fran- 
cois County,  beginning  Sept.  20th,  and  continuing  three  days. 

The  Bethel  is  one  of  the  few  associations  in  Missouri  which 
believes  in  feet-washing  as  a  religious  ordinance.  It  has  an  arti- 
cle of  faith  on  the  subject  as  follows: 

"We  believe  the  feet-washing  as  set  forth  in  John  13th,  to  be 
one  of  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  and  that  it  ought  to  be  ob- 
served by  all  Christians,  as  our  Lord  and  Savior  delivered  it 
to  the  disciples,  and  ought  to  be  practiced  in  connection  with 
the  Supper  by  all  baptized  believers." 

From  the  foregoing  account  it  will  be  seen  that  Bethel  Asso- 
ciation has  been  a  fruitful  vine,  having  dismissed  nine  churches 
in  1824,  to  form  Cape  Girardeau  Association  ;  four  in  1829,  to 
form  an  association  in  Northern  Arkansas ;  two  in  1831,  to  go 
into  the  Franklin  Association  j  and  nine  in  1859,  to  form  the 
Central  Missouri  Association. 

The  total  membership  in  1872  was  627.     Total  baptisms,  65. 

The  following  brief  sketch  of  a  very  worthy  minister  deserves 
a  place  in  this  chapter,  and  we  give  it  in  conclusion : 

Eld.  John  Tanner — was  born  and  raised  in  the  state  of  Vir- 
ginia. We  know  nothing  of  his  early  life.  He  was  a  Baptist 
minister  in  the  Kehukee  Association  as  early  as  1777,  in  which 
year  the  following  incident  occurred  in  connection  with  his  min- 
istry : 

"A  certain  woman,  by  the  name  of  Dawson,  in  the  town  of 
Windsor,  N.  C,  had  reason  to  hope  her  soul  was  converted,  saw 
baptism  to  be  a  duty  for  a  believer  to  comply  with,  and  express- 
ed a  great  desire  to  join  the  church  at  Cashie,  under  the  care  of 
Eld.  Dargan.  Her  husband,  who  was  violently  opposed  to  it, 
and  a  great  persecutor,  had  threatened  that  if  any  man  baptized 
his  wife,  he  would  shoot  him.  Accordingly,  baptism  was  defer- 
red for  some  time.  At  length  Eld.  Tanner  was  present  at  Eld. 
Dargan's  meeting,  and  Mrs.  Dawson  applied  to  the  church  for 
baptism,  expressing  a  desire  to  comply  with  her  duty.  She  was 
received,  and  Eld.  Dargan  being  an  infirm  man,  when  other 
ministers  were  present,  would  generally  apply  to  them  to  admin- 
ister the  ordinance  in  his  stead.  He  therefore  requested  Eld. 
Tanner  to  perform  the  duty  of  baptism  at  this  time.  Whether 
Eld.  Tanner  was  apprized  of  Dawson's  threat  or  not,  or  whether 
he  thought  it  his  duty  to  obey  God  rather  than  man,  we  are  not 
informed;  but,  however  it  was,  he  baptized  Mrs.  Dawson.     In 


BETHEL   ASSOCIATION.  /O 

the  following  June,  in  the  year  1777,  Eld.  Tanner  was  expected 
to  preach  at  Sandy  Eun  Meeting-house,  and  Dawson,  hearing  of 
the  appointment,  came  up  from  "Windsor  to  Norfleet's  Ferry  on 
Eoanoke,  and  lay  in  wait,  near  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  when 
Eld.  Tanner  (who  was  in  company  with  Eld.  Dargan)  ascended 
the  bank  from  the  ferry  landing,  Dawson  being  a  few  yards  from 
him,  shot  him  with  a  large  horseman's  pistol.  Seventeen  shot 
went  into  his  thigh,  one  of  which  was  a  large  buckshot,  that 
went  through  the  limb  and  lodged  in  his  clothes  on  the  other 
side.  In  his  wounded  condition,  Mr.  Tanner  was  carried  to  the 
house  of  Mr.  Elisha  "Williams,  in  Scotland  Neck,  where  he  lay  for 
some  weeks,  his  life  being  despaired  of;  but  through  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lord  he  recovered  again.  Dawson  being  somewhat 
frightened  lest  he  should  die,  sent  a  doctor  up  to  attend  him. 
After  Eld.  Tanner's  recovery  he  never  attempted  to  seek  an}^ 
redress,  but  submitted  to  it  patiently  as  persecution  for  Christ's 
sake."* 

John  Tanner  spent  a  few  years  in  Kentucky,  and  removed  to 
the  territory  of  Missouri  in  a  very  early  day — sometime  prior 
to  the  earthquakes  of  1811 — and  settled  in  what  is  now  New  Ma- 
drid County,  not  far  from  the  present  town  of  New  Madrid.  In 
the  winter  of  1811-12,  he  was  visited  at  his  home  in  the  "Low 
Country,"  by  Eld.  Wilson  Thompson  (a  licentiate)  and  Thomas 
Bull,  both  members  of  Bethel  Baptist  Church,  and  found  to  be 
an  old  and  infirm  man.f 

In  the  spring  of  1812  the  earthquake  had  been  so  severe  in  the 
low  lands  about  New  Madrid,  that  he  left  and  moved  to  the  high 
lands  of  Cape  Girardeau  County,  and  settled  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Bethel  Church,  J  and  in  April  of  that  year  he  and  Eld.  Stilley, 
at  the  call  of  Bethel  Church,  ordained  "Wilson  Thompson  to  the 
ministry,  Eld.  Tanner  preaching  the  sermon  on  the  occasion 
from  the  words:  "Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  me?" 

In  the  summer  of  1812  or  '13  his  health  became  more  feeble, 
and  he  was  for  some  time  confined  to  the  house  ;  soon  after 
which  he  died. 

As  a  preacher,  he  was  sound,  Calvinistic,  able,  and  a  great 
favorite  with  the  mother  of  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay. 

*  Burkitt  and  Reed's  Church  History,  pp.  60-02. 

f  Life  of  Eld.  Wilson  Thompson,  p.  175. 

X  Ibid.,  p.  182. 


CHAPTER    II. 


THE  MISSOUEI  ASSOCIATION. 

Negro  Fork,  Upper  Cuivre,  and  Fenime  Osage  Churches — The  Association  Formed 
— Life  of  Lewis  Williams — Of  Jiio.  M.  Peck — The  Squatter  Family — Rock  Spring 
Seminar}' — The  First  Baptist  Newspaper. 

THE  Territory  of  Missouri  was  under  the  control  of  Spanish 
or  French  Catholics  from  1762  to  1803  or  '4.  Under  their 
rule,  ''no  preacher  of  the  gospel,  save  Catholic,  was  permitted 
by  law  to  come  into  the  Province."  A  few  preachers  did,  how- 
ever, come;  not  to  stir  up  strife,  but  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
peace  and  salvation. 

Upper  Louisiana  was  transferred  to  the  United  States  in 
March,  1804,  and  with  the  transfer  came  the  abolition  of  Catho- 
lic intolerance  in  the  territory.  This  year  (some  say  the  year 
previous)  Eld.  Thos.  B.  Musick  became  a  resident  minister  of 
the  District  of  St.  Louis,  and  soon  began  preparations  for  col- 
lecting the  Baptist  element  into  a  church.  He  was  successful, 
and  in  1807  organized  Fee  Fee  Creek  Church  of  about  seventeen 
members.  This  was  the  second  permanent  church  organization 
in  the  territory,  and  having  stood  from  the  beginning  is  now  the 
oldest  Baptist  church  in  Missouri,  and  worships  at  this  time  in 
an  elegant  and  commodious  brick  edifice,  situated  in  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  localities  in  the  county  of  St.  Louis,  about  fifteen 
miles  northwest  of  the  city.  For  further  particulars  of  this  old 
community,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Chapter  II.  of  PEKIOD 
FIRST. 

CoLDWATER. — A  sketch  of  this  church  has  already  been  given 
in  the  aforesaid  Chapter  and  Period. 

BoEUP  Church — was  formed  jjriorto  1817,  within  the  present 
limits  of  St.  Louis  County,  but  the  circumstances  and  exact  date 
of  its  organization  are  not  now  known. 

Negro  Fork  Church. — This  is,  also,  one  of  the  primitive 
churches  of  this  part  of  the  state,  having  been  formed  prior  to 
the  organization  of  the  first  association. 

Ui'PER  CuTVRE. — This  pioneer  community  was  located  several 
miles  southwest  of  Troy,  the  county  seat  of  Lincoln  County; 


THE    MrSSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  77 

was  gathered  and  formed  by  we  know  not  whom,  in  about  the 
year  1815  or  '16,  and,  after  an  existence  of  some  twenty  years, 
dissolved. 

Femme  Osage, — another  pioneer  church,  was  formed  previous 
to  1817,  and  was  located  on  a  creek  by  the  same  name  in  St. 
Charles  County.     It  has  long  since  ceased  to  exist. 

The  foregoing  churches  met  and  were  formed  into  an  associa- 
tion in  the  year  1817,  under  the  appellation  of  "  The  Missouri 
Association."  This  is  now  St.  Louis  Association.  As  such  doc- 
uments are  now  very  rare,  we  give  the  entire  minutes  of  the 
first  meeting  as  follows  :    • 

]^[INUTES  OF  THE  MISSOURI  ASSOCIATION, 

Held  at  the  Rev.  T.  R.  Musich's,  St.  Louis  County,  M.  T.,  on  the  7th 

and  Sth  of  November,  1817. 

1.  Bro.  Lewis  AVilliams  preached  the  introductory  sermon 
from  1  Peter  2  j  5. 

2.  Letters  from  four  churches  were  jsresented  and  read,  and 
the  names  of  their  delegates  enrolled. 

Churches.  Delegates.  Total  No. 

Boeuf,  Simpson  and  Massey,                .             .        30 

Negro  Fork,  Lewis  Williains,  Ileldebrand  and  Tcrrv,  16 

Cold  Water,  J.  Allen,              .             .             .             .  "^     17 

Fee  Fee  Creek,  '  Musick,  Sullen  and  Martin,  .  52 
Upper  Cuivre  Creek,  C.  Hubbard  and  M.  Springston,          .         13 

Femme  Osage,  Colgan  and ,              .  .               14 

{Letter  failed.)  

142 

3.  Letter  from  Upper  Cuivre  Creek  received,  and  tlie  names 
of  their  delegates  enrolled. 

4.  Bro.  L.  Williams  chosen  moderator,  and  T.  E.  Musick 
clerk. 

5.  Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  arrange  the 
business  of  the  association,  and  report  to-morrow  at  10  o'clock. 

6.  That  brethren  Colgan,  Hubbard  and  Sullen,  together  with 
the  moderator  and  clerk,  bo  that  committee. 

7.  Adjourned  till  to-morrow,  at  10  o'clock. 

November  7th,  IS  17. 
Met  agreeably  to  adjournment,  and  aftei-  divine  worship  ])ro- 
ceeded  to  business. 

8.  The  report  of  the  committee  called  for,  read  and  approved. 

9.  The  rules  of  decorum  were  read  and  adopted. 

10.  Articles  of  faith  read  and  received. 


78  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

11.  Contributions  received  from  the  following  churches,  viz.: 
Cold  Water,  75  cents ;  Upper  Cuivre  Creek,  $2  ;  Femme  Osage, 
$3 ;  Fee  Fee  Creek,  $2 ;  Boeuf,  $3 ;  Negro  Fork,  $2  :  total,  $12.75. 

12.  Appointed  T.  E.  Musiek  treasurer  of  this  association. 

13.  Brethren  Martin  and  Sullen  appointed  to  examine  the 
funds,  reported  that  $12.75  was  yet  on  hand. 

14.  Shall  we  correspond  with  sister  associations  ?  Answer, 
"We  will,  and  that  Bro.  T.  E.  Musiek  write  a  letter,  and  that  he 
and  Bro.  Williams  bear  it  to  the  Illinois  Association." 

15.  Eequest  from  Upper  Cuivre  Creek  "that  the  next  associ- 
ation be  held  at  Femme  Osage,  St.  Charles  County."  Voted, 
therefore,  that  this  association  hold  its  next  meeting  at  Femme 
Osage  Meeting-house,  on  the  Friday  before  the  fourth  Sunday 
in  October,  1818. 

16.  That  Bro.  Williams  preach  the  next  introductory  sermon, 
and  that  in  case  of  failure,  Bro.  Collord. 

17.  That  Bro.  Musiek  prepare  the  circular  letter  for  the  ensu- 
ing year. 

18.  That  the  minutes  of  this  association  be  printed,  and  that 
Bro.  Musiek  attend  to  the  same,  and  distribute  them  to  each 
church  according  to  their  numbers. 

19.  That  Bro.  Musiek  receive  three  dollars  for  his  services. 
The  association  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  time  and  place  ap- 
pointed. L.  Williams,  Moderator. 

T.  E.  MusiCK,   Clerk. 

Such  was  the  commencement  of  the  second  association  in  Mis- 
souri. Let  us  look  in  upon  this  frontier  company  at  this  first 
meeting.  We  see  thirteen  men,  the  messengers  of  six  small 
churches,  met  together  in  a  log  cabin,  the  residence  of  one  of 
the  number,  to  form  an  association.  The  letters  from  the 
churches  are  road,  names  enrolled,  officers  are  elected,  commit- 
tees appointed,  &c.  Hark!  what  is  that  we  hear?  The  united 
voice  of  that  little  company,  singing.  How  it  fills  the  air  with 
melody  as  each  passing  zephyr  catches  up  the  sound  and  wafts 
it  toward  the  neighboring  hills.  The  singing  has  hushed,  and  a 
single  voice  is  heard  :  it  is  the  man  of  God,  praying.  He  talks 
as  if  in  the  very  presence  of  Him  who  hears  prayer.  And  thus 
they  worship,  untrammelled  with  many  of  the  forms  which  so 
hinder  the  development  of  spiritual  life  in  worshiping  assemblies 
of  later  days. 

Again  we  examine  the  statistics  of  this  primitive  Baptist  body, 
and  find  the  entire  membership  to  be  142, 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  79 

Contrast  the  circumstances  of  this  meeting  with  the  condition 
of  the  denomination  in  the  state  to-day,  with  her  seventy  dis- 
trict associations  and  ninety  thousand  church  members. 

Wo  must  now  contemplate  some  of  the  more  prominent  ele- 
ments in  the  life  of  one  of  the  leading  spirits  of  this  Baptist 
meeting. 

Eld.  Lewis  Williams  —  the  first  moderator  of  the  Missouri 
(now  St.  Louis  Association)  was  the  father  of  the  late  distin- 
guished Dr.  Alvin  P.  Williams.  The  father,  like  the  son,  was  self- 
made,  self-taught,  having  grown  up,  and,  for  the  most  part,  ac- 
complished his  life  work  amidst  trials  and  obstructions  unknown 
to  the  present  generation.  With  a  giant  mind  he  "  attacked  the 
armory  of  knowledge,"  and  by  a  continued  and  unyielding  ef- 
fort, seized  upon  and  secured  the  instruments  with  which  he  dug 
deep,  and  laid  strong  the  foundation  of  the  Baptist  superstructure 
in  the  field  of  his  labors.  A  most  striking  illustration  of  the 
adaptation  of  means  to  ends,  is  seen  in  the  early  preachers  of 
the  West,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  by  no  means  an  ex- 
ception to  the  rule. 

Lewis  Williams  has  been  justly  called  the  "prince  of  pioneer 
preachers,"  having  been  reared  amidst  the  wilds  and  dangerous 
adventures  of  the  then  unpeopled  or  uncivilized  Upper  Louis- 
iana. He  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  May  19,  1784,  and  cross- 
ed the  Mississippi  River,  as  a  member  of  his  father's  famil}', 
when  a  mere  boy,  in  1797. 

''He  had  grown  up  among  the  solemn  mountains  and  the 
mighty  forests,  having  never  seen  a  large  town,  and  could  nei- 
ther read  nor  write.  He  was  now  to  live  with  the  Indians,  by 
his  rifle  and  his  daring.  What  a  schooling  for  one  whose  min- 
isterial and  religious  influence  is  still  felt  throughout  a  great 
state. 

"  St.  Louis  was  then  a  French  trading  post,  and  was  usually 
shunned  by  the  American  emigrants.  Fourteen  miles  northwest 
of  it  was  a  settlement  of  Indians  and  Americans,  called  Owen's 
Station.  It  was  made  up  principally  of  a  band  of  mixed  Shaw- 
nees  and  Dclawares.  A  mission  school  was  inaugurated 
among  them  by  the  Moravians,  which  lasted  about  six  months. 
Young  Williams  attended  this  school  with  the  Indians — all  the  op- 
portunity he  had  until  after  he  became  a  preacher.  But  in  Indian 
warfare,  in  hunting  and  dangerous  games,  he  showed  the  supe- 
riority of  his  race  in  all  feats,  surpassing  the  older  Indian  boys. 

"And  thus  he  grew  up,   like  the  oak   of  the  forest,  or   the 


80  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

eagle  of  the  mountains,  the  future  pioneer  preacher,  and  '  father 
of  preachers,'  of  Missouri  and  the  West,"  All  that  was  neces- 
sary to  an  accomplished  backwoodsman,  such  as  sagacity,  nerve, 
quickness  of  perception  and  intense  thought,  were  born  in  Lew- 
is "Williams,  and  developed  and  strengthened  by  his  wild  and 
daring  life. 

In  the  war  of  1812,  immediately  succeeding  the  battle  of  Tip- 
pecanoe, November,  1811,  he  joined  a  volunteer  company,  and 
was  a  brave  and  faithful  soldier  until  the  close  of  the  war.  These 
companies  were  called  ''mounted  rangers,"  and  organized  by 
act  of  Congress. 

Williams  was  a  remarkably  skilful  rifleman.  After  the  set- 
tlement of  negotiations  at  the  close  of  the  war,  at  an  Indian  vil- 
lage where  Alton  now  stands,  it  is  said  that  the  Indians  made  a 
banter,  and  AYilliams  was  selected  to  take  it  up,  beating  their 
most  expert  warriors,  both  with  the  rifle  and  the  bow.  After 
the  shooting  had  ended,  an  Indian  walked  up  to  Williams,  put 
his  hand  on  his  head  and  exclaimed,  "Pale  face,  silver  hairj 
but  Indian  within." 

Raised  amid  such  associations,  we  could  expect  few  religious 
influences  or  impressions  on  his  character.  He  had  not  heard  a 
sermon  until  he  was  twenty  years  old.  His  father  was  destitute 
of  religious  habits,  quite  an  illiterate  man,  and  secured  his  prin- 
cipal living  by  hunting  and  fishing.  One  there  was,  however, 
whose  influence  was  eff'ectivc  in  impressing  his  mind  and  direct- 
ing his  thoughts.  It  was  his  mother.  She  had  made  a  profes- 
sion of  religion  and  united  with  the  Baptists  in  North  Carolina. 
In  her  solitary  life  in  these  Western  wilds  she  never  forgot  her 
noble  and  daring  bo}'.  In  her  anxious  prayers  to  God  she  fol- 
lowed him  in  his  ramblings. 

He  was  married  in  1805  to  Miss  Nancy  Jump,  who,  like  him- 
self, had  grown  up  in  the  settlements.  She  made  a  profession 
of  religion,  and  was  baptized  by  either  Clark  or  Musick,  after 
the  formation  of  Fee  Fee  Church,  St.  Louis  County,  in  1807.  The 
issue  of  this  marriage  was  the  following  children:  Eliza,  Lavisa, 
Isabella,  Alvin  P.,  Mary,  Perry  D.,  Isaiah  T.,  Prudence  E.  and 
Milton  F.;  in  all,  nine.  All  four  of  the  sons  became  jireachers. 
Alvin  P.  and  Perry  are  dead  ;  the  other  two  are  living.  Isabel- 
la, one  of  the  daughters,  married  a  Mr.  Murphy,  two  of  whose 
sons  became  preachers,  one  of  whom  is  the  well  known  Rev.  J.  D. 
Murphy,  D.  D.  Mary,  another  daughter,  married  a  Mr.  Cooper, 
two  sons  of  whom,  Perry  D.  Cooper  and  Frank  Cooper,  are  min-; 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  8l 

isters.  Justly  was  Lewis  "Williams  called  "  the  father  of 
preachers." 

In  1809  or  '10  a  glorious  revival  was  enjoyed  by  Fee  Fee 
Church  and  community.  Williams,  who  had  fearlessly  enter- 
tained Universalist  sentiments,  attended  these  meetings,  and 
the  brave-hearted  backwoodsman  bowed  as  a  trembling  sinner 
at  the  mercy-seat ;  and  thus  continued  until  he  found  ^^eace  and 
joy  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  result,  however,  was  not 
reached  in  an  hour  or  a  day.  He  continued  for  a  season  in  utter 
darkness  as  to  the  way  of  salvation,  at  times  settling  almost  in- 
to despair.  At  length  the  light  began  to  beam  in  upon  his  soul 
and  soon  flooded  his  whole  being.  His  insight  into  the  right- 
eousness of  salvation  through  Christ  was  as  instantaneous  as  a 
flash  from  the  leaden  clouds,  but  the  full  manifestations  of  par- 
don were  gradual. 

About  two  years  after  his  conversion  and  baptism,  he  made 
known  to  the  church  his  strong  desire  to  tell  the  gospel  message 
of  mercy  to  his  fellow  men.  He  was  at  once  licensed,  and  began 
to  exhort  the  people  with  great  earnestness  and  zeal,  and  soon 
after  was  ordained.  On  the  next  page  is  a  true  copy  of  his  "  cre- 
dentials," written  on  brown  paper,  and  in  the  possession  of  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  Eld.  M.  F.  Williams,  of  Randolph  County. 

His  preaching  was  almost  always  accompanied  with  a  recital 
of  the  way  the  Lord  had  led  him  from  darkness  to  light.  This 
feature  was  characteristic  of  almost  all  the  pioneer  preachers  of 
that  day.  A  modern  writer  says  :  "I  have  seen  a  rural  audience 
in  those  backwoods,  made  up  of  men  and  women  of  strong  nerve, 
and  not  to  be  moved  by  any  story  of  pain,  dangei*,  or  death, 
weep  with  deepest  emotions  as  Williams,  Musick  or  Wilhoite 
told  of  the  struggles  of  their  souls  in  the  days  of  their  convic- 
tion and  conversion.  I  have  also  observed  the  same  appeals 
with  the  same  results,  in  an  audience  of  the  refined  and  fashion- 
able, of  men  of  business  and  skepticism,  when  Earle  has  told  in 
the  same  artless  manner,  his  heart-struggles  and  his  deliver- 
ance. The  first  eff'orts  of  Williams  to  preach,  were  recitals  of 
what  God  had  done  for  his  soul,  and  hundreds  were  led  to  Jesus 
through  the  gospel  thus  preached." 

Williams  was  a  very  poor  man.  He  lived  on  a  small  farm  some 
seventeen  miles  from  St.  Louis,  not  far  from  the  present  town 
of  Manchester.  His  education  was  very  deficient;  he  could  bare- 
ly read  at  all,  and  could  not  write.  His  wife  would  often  read 
for  him,  and  help  him  to  find  his  text, 


82 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 


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MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  83 

In  1819  he  was  35  years  old,  had  a  large  family,  was  poor,  and 
had  been  preaching  at  least  nine  years.  By  the  help  of  friends 
he  surmounted  all  obstacles,  procured  the  means  to  hire  a  man 
to  fill  his  place  on  the  little  farm,  and  spent  six  months  in  the 
St.  Charles  Academy  with  Eld.  Jno.  M.  Peck,  in  useful  and  appro- 
priate study.  From  this  association  with  Dr.  Peck,  he  went 
forth  with  fresh  zeal  and  power,  and  hundreds  were  converted 
under  his  preaching.  His  name  is  now  almost  forgotten  save 
by  a  few,  but  the  records  of  his  toils  may  be  traced  to  this  day 
through  all  that  region  of  country. 

A  missionary  society  presented  him  with  a  concordance  and  a 
copy  of  Fuller's  "  G-ospel  Worthy  of  All  Acceptation."  These 
books,  with  his  Bible,  composed  his  library,  and  ho  made  them 
his  constant  study. 

"  He  moved  from  St.  Louis  County  in  the  spring  of  1821,  to 
the  mouth  of  St.  John's  Elver,  some  fifty  miles  west  of  St.  James. 
Difficulties  thickened  around  him.  He  had  to  a  great  extent  to 
depend  on  hunting  to  supply  his  family.  He  had  now  to  clear  a 
new  place.  He  could  not  deny  the  calls  to  preach  in  distant 
neighborhoods,  though  no  pecuniary  assistance  was  given  him. 
In  the  midst  of  these  embarrassments  he  was  wounded  in  the 
leg  by  a  vicious  horse,  and  had  to  submit  to  the  operation  of 
amputation.  The  operation  was  so  painful  and  protracted  that 
it  was  feared  he  would  sink  under  it;  but  he  recovered.  His 
family  was  destitute  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  but  the  churches 
came  to  his  assistance  and  supplied  all  the  wants  of  his  household. 

"  He  arose  from  his  bed  of  suffering  with  seemingly  renewed 
energy,  and,  provided  with  a  wooden  leg,  he  removed  his  fam- 
ily to  Franklin  County,  and  gave  the  remnant  of  his  life  to  the 
work  of  the  gospel.  Through  the  lead  mining  district,  along 
the  waters  of  the  Gasconade  and  Osage,  up  as  far  as  Cole  County, 
he  was  for  some  years  the  only  preacher  of  the  gospel,  except 
an  occasional  Methodist  circuit  rider.  The  people  would  come 
from  twenty  miles  around  any  day  of  the  week,  to  hear  him. 
From  long  and  laborious  circuits  of  preaching  he  would  return 
home  to  spend  days  and  nights  in  the  woods  hunting,  to  provide 
for  his  family.  On  one  of  these  occasions  he  had  quite  a  thrill- 
ing adventure.  He  had  brought  down  a  deer  late  in  the  after- 
noon, but  it  finally  escaped  wounded.  His  horse  had  broken 
away  from  him,  and  in  his  efforts  to  catch  him  he  broke  his 
wooden  leg.  He  was  three  miles  from  home;  but,  late  in  the 
night,  crawling  and  hopping  almost  in  helplessness,  he  reached 


84  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

his  cabin,  to  the  gratification  of  his  family,  who  had   for  hours 
been  expecting  him." 

'*  Lewis  Williams,"  says  the  venerable  James  E.  Welch,  "  was 
one  of  the  best  of  men  and  one  of  the  most  useful  ministers  Mis- 
souri ever  had." 

He  was  prominent  in  the  formation  of  the  Franklin  Associa- 
tion in  1832,  many  of  the  first  churches  of  which  were  organized 
by  him.  In  1833  he  labored  as  missionary  in  the  bounds  of 
Franklin  Association  (up  to  1832  this  was  in  the  Missouri  Asso- 
ciation), being  aided  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary 
Society.  His  labors  were  very  much  blessed.  He  reported  at 
the  end  of  the  year  84  baptisms  by  his  own  hands,  and  the  asso- 
ciation increased  to  almost  double  its  numerical  strength. 

About  the  year  1837  he  again  moved  into  Gasconade  and  set- 
tled on  a  new  place.  Now  destitution  seemed  inevitable,  his 
supplies  from  the  missionary  board  being  cut  off  by  the  gen- 
eral financial  distress  of  the  country.  Age  was  pressing  upon 
him.  He  said  to  the  agent  of  the  board,  "  jSTever  mind;  we  can 
get  corn-bread  and  bacon  enough,  and  if  these  fail,  I  have  the 
old  rifle  yet." 

'^  In  November,  1838,  he  rode  down  to  St.  Louis  to  purchase 
the  land  on  which  he  had  settled.  The  weather  was  severe,  and 
returning  homeward,  he  reached  the  house  of  his  old  and  early 
associate,  James  Walton,  sixteen  miles  from  St.  Louis.  He  came 
with  trembling  steps,  took  his  bed,  and  in  less  than  a  week — 
November  16th — his  spirit  passed  away  to  its  rest  and  reward — 
strong  in  his  faith  and  mighty  in  his  fall.  His  mortal  remains  re- 
pose in  the  old  grave-yard  at  Fee  Fee  Creek,  where  a  monu- 
ment marks  the  spot."* 

The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  Missouri  Association  was  held 
at  the  church  called  Femme  Osage,  St.  Charles  County,  on  the 
24th  of  October  and  following  days,  in  1818.  Great  harmony 
and  love  prevailed  throughout  the  entire  session.  The  most 
important  action  in  connection  with  this  meeting  was  the  forma- 
tion of  the  "  United  Society  for  the  Spread  of  the  Gospel."  Rules 
and  regulations  were  adopted,  setting  forth  the  objects  of,  and 
to  govern  the  society,  and  a  board  of  managers  appointed  con- 
sisting of  the  following  members  :  David  Badgely,  Wm.  Jones, 
Thomas  R.  Musick,  Thomas  P.  Green,  J.  P.  Edwards,  William 
Thorp,  Bethuel  Eiggs,  J.  M.  Peck,  J.  E.  Welch,  and  Messrs. 

*  S.  H.  Ford,  ia  Christian  Repository,  New  Series,  Vol.  XI,  pp.  28-35 ;  to  whom 
the  author  is  indebted  for  much  uf  thiij  sketch. 


Missouri  association.  85 

John  Jacoby,  Cumberland  James,  Thomas  Smith  and  William 
Biggs.  Of  this  little  company  none  are  supposed  now  to  be 
living:  all  have  crossed  the  river. 

St.  Louis  was  the  centre  of  operations  for  the  society.  We 
give  the  following  details  from  the  constitution,  as  this  was  the 
first  society  organized  west  of  the  "  Great  River,"  for  philan- 
thropic and  missionary  purposes. 

Name. — ''  The  United  Society  for  the  Spread  of  the  Gospel. 
Object. — "To  aid  the  *  Western  Mission'  in  spreading  the  gos- 
pel and  promoting  common  schools  in   the  Western  parts   of 
America,  both  amongst  the  whites  and  Indians. 

Terms  of  Membership. — "  Persons  of  good  moral  chai-acter,  by 
paying  five  dollars  annually.  Each  (Baptist)  association,  con- 
tributing annually,  can  send  two  messengers.  Each  branch  or 
mite  societ}',  church  or  other  religious  society,  contributing  ten 
dollars  annually,  can  send  one  delegate. 

Measxires  to  be  Adopted. — "  The  society,  at  its  annual  meeting, 
shall  consult  on  the  best  measures  to  promote  the  gospel  and 
common  schools  j  devise  measures  to  assist  ministers  in  obtain- 
ing an  education,  and  to  qualify  school-teachers ;  consider  the 
moral  and  religious  welfare  of  the  Indians,  and  devise  means 
for  their  reform,  and  use  every  means  in  their  power  to  send 
forth  missionaries  on  the  frontier  and  destitute  settlements. 

Qualifications  of  Missionaries  and  School  Teachers. — ''The  first  must 
be  in  full  standing  in  the  Baptist  churches,  and  give  satisfactory 
evidence  of  genuine  piety,  good  talents  and  fervent  zeal  in  the 
Redeemer's  cause.  No  person  of  immoral  habits,  or  Avho,  in 
the  judgment  of  the  board,  is  not  qualified,  can  be  employed  as 
a  school-teacher. 

Funds. — "  The  funds  of  the  society  shall  be  included  in  three 
departments:  the  Educational  Fund,  the  Indian  Fund,  and  the 
Mission  Fund." 

In  an  early  day  the  society  employed  several  missionaries  in 
Missouri  and  Illinois  as  itinerants,  at  the  rate  of  the  expense  of 
hired  men — at  $16  to  $20  per  month,  according  to  locality.  Most 
of  these  itinerants  labored  with  good  success;  and  some  of  them 
received  their  compensation  from  voluntary  contributions.  At 
different  places  local  missionary  societies  were  formed  auxiliary 
to  the  *' United  Society"  at  St.  Louis.  These  were  sometimes 
called  "  Mite  Societies."  The  association  continued  in  active 
co-operation  with  the  missionary  enterprise  for  several  years, 
and  then,  from  some   intimations  we  have,  we  conclude  that  it 


86  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

became  somewhat  lukewarm  and  indifferent,  but  never  opposed 
the  spread  of  the  gospel  through  human  instrumentality,  as  in 
some  cases  other  sister  communities  did. 

The  year  1818  was  fruitful  in  the  formation  of  several  new 
churches  in  the  bounds  of  the  association.  In  the  autumn  of 
1817  Elds.  John  M.  Peck  and  James  E.  Welch,  missionaries  of 
the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  arrived  at  the  village  of 
St.  Louis.  On  their  arrival  they  found  several  Baptists,  and 
soon  after  hired  a  small  room  and  commenced  holding  religious 
meetings.  In  a  few  months  their  number  increased  to  thirteen, 
and  on  Feb.  18,  1818,  they  held  a  meeting  and  organized  the 

First  Baptist  Church  in  St.  Louis. — There  were  11  constit- 
uent members.  Immediately  after  the  organization  was  com- 
pleted, the  church  showed  forth  the  Lord's  death  in  the  Supper. 
The  week  following  the  church  held  a  meeting,  and  resolved  to 
proceed  at  once  to  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship.  Subscrip- 
tions were  circulated  and  liberal  donations  were  made.  This 
was  the  first  house  of  worship,  save  Catholic,  ever  attempted  to 
be  built  in  St.  Louis.  At  the  date  above  mentioned  there  were 
no  more  than  about  25  professors  of  religion  in  the  village.  Up 
to  1824  the  church  had  increased  to  54  members,  which  certainly 
indicated  a  good  degree  of  prosperity.  Soon  after  this,  the 
church  began  to  retrograde,  and  in  1832  reported  no  more  than 
17  members,  and  shortly  it  became  extinct. 

Those  were  days  which  tried  men.  The  general  state  of  soci- 
ety was  truly  corrupt.  The  village  was  crowded  with  inhabi- 
tants. Rent  was  extravagantly  high.  Eatables  of  all  kinds 
were  hard  to  obtain,  and  rery  dear.  Butter  was  from  37  to  50 
cents,  coffee  62  to  75  cents,  flour,  inferior  quality,  $12  per  bar- 
rel. But  the  worst  of  all  was  the  society.  On  this  subject  Eev. 
J.  M.  Peck  says  : 

*'  One-half  at  least  of  the  Anglo-American  population  were  in- 
fidels of  a  low  and  indecent  grade  and  utterly  worthless  for  any 
useful  purposes  of  society.  Of  the  class  I  allude  to,  I  cannot 
recollect  an  individual  who  was  reclaimed  or  became  a  respect- 
able citizen.  .  .  .  This  class  despised  and  villified  religion 
in  every  form,  were  vulgarly  profane,  even  to  the  worst  forms 
of  blasphemy,  and  poured  out  scoffing  and  contempt  on  the  few 
Christians  in  the  village.  Their  nightly  orgies  were  scenes  of 
drunkenness  and  profane  revehy.  Among  the  frantic  rites  ob- 
served, were  the  mock  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  and 
burning  the  Bible.     The  last  ceremony  consisted  in  making  a 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  87 

place  in  the  hot  coals  of  a  wood  fire,  and  burning  therein  the 
book  of  God,  with  shoutings,  prayers  and  songs.     The  boast 
was  often  made  that  the  Sabbath  never  had  crossed,  and  never 
should  cross  the  Mississippi.     The  portion  of  the  Anglo-Amer- 
can  population  who  had  been  trained  to  religious  habits  in  earlj' 
life,  and  manifested  some  respect  for  the  forms  of  worship,  were 
kept  away  from  the  place  of  worship  by  an  influence  of  which 
perhaps  they  were  not  fully   conscious.     Though  the  profane 
ribaldry  of  the  class  already  noticed  did  not  convince  their  judg- 
ments of  the  fallacy  of  religion,  it  affected  their  feelings  and 
pride  of  character.     But  there  was  another  class  whose  influence 
was  far  more  effective,  because  it  carried  with  it  a  degree  of 
courtesy,  respectability  and  intelligence.     I  refer  to  the  better 
informed  French  population.     These  constituted   at  least  one- 
third  of  the  families.     They  were  nominally  Roman  Catholics, 
and  their  wives,  sisters,  and  daughters  adhered  to  the  Catholic 
faith,  attended  mass,  and  went  to  confession  regularly.  The  men 
attended  church  on  festival  occasions.     But  every  Frenchman 
with  whom  I  formed  an  acquaintance,  of  any  intelligence  and 
influence,  was  of  the  school  of  French  liberalists,  an  infidel  to 
all  Bible  Christianity.     B^ut  they  would  treat  Christian  people, 
and  even  Protestant  ministers  of  the  gospel,  with  courtesy  and 
respect.     Romanism  was  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  but  the 
casual  correspondence  held  with  France,  where  infidelitj^  was 
demolishing   the  thrones  of  political  and  religious  despotism, 
and  tearing  up  the  foundation  of  superstition,  led  them  to  regard 
all  religion  as  priestcraft,  necessary  perhaps  for  the  ignorant, 
superstitious  and  vicious,  but  wholly  unnecessary  for  a  gentle- 
man— a  philosopher.     The  good-natured  jokes  and  badinage  of 
their  French  acquaintances,  and  the  bittertaunts  of  profane  and 
drunken  scoffers,   made  it  unpopular  and  unfashionable  to  be 
seen  on  the  way  to  church  on  Sunday,  except  on  special  occa- 
sions.    The  Sabbath  was  a  day  of  hilarity,  as  in  all  Catholic 
countries.     Mass  was  attended  in  the  morning  by  females  and 
illiterate  Frenchmen;  and  in  the  afternoon   both  French   and 
Americans  assembled  at  each  other's  houses  for  parties  for  so- 
cial amusement.     Dances,  billiards,  cards  and  other  sports,  made 
the  pastime.     Four  billiard  rooms  were  open  throughout  the 
week,  but  on  the  Sabbath  each  was  crowded  with  visitors  and 
gamblers.     With  few  exceptions,  the  stores  and  groceries  were 
open  on  that  day,  and  in  some  of  them  more  trading  was  done 
than  on  any  other  day  in  the  week.     The  carts  and  wagons  from 


88  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

the  country  came  to  market,  and  sold  their  provisions  at  retail 
throughout  the  streets."     (Life  of  Peck,  pp.  87-88.) 

Such  was  the  state  of  society  when  the  First  Baptist  Church 
was  organized  in  St.  Louis  in  1818. 

On  the  second  Sabbath  in  March,  1818,  Messrs.  Peek  and  Welch 
organized  amission  Sunday-school  in  the  village  of  St.  Louis,  for 
colored  j^eople.  The  school  opened  with  fourteen  pupils,  and 
in  a  little  more  than  one  month  had  increased  to  ninety.  Some 
six  or  seven  colored  teachers  aided  the  missionaries.  Although 
they  admitted  no  slave  without  the  written  permission  of  the 
owner,  yet  there  were  some  who  manifested  great  opposition  to 
the  "  negro  school."  From  one  of  such  opposers  Peck  and 
"Welch  received  through  the  post-office  the  following : 

"  St.  Louis,  May  I4,  1818. 

^^ Gentlemen:  As  you  have  but  lately  arrived  in  this  country,  and 
perhaps  may  not  be  acquainted  with  our  laws,  I  would  beg  leave 
to  refer  you  to  the  7th  section  of  an  act  for  the  regulation  of 
slaves,  and  leave  it  to  yourselves  to  decide,  whether  or  not  you 
have  not  incurred  heavy  penalties  by  your  negro  schools. 

"  It  might  also  be  made  a  question  by  the  patriot  and  philan- 
thropist, whether  it  is  pi-udent  or  humane  to  give  instruction 
to  those  who  must  be  made  by  it  either  more  miserable  or  rebel- 
lious. I  warn  you  that  the  sanctity  of  the  clerical  character  will 
not  here  screen  the  offenders  against  the  laws  from  punishment. 

"  Yours  truly,  Justice." 

Truly  this  was  a  curious  document,  and  after  reading  it  care- 
fully, Messrs.  Peck  and  Welch  filed  it  away  as  one  of  the  curios- 
ities of  a  frontier  missionary  life.  The  school  continued  to  pros- 
per, and  a  number  of  pupils  were  hopefully  converted  and  baptiz- 
ed, and  one  of  the  happy  fruits  of  this  efi'ort  was  the  organiz- 
ation of  the  "  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis." 

On  the  22d  of  October,  1818,  Eld.  James  E.  Welch  met  with  a 
few  Baptist  families  at  the  house  of  Flanders  Callaway,  in  what 
is  now  Warren  Count}^  not  far  from  the  town  of  Marthasville, 
and  after  the  necessary  preliminaries  formed  the 

Friendship  Baptist  Chttrch. — The  constituent  members  were 
12  in  number,  as  follows  :  Flanders  Callaway,  Jemima  Callaway, 
William  Hancock,  Mar}^  Hancock,  George  Miller,  Judy  Miller, 
Honry  E,  Welch,  Harriet  Welch,  James  Stephenson,  Elizabeth 
E  Iwards,  Nancy  Young  and  Nancy  Spiers.  There  is  no  account 
of  this  church  having  any  pastor,  neither  is  there  anj^  record  of 
church  business.     It  became  a  member  of  the  Missouri  Associ- 


MISSOURI    ASSOriATION.  89 

ation.  There  were  two  baptisms,  one  in  1820,  the  other  in  1822, 
and  nine  persons  were  added  by  letter  up  to  1825.  From  the 
records,  this  body  must  have  dissolved  prior  to  1831,  for  in  May 
of  that  year  it  was  reorganized  at  the  house  of  John  Welch  in 
Tuque  Prairie,  with  nine  members,  and  called  Salem.  The  year 
1818  was  fruitful  of  still  another  church  in  the  bounds  of  the 
old  Missouri  Association.     It  was  the 

First  Baptist  Church  in  St.  Charles.  —  This  ancient  com- 
munity was  formed  into  a  church,  partly  by  the  instrumentality 
of  Eld.  J.  E.  Welch,  about  the  middle  of  November.  It  was  com- 
posed of  nine  members.  For  want  of  regular  preaching,  and 
after  struggling  with  insurmountable  difficulties  for  several 
years,  it  eventually  disbanded.  Bro.  Welch  thinks  that  this 
event  was  brought  about,  in  part,  by  the  unwise  policy  of  many 
ministers  in  neglecting,  and  in  many  cases  actually  avoiding  the 
towns  and  more  prominent  points  of  influence  in  the  country, 
and  exhausting  their  energy  upon  fields  of  less  promise.  It  is 
true  that  Baptists  too  often  yield  the  occupancy  of  the  cities  and 
towns,  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  other  denominations.  Our  towns 
wield  a  controlling  influence  upon  the  whole  surrounding  coun- 
try, and  hence  such  points  should  always  be  under  the  influence 
of  a  pure  Christianity.  Too  often  have  these  points,  in  the 
early  settling  of  a  country,  been  left  to  other  denominations,  and 
thus,  in  all  eff'orts  to  form  and  give  direction  to  the  religious  prin- 
ciples of  the  people,  they  have  had  the  vantage  ground  decidedly. 

Two  men  were  quite  prominent  (others  did  their  part  also) 
in  founding  the  earlj^  churches,  and  in  giving  tone  and  proper 
direction  to  religious  sentiment  in  the  Missouri  Association.  We 
refer  to  Elds.  J.  M.  Peck  and  J.  E.  Welch.  And  although  they 
did  not  spend  their  entire  ministerial  lives  in  Missouri,  nor  did 
they  die  here,  yet  their  work  as  Christian  ministers  is  insepar- 
ably linked  with  the  history  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  the 
state.     They  deserve  a  place,  we  think,  just  here. 

"John  Mason  Peck  —  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Litchfield, 
South  Farms,  Connecticut,  October  31,  1789.  His  parents  occu- 
pied a  respectable  but  humble  sphere  in  life;  and  derived  their 
support  from  a  small  farm,  in  the  cultivation  of  which  the  fath- 
er was  aided  by  his  sons.  So  soon  as  these  were  able  to  render 
assistance  in  the  toils  of  husbandry,  their  services  were  thus  em- 
ployed during  the  summer,  while  in  winter  they  enjoyed  the 
advantages  of  that  glory  of  Ncav  England,  and  especially  in  the 
earlier  periods  of  Connecticut,  the  district  school.     Alternating 


90  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

in  this  manner  between  toil  of  the  body  and  reflection  of  the 
mind,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  grew  up  among  the  hills  and 
rocks  of  his  birthplace,  rather  a  stupid  and  uncultivated  youth, 
until  he  was  about  19  years  old,  as  he  has  since  ingenuously 
confessed.  Two  or  three  events  then  helped  to  develop  some 
powers  of  his  nature  which  before  were  latent.  He  taught  a 
Avinter  district  school  for  two  or  three  seasons,  boarding  around 
in  the  several  families  of  his  employers,  as  was  then  the  more 
common  custom  j  and  what  was  no  uncommon  result  of  such 
family  intercourse,  he  got  married  May  8th,  1809. 

JSTear  the  same  period  he  was  converted  to  Christ,  and  with 
some  little  hesitation  he  joined  the  Congregational  church  in  his 
native  town.  There  was,  indeed,  scarcely  anything  else  to  join 
in  that  region  then;  but  ere  long,  and  while  still  employing  his 
winters  in  teaching  in  some  of  the  adjacent  parishes,  he  formed 
the  acquaintance  of  a  few  scattered  Baptist  families,  simple,  hon- 
est, humble  Christian  people,  even  their  ministers  unlearned, 
and  putting  on  no  airs  of  superiority  to  the  common  people, 
with  whom  they  very  freely  mingled,  and  by  whom  they  were 
highly  esteemed  in  love  for  their  work's  sake.  He  lived,  some 
half  a  centurj'-  later,  to  draw  the  picture  of  the  two  denomina- 
tions, with  the  marked  and  sharp  angles  of  difterence  as  they 
were  when  he  first  knew  them  both,  and  before  the  large  assim- 
ilation, which  has  since  taken  place,  had  melted  and  rounded  off 
many  of  the  very  noticeable  points  of  early  dissimilarity. 

A  few  years  after  his  marriage,  finding  that  his  father's  home- 
stead Avould  be  inadequate  to  the  support  of  multiplied  and  in- 
creasing families,  he  removed  into  a  wild  new  region,  in  Greene 
Count}',  N.  Y.,  and  there,  among  the  mountains  of  the  Catskill 
range,  he  cultivated  a  rude,  new  farm,  in  summer,  and  taught 
school  in  winter,  as  before.  Here,  too,  he  and  that  discreet, 
pious,  faithful  and  self-denying  wife  of  his,  put  on  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ  in  baptism,  according  to  the  original  institution,  after 
having  been  long  and  deeply  exercised  on  this  question,  after 
having  searched  diligently  among  books  and  living,  learned, 
able  advocates  of  pedobaptist  usages,  and  struggled  manfully 
with  the  prepossession  in  favor  of  the  traditions  of  their  early 
years.  There,  too,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  and 
not  long  after  was  publicly  ordained  in  the  same  county."* 

While  living  at  Catskill,  prior  to  1813,  he  adopted  the  follow- 
ing means  of  improvement.     He  and  two  other  ininisters,  Breth- 
*  RufiiB  Babcock,  in  Western  Watchman,  Vol.  XI,  No.  1. 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  91 

ren  Jenks  and  Lamb,  living  near  each  other,  met  every  fortnight 
at  each  other's  houses  and  discussed  some  question  previously 
proposed.  Thus  they  passed  over  a  number  of  important  topics 
in  systematic  theology. 

On  the  17th  of  May,  1817,  the  board  of  the  Baptist  Triennial 
Convention  accepted  and  appointed  Eev.  J,  M.  Peck  and  his 
co-worker,  J.  E.  Welch,  as  missionaries  to  the  Missouri  Terri- 
tory. On  the  following  day,  which  was  the  Lord's  day,  they 
were  solemnly  set  apart  to  this  work  by  appropriate  services 
in  the  Sansom  Street  Church,  Philadelphia.  Eev.  Dr.  Furman 
preached  the  sermon  of  the  occasion  from  Acts  13  ;  2  :  "  Separate 
me  Paul  and  Barnabas,"  &c.  One  thousand  dollars  was  the 
whole  amount  appropriated  to  defray  their  expenses  to  St.  Louis, 
and  to  support  the  mission. 

On  Friday  afternoon,  July  25,  1817,  a  little  one-horse  wagon 
was  seen  leaving  the  door  of  Asa  Peck,  in  Litchfield,  Connecti- 
cut, with  J.  M,  Peck,  his  wife  and  three  little  ones,  bound  for 
the  scene  of  his  labors  in  the  then  "Far  West."  They  made  the 
trip  by  way  of  Philadelphia,  to  Shawneetown,  in  said  vehicle, 
thence  by  keel-boat  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  landed  on  the 
morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  following  December,  Mr.  Peck 
being  sick  with  low  intermittent  fever,  from  which  he  did  not 
recover  for  two  months.  As  soon  as  he  had  fully  recovered,  he 
entered  upon  his  work.  Se  found  many  obstacles  to  the  pro- 
pagation of  a  pure  Christianity,  among  which  was  a  great  want 
of  reverence  for  the  Sabbath,  also  a  disinclination  to  attend  any 
place  of  worship.  But  a  few  men  and  women  were  found  who 
had  the  fear  of  Cod  before  their  eyes.  On  the  third  Sabbath 
in  February,  1818,  these,  to  the  number  of  eleven,  were  organ- 
ized into  a  church,  called  "The  First  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis," 
by  Elds.  Peck  and  Welch,  this  being  the  first  time  Eld.  Peck 
had  stood  up  west  of  the  Mississippi  to  preach  the  gospel.  We 
next  find  him  engaged  in  a  school  which  he  had  established  in 
the  spring  of  1818.  The  building  was  on  the  east  side  of  Fourth 
Street,  opposite  the  site  of  the  Planters'  House;  a  two-story 
framed  building,  30x20  feet,  the  lower  story  being  used  for  the 
double  purpose  of  school  and  church.  Here  for  a  time  the  First 
Baptist  Church  worshiped.  Such  was  the  commencement  of 
Baptist  work  in  the  Catholic  village  of  St.  Louis,  sixty  years 
ago.  But  his  labors  were  not  confined  to  St.  LouiSo  He  made 
extended  prospecting  and  preaching  excursions  in  the  terri- 
tory, establishing  and  aiding  churches  and   associations.     In 


92  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

June  and  July  of  this  year  he  made  a  tour  through  St.  Charles, 
Clark's,  Woods'  (now  Troy,  Lincoln  County)  and  Stout's  Forts, 
to  Ramsey's  Creek  Settlement  in  Pike  County,  where  he  found 
a  small  Baptist  church,  to  which  he  preached  Saturday  and  Sun- 
day, and  returned  to  St.  Louis.  In  September  of  the  same  year 
he  made  two  trips  to  the  south  and  southwest  of  St.  Louis;  the 
first  one  as  far  as  St.  Michael  in  what  is  now  Madison  County.  On 
his  return  he  preached  in  Cook's  Settlement,  also  in  the  Mur- 
phy Settlement.  It  was  on  this  tour  that  he  found  and  thus  de- 
scribes the  "  specimen  squatter  family  :"  "  About  9  o'clock  I 
found  the  family  to  which  I  Avas  directed.  As  this  family  was 
a  specimen  of  the  squatter  race  found  on  the  extreme  frontiers 
in  early  times,  some  specific  description  may  amuse  the  reader, 
for  I  do  not  think  a  duplicate  can  now  be  found  within  the  bound- 
aries of  Missouri.  The  single  log  cabin  of  the  most  primitive 
structure  was  situated  at  some  distance  within  the  corn-field. 
In  and  around  it  were  the  patriarchal  head  and  his  wife,  two 
married  daughters  and  their  husbands,  with  three  or  four  little 
children,  and  a  son  and  daughter  grown  up  to  manhood  and 
womanhood.  The  old  man  said  he  could  read,  but  'mighty 
poorly.'  The  old  woman  wanted  a  hjme  book,  but  could  not 
read  one.  The  rest  of  this  romantic  household  had  no  use  for 
books,  or  '  any  such  trash.'  I  had  introduced  myself  as  a  Bap- 
tist preacher,  traveling  through  the  country  preaching  the  gos- 
pel to  the  people.  The  old  man  and  his  wife  were  Baptists;  at 
least  had  been  members  of  some  Baptist  church  when  they  lived 
'  in  the  settlements.'  The  '  settlements  '  with  this  class  in  those 
days  meant  the  back  parts  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  and  in 
some  instances  the  older  sections  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee, 
where  they  had  lived  in  their  earlier  days.  But  it  was  '  a  might}' 
poor  chance  '  for  Baptist  preaching  where  they  lived.  The  old 
man  could  tell  of  a  Baptist  meeting  he  had  been  at  on  the  St. 
Francois,  and  could  direct  me  to  Eld.  Farrar's  residence  near 
St.  Michael.  The  old  woman  and  the  young  folks  had  not  seen 
a  Baptist  preacher  since  they  had  lived  in  the  territory,  some 
eight  or  ten  years.  Occasionally  they  had  been  to  a  Methodist 
meeting.  This  was  the  condition  of  a  numerous  class  of  people 
then  scattered  over  the  frontier  settlements  of  Missouri.  The 
'  traveling  missionary '  was  received  with  all  the  hospitality 
the  old  people  had  the  ability  or  knew  how  to  exercise.  The 
younger  class  were  shy  and  kept  out  of  the  cabin,  and  could  not 
be  persuaded  to  come  in  to  hear  the  missionary  read  the  Scrip- 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  93 

tures  and  make  a  prayer.  There  was  evidence  of  backwardness 
or  some  other  propensity  attending  all  the  domestic  arrange- 
ments. It  was  nine  o'clock  when  I  reached  the  squatter's  cabin, 
and  yet  no  preparations  had  been  made  for  breakfast.  The  beds, 
such  as  they  were,  remained  in  the  same  condition  as  when  the 
lodgers  first  crawled  from  their  nests  in  the  morning.  The  young 
women  appeared  listless.  Their  heads,  faces,  hands,  clothes,  all 
indicated  slothfulness  and  habitual  neglect.  Soon  the  old  wo- 
man made  preparations  for  breakfast,  and  as  the  culinary  oper- 
ations were  performed  out  of  doors,  very  probably  the  younger 
women  assisted,  but  no  other  female  entered  the  cabin  but  the 
old  lady.  In  an  hour's  time  her  arrangements  within  com- 
menced.*" 

Mr.  Peck  continued  his  itinerant  work  in  Missouri  until  1821, 
when  he  removed  to  Eock  Spring,  Illinois,  and  established  the 
Eock  Spring  Seminary,  which  in  1831  became  Shurtleff  College. 
In  1829  Dr.  Peck  commenced  the  publication  of  The  Pioneer^  the 
first  Baptist  newspaper  in  the  Western  States.  As  editor  and 
publisher  he  continued  this  work  about  twelve  years.  He  was 
also  the  author  of  ihe  Emigratit's  Guide,  The  Gazetteer  of  IllinoiSj 
Life  of  Dcmiel  Boone,  Father  Clark,  &c. 

He  was  a  most  remarkable  man,  indeed,  and  for  a  full  account 
of  his  life  the  reader  is  referred  to  The  Memoir  of  J.  21.  Peck. 
From  1821  he  spent  the  residue  of  his  eventful  and  useful  life  in 
Illinois,  and  died  at  Eock  Spring,  March  15, 1858,  where  he  was 
first  buried,  and  about  a  month  later  his  remains  were  removed 
to  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  and  now  repose  in  Bellefontaine  Cem- 
etery. 

*   Western  Watchmati,  Vol.  VIII.     Reminiscences  of  Missouri. 


CHAPTER   ni. 


3nSS0UEI  ASSOCIATION. 

(Concluded.) 
James  E.  W'rlch — His  Conversion,  Marriage,  Mission  to  St.  Louis,  General  Sundaj- 
school  Agency,  Sudden  Death — First  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis — The  Second  Bap- 
tist Church,  St.  Louis — I.  T.  Hinton — Jerry  B.  Jeter — G.  Anderson — A.  H.  Bur- 
lingham — W.  W.  Boyd — W.  M.  McPherson — X.  Cole— W.  M.  Page  and  Mrs. 
Page — Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Charles — Third  Baj^tlst,  St.  Louis — Garrison 
Avenue,  St.  Louis — John  Teasdale — Washington  Barnhurst — G.  A.  Lofton — Mar- 
shall Brotherton — P.  J.  Thompson — ^W,  M.  Senter — Fourth  Baptist  Church,  St. 
Louis — J.  V.  Schofield — Carondelet  Church — G.  L.  Talbot — Park  Avenue  Church 
— Beaumont  Street  Church — Union  Church,  St.  Louis. 

EEY.  James  Ely  Welch — another  member  of  the  pioneer 
brigade,  and  cotemporary  with  Eev.  John  M.  Peck,  whose 
history  closed  the  preceding  chapter,  was  born  in  Fayette 
County,  Kentucky,  February  28,  1789,  not  far  from  the  present 
city  of  Lexington.  His  father,  James  "Welch,  and  mother,  Nancy 
Ely,  were  both  natives  of  Virginia,  the  former  of  whom  was 
born  February  7,  1750  ;  died  August  2,  1828  ;  and  the  latter  was 
born  Oct.  27,  1767,  and  died  August  7,  1837. 

Whenyoung  Welch  was  about  10  years  old,  his  father  commen- 
ced sending  him  to  a  country  school  in  the  neighborhood.  He  con- 
tinued occasionally  to  attend  schools,  kept  by  different  masters,  for 
a  period  of  five  or  six  years.  When  nearly  17  years  old  he  left  his 
father  to  work  with  his  eldest  brother,  who  was  by  trade  a  mill- 
wright, with  whom  he  continued,  except  at  intervals,  until  he 
was  19  years  of  age.  He  then  taught  school  in  the  summer  and 
worked  in  Lexington  in  the  winter,  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
21.  He  again  made  his  father's  house  his  home,  doing  business 
in  the  neighborhood.  During  the  summer  of  1810  it  pleased  the 
Lord  to  open  his  eyes  and  show  him  that  he  was  a  poor  lost  sin- 
ner, justly  exposed  to  His  wrath.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year 
he  made  a  public  profession  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  on  the  26th 
of  October  was  baptized  by  Eev.  J.  Vardeman,  and  united  with 
the  church  at  David's  Fork,  about  two  miles  from  where  he  was 
born.     Mr.  Welch  thus  speaks  of  this  part  of  his  life: 

''In  the  summer  of  1810,  when  I  had  just   entered  my   22(1 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


95 


year,  the  Eev.  J.  Vardeman  announced  from  the  pulpit  on  the 
Sabbath,  that  as  there  were  to  be  a  barbecue  and  a  dance  at  Mont- 
gomery's Spring  on  the  4th  of  July,  he  would  preach  at  the 
meeting-house,  and  invited  all  the  members  to  attend  and  to 
bring  their  children  with  them.  When  I  heard  the  appointment 
and  request,  I  had  a  ticket  in  my  pocket,  and  decidedly  intend- 
ed to  be  one  of  the  party  on  the  Fourth.  When  the  day  arrived, 
my  father  said  to 
me  in  the  morning, 
'My  son,  you  are 
your  own  man,  and 
have  the  right  to 
go  to  that  frolic  to- 
day, if  you  choose; 
but  if  you  will 
gratify  me,  you  will 
go  with  us  to  Da- 
vid's Fork.'  That 
was  all  he  said, 
but  when  he  had  re- 
tired it  left  me  in 
serious  thought, 
which  resulted  in  a 
determination  to 
gratify  my  father 
and  let  those  attend 
the  ball  who  might. 

*       *       *       *       Nor  do  REV.  JAMES  E.  WELCH. 

I  ever  expect,  while  time  and  eternity  may  last,  to  cease  prais- 
ing God  that  I  was  induced  to  gratify  my  parents  on  that  occa- 
sion instead  of  myself;  for  on  going  to  the  meeting  I  listened  to 
the  first  sermon  I  ever  really  heard,  from  1  Sam.  7  ;  12  :  '  Then 
Samuel  took  a  stone,  and  set  it  between  Mizpeh  and  Shen,  and 
called  the  name  of  it  Eben-ezer,  saying.  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord 
helped  us.'  Before  a  profession  of  religion  was  made,  I  had  a 
private  conversation  with  Bro.  Vardeman  on  the  state  of  my 
feelings  and  the  exercises  of  my  mind — that  on  a  certain  occa- 
sion, while  at  a  meeting,  such  were  the  manifestations  of  the 
love  of  God  to  my  own  soul  that  I  scarcely  could  restrain  my- 
self from  getting  upon  one  of  the  seats  and  exhorting  sinners  to 
'  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.'  He  coolly,  and  unfortunately  for 
me,  replied,  '  you  had  better  take  care,  lest  you  run  before  you 


96  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

are  sent.'  That  remark  caused  me  more  anxiety  and  anguish 
of  soul  than  any  remark  I  ever  heard.  Full  one  j'ear  I  was  un- 
happy at  meeting  and  alone.  The  ardent  desire  of.  my  soul  was 
to  warn  and  beseech  sinners  to  be  reconciled  to  God  ;  yea,  I 
felt,  'Wo  is  me,'  if  I  do  not  do  it;  and  then  would  come  the 
warning  voice  of  my  father  in  the  gospel,  '  Take  care  lest  you 
run  before  you  are  sent.'  Neither  my  own  parents,  nor  any  one 
else,  knew  the  exercises  of  my  mind,  but  I  deliberately  decided, 
'  I  cannot  live  so  ;'  and  yet  such  were  the  views  of  my  unfitness, 
that  I  never  should  have  entered  the  ministry  could  I  have  en- 
joyed peace  of  mind  without  it.  The  question  of  deepest  anxi- 
ety was,  what  can  I  do  which  promises  any  deliverance  from 
the  dilemma  in  which  I  feel  myself  to  be  ?  Finally,  I  concluded 
to  travel,  and  see  whether  new  scenes  and  new  acquaintances 
would  bring  any  relief,  and  if  I  must  preach,  I  had  rather  begin 
among  strangers,  for  '  a  prophet  hath  no  honor  in  his  own 
country  and  among  his  own  kin.'  But  where  to  go,  was  the 
question.  Knowing  that  I  had  an  aunt  in  Greorgia,  to  Georgia, 
in  the  fall  of  1811,  I  directed  my  steps,  with  noworldlj^  business 
whatever  in  view,  but  perhaps  upon  the  same  errand  that  took 
Jonah  aboard  ship  for  Tarshish."    (Western  Watchman,  vol.  IX.) 

After  spending  an  anxious  winter  in  Georgia,  he  made  his  first 
attempt  at  preaching  in  March,  1812,  in  the  Sharon  Church,  of 
which  the  distinguished  Abram  Marshall  was  pastor.  Bro. 
Welch  thus  describes  his  struggles  in  that  state: 

"  I  never  studied  more  closely,  nor  more  hours  during  the 
day  and  night,  than  while  I  remained  in  Georgia,  and  yet  I  had 
no  instructor  and  but  few  books  to  aid  me.  I  had  been  literally 
born  in  a  cane-brake,  brought  up  on  a  farm,  and  had  never  stud- 
ied geography,  history,  or  even  grammar,  when  I  commenced 
my  labors  in  the  gospel  at  23  ;  and  no  individual,  except  the  in- 
finitely wise  One,  can  tell  with  what  readiness  and  joy  the  ad- 
vantages of  instruction  now  enjoyed  by  j^oung  men  would  have 
been  embraced.  The  Baptists  had  no  theological  seminary,  nor 
even  a  private  instructor  of  whom  I  had  ever  heard,  where  a 
young  man  might  pursue  those  theological  studies  which  would 
enable  him  'rightly  to  divide  the  word  of  truth.'  Those  of  us 
who  entered  the  ministry  forty-five  years  ago  [this  was  written 
about  twenty  years  ago],  know  what  it  is  to  meet  with  discour- 
agements, and  sometimes  when  treated  discourteously  by  young 
men  who  were  educated  in  those  seminaries  which  we  labored 
to  establish,  human  nature  could  not  do  less  than  to  say, '  Well ! 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  97 

we  have  had  our  day  !'  No  other  young  men,  thanks  to  the  All- 
wise  Disposer  of  events,  need  ever  in  future  pass  through  the 
difficulties  with  which  we  had  to  contend.  I  question  whether 
any  mortal  suifered  more  from  a  man-fearing  spirit  than  I  did  in 
my  early  efforts  at  public  speaking ;  to  whom  it  was  a  greater 
tax  upon  the  nervous  system  to  arise  and  address  an  assembly, 
than  it  was  upon  me;  and  especially  if  there  happened  to  be 
one  or  two  aged  ministers  present.  If  experience  teaches  truly, 
I  can  safely  say  to  my  young  brethren  in  the  ministry,  that  of 
all  the  hearers  you  may  ever  have,  you  have  the  least  to  fear 
from  a  father  in  the  gospel.  He  will  hear  j^ou  with  more  char- 
ity and  allowance  than  any  hearer  you  have.  Perhaps  that 
dread  of  public  speaking  might  have  deterred  me  altogether,  but 
for  the  counsel  and  encouragement  given  by  old  Father  Marsh- 
all, who  would  often  say,  'Bro.  James,  if  you  ever  wish  to  make 
a  -preacher,  preach';  and  so  say  I,  to  you  young  ministers  still; 
for  'practice  makes  perfect.'  "     (Western  Watchman,  vol.  IX.) 

In  the  spring  of  1814  he  returned  to  his  native  state  ;  in  the 
summer  of  the  same  year  visited  and  preached  in  Missouri  for 
the  first  time ;  returned  again  and  traveled  and  preached  almost 
incessantly  through  most  of  the  country  north  of  the  Kentucky 
Eivcr. 

His  mother  church,  David's  Fork,  called  him  to  ordination, 
which  occurred  March  2,  1815,  at  the  hands  of  Jeremiah  Varde- 
man  and  Davis  Biggs.  He  was  now  26  years  old.  In  the  fall 
of  this  year  he  went  to  school  and  studied  English  grammar, 
which  was  his  first  instruction  in  this  science. 

In  the  spring  of  1816  he  visited  Philadelphia  for  the  purpose 
of  securing  an  appointment  from  the  Triennial  Convention  as  a 
missionary  to  the  Far  West,  to  labor  among  a  people,  as  he 
said,  "  who  had  enjoyed  no  better  advantages  than  himself."  He 
spent  one  year  in  theQuaker  City,  under  the  tuition  and  training 
of  the  celebrated  Dr.  William  Staughton.  In  this  "school  of 
the  prophets"  he  laid  the  foundation  for  that  celebrity  which 
he  subsequently  attained  as  a  minister. 

The  Triennial  Convention  met  in  Philadelphia  in  May,  1817, 
and  Welch  offered  his  services  to  establish  a  mission  in  St.  Louis, 
in  company  with  his  classmate,  Eld.  J.  M.  Peck.  They  were  ac- 
cepted, and  on  the  25th  of  the  same  month  were  set  apart  for 
that  mission. 

The  following  is  somewhat  characteristic  of  Mr.  Welch.  He 
says:  '<In  view  of  that  event  "--the  going  on  a  mission  t6  the 


yc  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

Missouri  Teri'itory  —  ''I  had  previously  made  arrangements, 
which,  when  consummated,  would  prove  my  faith  in  the  Divine 
declaration,  '  It  is  not  good  that  man  should  be  alone,'  and  con- 
sequently Dr.  Staughton  declared,  on  the  28th  of  May,  1817,  in 
the  presence  of  witnesses,  that  I  was  no  longer  a  single  man, 
but  that  thereafter  James  E.  Welch  and  Sarah  Ann  Craft  should 
be  considered  man  and  wife."  This  event  occurred  in  Burling- 
ton, ISTew  Jerse}^,  Mrs.  Welch's  native  state. 

After  a  long  journey  of  1,100  miles  by  land,  in  their  own  con- 
veyance, Mr.  Welch  and  his  young  wife  reached  St,  Louis,  Nov. 
21,  1817,  and  found  a  home  at  the  residence  of  John  Jacoby,  un- 
til he  could  rent  a  house.  We  give  a  few  words  from  his  own 
pen  relative  to  his  perilous  trip  : 

"  On  Tuesday,  November  11,  1817, 1  left  Shawneetown  in  com- 
pany with  Mrs.  W.,  on  our  unpleasant  journey  to  St.  Louis.  It 
had  rained  for  three  weeks  every  day,  except  three  or  four,  and 
all  the  streams  were  overflowing  their  banks.  We  should  have 
remained  at  Shawneetown  several  days  longer  but  for  appre- 
hended danger.  In  our  efforts  to  reach  the  highlands,  we  trav- 
eled three  or  four  miles  through  water  from  two  to  three  feet 
deep,  and  ere  the  Ohio  had  attained  to  high  water  mark  but  few 
houses  were  left  standing  in  the  village.  Bro.  Peck  having  ta- 
ken his  family  on  board  of  a  keel  boat,  with  the  intention  of  go- 
ing by  water  to  St.  Louis  and  leaving  his  Yankee  wagon  behind, 
and  I  agreeing  to  take  his  horse  across  Illinois  for  him,  while 
traveling  in  a  chaise  or  gig  myself,  I  had  of  course  to  drive 
tandem  J  and  before  we  reached  St.  Louis  we  perceived  that  it 
was  a  very  fortunate  arrangement  for  usj  for  had  it  not  been 
for  the  length  of  our  team,  several  streams  and  mud-holes  which 
we  were  compelled  to  pass,  mightnot  otherwise  have  been  cross- 
ed at  all.  We  came  to  one  stream  about  twenty  feet  broad,  and 
perhaps  six  feet  deep,  upon  the  banks  of  which  were  encamped 
eight  or  ten  families  with  traveling  wagons,  waiting  for  the  wa- 
ters to  subside.  A  tree  had  been  felled  across  it,  upon  which 
were  safely  transported  trunk,  cushions,  etc.,  when  I  drove  my 
tandem  team  into  the  water,  gave  them  the  whip,  and  others 
caught  them  as  they  came  out.  The  philosophy  of  the  whole 
operation  was,  that  by  the  time  the  carriage  got  into  deep  water, 
the  front  horse  could  reach  bottom  on  the  opposite  shore." 
(^Western  Watchman,  vol.  VIII.) 

When  Eld.  Welch  arrived  in  St.  Louis  it  was  a  town  of  about 
3,000  inhabitants,  a  majority  of  whom  were  Erench  Catholics, 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  99 

Ho  entered  at  once  upon  his  labors,  and  early  in  the  following 
February  aided  in  the  formation  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
St.  Louis.  Soon  after  this,  he  and  Peck  organized  the  first  Sun- 
day-school for  colored  people,  which  grew  in  a  little  over  a 
month  to  90  scholars.  On  the  morning  of  April  5th  he  baptized 
two  converts  from  the  school  in  the  Mississippi  Eiver,  the  first, 
doubtless,  in  St.  Louis. 

Of  the  first  Baptist  house  of  worship  in  St.  Louis,  Eld.  Welch 
says :  '■'■  In  the  month  of  April,  1818,  we  purchased  of  a  Mr. 
Patton  a  lot  40x80  feet,  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Third  and 
Market,  for  $600,  upon  which  to  erect  our  new  meeting-house. 
This  being  the  corner  of  a  much  larger  lot  owned  by  Mr.  P., 
we  were  fearful  he  might  erect  a  building  along  the  whole  side 
of  our  meeting-house,  and  thus  deprive  us  entirely  of  light  and 
air  from  the  south.  It  was  therefore  stipulated  in  the  deed,  that 
he  should  be  at  liberty  to  join  our  meeting-house  on  the  south, 
twenty  feet  on  Third  Street,  and  he  bound  himself  not  to  ap- 
proach our  lot  nearer  than  ten  feet  with  any  other  building. 

"  Xot  long  afterwards  Mr.  P.  did  actually  erect  a  building  on 
the  south,  joining  the  meeting-house  and  running  back  twenty 
feet.  That  was  the  building  erected  by  Mr.  Patton  for  his  own 
asc  and  with  his  own  means,  and  with  which  Bro.  Peck  and  my- 
self had  no  more  to  do  than  the  Emperor  of  China,  about  which 
a  wicked  Craig,  and  some  of  our  prejudiced  and  uninformed 
brethren  in  Kentucky  have  said  so  many  wicked  things."  (  Wes- 
tern Watchn.an^  vol.  VIII.) 

St.  Louis  was,  at  that  time,  a  hard  field  of  labor.  Stores  were 
kept  open,  mechanics  worked,  carts  were  driven  along  the 
streets,  and  fiddling  and  dancing  were  heard  on  the  Lord's  day 
as  on  other  days.  There  was  also  no  small  amount  of  infidelity 
and  even  atheism  in  a  certain  circle. 

Bro.  Welch  by  no  means  confined  his  labors  to  St.  Louis  and 
vicinity.  He,  like  his  co-laborer,  J.  M.  Peck,  made  extended 
preaching  tours  in  the  territory,  gathered  together  the  scatter- 
ed sheep  of  the  fold,  organized  churches  in  the  pioneer  settle- 
ments, visited  associations,  &c.  He  spent  three  years  of  active 
ministerial  life  in  preaching  the  gospel  in  the  settlements  in  the 
counties  of  St.  Charles,  Warren,  Montgomery,  Callaway,  Boone 
and  Howard,  north  of  the  Missouri  Eiver ;  and  in  almost  all 
that  part  of  the  territory  now  known  as  Southeast  Missouri,  as 
far  down  the  Mississippi  Eiver  as  Scott  County  and  the  Tywap- 
pity  Bottom.     Besides  the  First  Church  in  St.  Louis,  he  aided 


MtSSOtJRi   ASSOCIATiON.  lOl 

in  organizing  churches  in  the  vilhigc  of  St.  Charles,  also  at  Flan- 
ders Callawaj^'s  in  Warren  County,  called  Friendship,  and  Sa- 
lem, at  Wm.  Coats'  in  CallaAvay  County.  He  was  untiring  in  his 
labors,  and  did  his  full  share  in  giving  tone  and  proper  direc- 
tion to  religious  sentiment  in  this  new  and  rapidly  developing 
country.  Of  an  important  work  connected  with  his  mission, 
Eld.  Welch  says:  "  On  Sabbath,  December  18,  1819,  we  organ- 
ized in  the  Baptist  meeting-house  the  "  St.  Louis  Sabbath-school 
Society,"  under  very  encouraging  prospects;  for  some  of  the 
most  influential  individuals  in  the  communit}'  gave  it  their  coun- 
tenance and  support.  That  was  more  than  four  years  before  the 
American  Sunday-school  Union  was  constituted,  and  from  that 
day  to  this,  in  no  city  or  town  in  the  land,  has  the  Sunday- 
school  cause  found  warmer  friends  than  in  St.  JjOu'is."  {Western 
Watchman,  vol.  VIII.) 

Of  the  abandonment  of  the  "Western  ]\Iission,"  and  Mr. 
Welch's  removal  to  New  Jersey,  he  says  :  "I  left  St.  Louis,  and 
ceased  to  labor  as  a  missionary  in  the  West,  because  the  Board 
of  Missions  gave  up  the  station  in  St.  Louis.  They  were  influ- 
enced in  their  decision  by  the  urgent  solicitations  of  individual 
brethren,  associations,  and  missionary  societies  in  the  West,  to 
establish  other  stations  at  Natchez,  Baton  Rouge,  Natchitoches, 
and  other  places,  which  they  regarded  as  fields  of  equal  impor- 
tance and  promise  as  that  at  St.  Louis.  Unavoidably  the  sta- 
tion at  St.  Louis  was  an  expensive  one  at  the  time  it  was  occu- 
pied by  Bro.  Peck  and  myself.  Rather,  therefore,  than  estab- 
lish three  or  four  other  missions  in  the  West,  the  board  thought 
it  better  to  give  up  the  one  at  St.  Louis. 

"When  the  appointment  of  Bro.  Peck  and  myself  was  before 
the  convention  in  1817,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  see  us, 
and  learn  whether  we  would  not  take  an  appointment  to  St. 
Louis  for  three  years  by  way  of  experiment.  We  had  an  inter- 
view with  Rev.  Wm.  Warder,  of  Kentucky,  as  one  of  that  con- 
vention, and  when  he  informed  us  of  the  wishes  of  the  conven- 
tion, we  replied,  'No,  sir,  unless  our  appointment  be  for  life,  we 
will  take  none  at  all — we  will  go  upon  our  own  hook  first.'  Un- 
der that  explicit  declaration  we  were  appointed  ;  and  yet  the 
board  thought  best — and  perhaps  it  was  best — to  give  up  the 
mission  at  the  end  of  three  years,  for  the  reasons  above  stated, 
together  with  a  supposed  *  numerous  emigration  of  ministers  to 
our  western  settlements.'  They  expressed  a  '  sincere  wish  that 
he  [I]  may  be  rendered  useful  in  St.  Louis,'  and  voted  '  that  Mr. 


102  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

Peck  be  associated  with  Mr.  McCoy,  at  the  Illinois  station  among 
the  Indians.'  Never  having  offered  himself  as  a  missionary,  or 
agreed  to  live  among  the  Indians,  instead  of  joining  Mr.  McCoy, 
he  passed  over  into  Illinois,  settled  in  St.  Clair  County,  and  gave 
immortality  to  a  certain  <Eock  Spring.'  That  unexpected  dis- 
continuance of  the  mission  gave  such  a  shock  to  my  pecuniary 
affairs,  that  I  found  myself  unable  to  sustain  the  cause  in  St. 
Louis  unaided  and  alone ;  and  consequently  three  of  the  most 
toilsome  and  unpleasant  years  of  my  life  were  comparatively 
thrown  away — all  the  vantage  ground  we  had  gained  was  given 
up.  On  the  6th  of  October,  1820, 1  left  St.  Louis,  on  my  return 
to  Burlington,  N.  J.,  where  I  had  labored  in  the  gospel  and  bap- 
tized between  35  and  40  individuals  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
church  while  studying  with  Dr.  Staughton."  {Recollections  of  the 
West^  chap.  22.) 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Xew  Jersey,  he  resumed  his  labors  as 
pastor  in  Burlington,  and  also  filled  this  office  in  Trenton  and 
Mount  Holly.  Thus  he  continued  to  labor  until  feeble  health, 
owing  to  chronic  dyspepsia,  compelled  him  to  resign.  He  first 
tried  sea-bathing,  and  this  failing,  he  made  a  horse-back  trip  to 
St.  Louis  and  back,  in  1823,  to  regain  his  health. 

From  the  time  of  his  first  visit  to  Missouri  in  1814,  Eld.  Welch 
kept  his  eye  and  his  heart  on  this  state  as  a  field  of  labor,  and 
after  a  moderately  successful  ministry  in  New  Jersey,  he  again 
removed  to  Missouri  in  1826,  and  fixed  his  habitation  on  the 
margin  of  a  beautiful  prairie  in  what  is  now  "Warren  Count}', 
and  improved  one  of  the  most  beautiful  farms  in  the  "West.  Here 
he  spent  his  time  in  preaching  to  the  destitute  and  cultivating 
and  improving  his  farm  for  two  years,  when  he  again  moved 
East  on  account  of  the  health  of  his  wife. 

From  1828  to  1848  he  labored  under  the  appointment  of  the 
American  Sunday-school  Union,  either  as  Sunday-school  mission- 
ary or  as  financial  agent,  in  which  latter  service  he  was  very 
successful. 

In  November,  1848,  he  again  removed  to  Missouri,  and  re- 
entered upon  the  occupancy  of  his  farm  in  Warren  County,  not 
far  from  which  he  built  up  and  became  pastor  of  L^nion  Church 
about  tAvo  3'ears  after.  Under  his  ministrations  the-church  built 
an  excellent  house  of  worship,  and  was  much  prospered.  The 
last  twenty-eight  years  of  his  life,  save  one,  were  spent  in  Mis- 
souri, during  which  time  he  continued  his  ministerial  labors  even 
very  near  to  the  period  of  his  death.     He  was  frequently  called 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  103 

to  fill  important  positions  in  the  meetings  of  his  brethren.  In 
1851  he  was  elected  moderator  of  the  Ministers'  and  Deacons' 
Conference  of  the  state,  and  for  some  years  was  so  continued. 
At  the  organization  of  the  Bear  Creek  Association  in  1854,  he 
was  appointed  moderator,  which  ofiice  he  filled  for  nearly  ten 
years.     It  was  as  presiding  officer  that  he  excelled. 

Mr.  Welch  was  twice  married  ;  the  first  time  to  Miss  Sarah 
Ann  Craft.  Four  children  crowned  this  marriage,  all  of  whom 
died  before  the  aged  father.  The  youngest  son,  Aikman  V/elch, 
was  an  eminent  lawyer,  and  for  several  years  previous  to  his 
death  filled  the  responsible  office  of  Attorney  General  of  Mis- 
souri. 

Mrs.  Welch  died  in  Warren  County,  Mo.,  May  23,  1864,  aged 
77  years.  He  was  again  married  in  the  spring  of  1865,  to  Mrs. 
Mary  II.  Gardner,  of  Burlington,  N.  J.,  who  died  in  Warren 
County,  Mo.,  at  the  age  of  64  years.  The  last  two  years  of  his 
life  he  spent  with  the  family  of  his  youngest  son,  at  Warrens- 
burg,  Mo.,  a  part  of  which  time  he  supplied  the  Baptist  church 
in  that  place  as  pastor. 

Under  the  appointment  of  Gov.  Hardin,  he  visited  the  Cen- 
tennial Exposition  at  Philadelphia  in  July,  1876,  accompanied 
by  his  grand-daughter,  Miss  Jennie  Welch,  and  grandson,  Mas- 
ter Aikman  Welch,  Jr. 

On  July  18,  1876,  in  company  with  relatives  and  friends,  he 
went  on  an  excursion  to  the  sea  beach.  After  dinner  a  bath 
was  proposed,  and  he  readily  consented.  He  had  been  in  the 
water  but  a  few  moments  when  he  complained  of  severe  pain  in 
the  stomach.  He  was  immediately  carried  from  the  water, 
which  was  very  cold,  hastily  dressed,  being  aided  by  his  son-in- 
law,  Mr.  N"oah  E.  Wright,  of  Burlington,  N.  J.,  and  helped  to 
a  house  by  the  road-side,  about  a  half  mile  from  the  beach. 
By  this  time  the  pain  was  intense,  and  his  friends  gently  rested 
him  in  a  large  chair  on  the  verandah.  The  last  words  of  this 
venerable  pioneer  were,  "■  The  pain  is  so  great  I  cannot  express 
it."  And  thus  in  about  one  hour  the  great  enemy  tore  the  tab- 
ernacle down,  and  James  E.  Welch  was  no  more.  He  died  of 
congestion,  in  the  afternoon  of  July  18,  1876,  and  was  buried  in 
the  city  of  Burlington,  where  he  was  first  married  nearly'-  sixty 
years  before. 

At  the  time  of  his  death  Eld.  Welch  was  nearly  88  years  old, 
having  spent  more  than  64  years  in  the  ministry. 

He  was  a  man  of  a  high  order  of  intellect  and  culture,  and  in 


104  MISSOtlRl  ASSOCIATION. 

full  possession  of  all  his  faculties  up  to  the  hour  of  his  death. 
He  was  unbending  in  his  purpose,  earnest  in  his  religious  devo- 
tion, and  an  able  minister  of  the  New  Testament.  He  was  ex- 
ceedingly regular  and  temperate  in  his  habits,  and  had  an  iron 
constitution,  especially  in  his  middle  and  later  life.  Few  men, 
if  any,  possessed  greater  firmness  and  decision  of  character  than 
he.  These  sketches  must  now  close.  Our  venerable  father  in 
the  gospel  lived  a  long,  eventful  and  useful  life,  and  now  sweet- 
ly rests  from  his  labors,  having  ascended  far  above  toil  and  care 
and  pain.  Long  will  he  live  in  the  memories  and  aifections  of 
the  denomination  to  whose  interest  he  devoted  so  many  years  of 
his  life. 

First  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis  ;  Continuation  of  its  History. — 
We  have  previously  seen  that  early  in  the  year  1818,  a  small 
Baptist  church  was  constituted  in  St.  Louis,  with  the  above  ap- 
pellation. It  has  a  brief,  though  interesting  history,  of  about 
fifteen  years.  One  of  its  principal  reverses  was  the  loss  of  its 
house  of  worship,  concerning  which  we  have  gathered  the  fol- 
lowing particulars  : 

"Mr.  Welch  commenced  his  missionary  work  by  erecting  in 
1818  a  brick  meeting-house  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Market 
Streets,  on  the  site  of  the  St.  Clair  Hotel.  The  building  was 
40x60  on  the  ground  and  three  stories  in  height  on  Third  Street. 
The  house  was  entered  in  the  second  story  from  Market  Street; 
it  was  the  only  building  on  the  south  side  of  Market,  from  the 
river  to  Fourth  Street.  The  church  cost  §6,000.  Mr.  Welch  paid 
of  this  sum  $1,200,  which  he  loaned  to  the  church,  and  John  Ja- 
coby,  the  treasurer,  also  advanced  $600.  In  1821  the  city  deci- 
ded to  widen  Market  Street,  a  measure  which  would  cut  off"  12x80 
feet  of  the  church  lot.  The  church  people  tried  to  have  the 
portion  condemned  assessed  at  a  fair  value,  but  were  shuffled 
about  from  the  mayor,  Wm.  Carr  Lane,  to  the  council,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  nothing.  Soon  afterwards  a  furious  hail  storm 
broke  all  the  windows  on  the  Market  Street  side,  and  the  may- 
or would  not  allow  of  the  glass  being  put  in  because  that  por- 
tion of  the  church  was  condemned  as  public  property.  The 
church  was  thereupon  abandoned,  and  sold  for  only  $1,200 — of 
which  Mr.  Jacoby's  widow  got  $600  and  Mr.  Welsh  got  $600, 
half  of  the  amount  loaned  bj^  him."'* 

Thus  was  the  property  of  this  struggling  band,  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  St.  Louis,  costing  $6,000,  sacrificed  for  the  small 

*  Missouri  Republican,  June,  1869 ;  in  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  I,  No.  31. 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  105 

sum  of  $1,200.  The  city  of  St.  Louis  to-day  justly  owes  the  Bap- 
tists $4,400,  with  interest  for  over  sixty  years.  A  right  liand- 
some  sum  it  would  be.  The  reader  can  make  the  calculation 
if  he  wishes. 

After  the  church  was  compelled  to  give  up  its  property,  it 
held  meetings  when  and  where  it  could,  but  grew  less  and  less 
under  its  difficulties  and  by  its  members  leaving  it,  until  from 
its  continued  discouragements,  it  was  formally  dissolved  Feb. 
10,  1833,  giving  letters  to  all  the  remaining  members. 

Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis.  —  In  the  year  1832,  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  sent  to  this  field  of  la- 
bor Rev.  Archer  B.  Smith,  who  obtained  a  room  on  Market 
Street,  below  Second,  and  there  began  to  hold  religious  services. 
On  Sunday,  January  6,  1833,  twelve  Baptists  met  in  Mr.  Elihu 
H.  Shepard's  school-room,  on  Fourth  Street,  opposite  the  Court 
House,  and  organized  the  "Second  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis." 
The  following  were  the  constituent  members:  Sisters  Sarah 
Orme,  E.  Williams,  Edith  Kerr,  M.  A.  Francis,  Emily  W.  Coz- 
zens,  Tabor,  Brady  and  Ayers ;  and  Brethren  H.  Budlong,  C. 
W.  Cozzens,  Moses  Stout  and  Archer  B.  Smith.  Ecv.  William 
Hurley  conducted  the  exercises,  assisted  by  Eev.  Archer  B. 
Smith,  who  was  then  and  there  chosen  pastor  of  tlie  new  church. 

Mr.  Smith  continued  his  labors  until  the  following  September, 
and  then  returned  East.  The  church  then  engaged  Eev.  Wm. 
Hurley  to  supply  their  pulpit.  He  was  succeeded  in  June,  1835, 
by  Eld.  Thomas  P.  Green,  who  continued  with  the  church  one 
year.  In  the  autumn  of  1835  a  lot  was  obtained  upon  the  corner 
of  Morgan  and  Sixth  Streets,  on  which  to  build  a  church  edi- 
fice. A  foundation  was  laid,  and  in  the  following  spring  the 
church  sold  this  lot  and  purchased  an  Episcopalian  church  edi- 
fice on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Chestnut  Streets,  at  a  cost  of 
$13,000.  They  first  occupied  this  house  in  May,  1837,  when  Eev. 
B.  F.  Brabrook  became  their  pastor.  The  church  now  numbered 
14  members.  During  his  two  years'  pastorate  70  members  were 
added — 16  by  baptism  and  the  remainder  by  letter.  Eev.  E.  E. 
Pattison  succeeded  Mr.  Brabrook  as  pastor,  and  there  were 
several  additions  by  letter  and  one  by  baptism.  Elds.  J.  M. 
Peck  and  Ebenezer  Eogers  supplied  the  pulpit  alternately  du- 
ring the  spring  and  summer  of  1841 ;  9  were  baptized  and  sev- 
eral backsliders  reclaimed  during  this  period.  From  September, 
1841,  to  July,  1844,  Eev,  Isaac  T.  Ilinton  labored  as  their  pas- 
tor.   He  was  a  very  popular  and  successful  minister.     The  con- 


106  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

gregation  greatly  increased  j  between  200  and  300  were  added 
to  the  church  during  his  pastorate,  more  than  100  of  Avhom  were 
baptized  ;  and  in  1842  the  church  edifice  was  enlarged  by  throw- 
ing a  part  of  the  vestibule  into  the  audience  room.  The  church 
was  again  supplied  by  J.  M.  Peck  and  others  for  the  space  of 
one  year. 

In  December,  1845,  Dr.  S.  W.  Lynd,  of  Cincinnati,  O.,  became 
pastor  of  the  church,  and  so  continued  until  December,  1848. 
The  church  was  greatly  increased  in  numbers  and  strengthened 
during  his  ministry;  about  40  being  added  by  baptism  and  over  100 
by  letter.  A  house  of  worship  was  also  erected  during  this  pe- 
riod on  Sixth  and  Locust  Streets,  at  a  cost,  including  site,  of 
about  $40,000.  Temporal  embarrassments  followed  the  erection 
of  the  new  house,  but  from  them  the  church  was  finallj^  relieved. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Peck  was  again  called  on  to  supply  the  church  until 
a  pastor  could  be  obtained. 

In  October,  1849,  J.  B.  Jeter,  D.  D.,  of  Eichmond,  Ya.,  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  pastor,  and  continued  until  July,  1852.  Du- 
ring this  pastoral  period  59  were  baptized  into  fellowship,  and 
100  added  by  letter.  During  Dr.  Jeter's  labors  three  new  church- 
es were  organized  in  the  city,  the  majority  of  whose  members 
were  dismissed  from  the  Second  Church.  Said  churches  were  form- 
ed in  the  following  order:  the  First  German  Baptist  Church  in 
Januar}',  1850 ;  the  Third  Baptist  Church  in  September,  1850 ;  and 
the  Fourth  Baptist  Church  in  Sej)tember,  1851;  $2,000  were  also 
annually  contributed  to  sustain  missionaries  in  the  city  limits. 
After  the  close  of  his  pastorate  the  church  was  successively 
served  by  Eev.  D.  Eead,  Eev.  E.  H.  Page,  of  Charlestown,Mass,, 
Eev.  Galusha  Anderson,  of  Janesville,  Wis.,  Eev.  A.  H.  Burling- 
•ham,  D.  D.  and  Eev.  W.  W.  Boyd,  D.  D. 

Prosperity  has  for  many  years  attended  the  church.  While 
Dr.  Anderson  was  pastor  the  church  was  greatly  strengthened, 
and  the  whole  denomination  in  the  city  felt  the  power  and 
ability  of  his  leadership.  His  pastorate  extended  through  the 
troublous  times  of  the  civil  war. 

During  Dr.  Burlingham's  pastoral  term  (commencing  ISTovem- 
ber,  1866,  and  closing  April  1,  1877),  the  church  commenced  the 
erection  of  a  magnificent  house  of  worship  on  the  southeast  cor- 
ner of  Twenty-seventh  (Beaumont)  and  Locust  Streets.  The 
chapel  was  completed  in  December,  1874,  and  formally  opened 
January  31,  1875, 

Dr.  Boyd  entered  upon   his  duties  as  pastor  of  the  Second 


SECOND   BAPTIST   CHURCH,   ST.   LOUIS,   MO. 


108  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

Baptist  Church  June  6,  1877.  Under  his  management  the  main 
building  of  the  church  edifice  was  erected.  It  is  indeed  a 
magnificent  structure.  This  enterprise  was  commenced  the  17th 
of  December,  1877,  and  by  January"  3,  1879,  was  nearly  completed 
and  ready  for  occupancy,  when  all  but  the  walls  was  destroyed 
by  fire.  It  was  a  fearful  blow,  but  the  church  was  not  dismayed. 
The  entire  city  sj'mpathizcd  with  them.  In  August  following 
the  fire  the  chapel  was  again  read}^  for  occupancy,  and  on  No- 
vember 6  of  the  same  year,  the  main  edifice  being  finished  was 
dedicated  to  the  service  of  Almighty  God.  On  this  occasion, 
Ecv.  Drs.  Jeter  and  Burlingham  were  present,  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Jno.  A.  Broadus,  of  Louisville,  Ivy.,  preached  the  sermon. 

The  building  committee  made  the  following  report  of  the  cost 
of  the  property  : 

Lot,  with  interest  on  deferred  payments,        .         $32,114.90 

Erection  of  chapel, 65,182.30 

Main  structure  to  date  of  fire,  .         .         .  71,725.35 

To  rebuild  church  and  chapel,      .         .         .  98,811.93 

Total  expended  from  beginning,  .         $267,834.48 

Eealized  from  sale  of  old  church,      .  .         .         44,325.00 

"  "             "       cemetery  lots,  .         .               4,664.67 

"  "             "       old  organ,       .  .         .             500.00 

"  "       insurance  companies,  91,511.00 


Total  Eeceipts,     .         .         .  $141,000.67 


Balance,  ....         $126,833.81 

The  amount  of  the  balance,  $126,833.81,  save  $10,000,  a  gift  of 
Samuel  C.  Davis,  a  former  member  of  the  body,  was  contributed 
by  the  members  of  the  church  and  congregation.  The  work  of 
raising  this  large  amount  was  remarkable  for  many  large  and 
princely  gifts  by  the  more  wealthy  members,  as  well  as  of  many 
instances  of  self-denial  by  the  poorer  ones.  It  would  be  invidi- 
ous to  quote  names;  but  among  others  "The  Gale  Memorial 
Organ,"  costing  $8,000,  placed  in  the  beautiful  carved  walnut 
loft  over  the  pulpit,  by  the  widow  of  Daniel  B.  Gale,  a  former 
deacon,  who  had  before  contributed  liberally,  may  be  mentioned 
as  a  j)ermanent  feature  of  the  audience  room.* 


*  Abridged  in  part  from  Histoi^y  of  i he  Second  Baptist  Church,  St.   Louie,  by 
Dea.  Wm.  M,  Page,  in  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  XIV,  No.  47. 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


109 


This  church  has  a  large  and  efficient  membership  of  about  800, 
contributing  liberally  to  all  religious  and  benevolent  objects. 

The  conflagration  which  rendered  the  church  homeless  for  a 
time,  brought  numerous  generous  and  urgent  ofl:crs  of  the  use 
of  the  church  buildings  in  the  city  of  many  denominations.  But 
the  invitation  most  striking  of  all  was  that  of  the  Jewish  Con- 


PULPIT,    BAPTISTRY-  AND   GALE   MEMORIAL   ORGAN,    IN  SECOND  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

gregation  Shaare  Emeth  (Gates  of  Truth),  ministered  to  by  the 
well-known  Rabbi,  Dr.  Sonneschein.  The  wonderful  liberality 
of  the  offer,  tendered  in  the  warmest  manner,  coupled  with  the 
fact  that  their  synagogue  was  unoccupied  on  the  Christian  Sab- 
bath, secured  its  thankful  acceptance,  and  the  event  was  herald- 


110  MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 

ed  throughout  the  world  to  be  one  of  great  significance,  as  show- 
ing the  catholicity  of  a  new  and  liberal  Judaism. 

But  this  very  pleasant  event  was  the  precursor  of  a  contro- 
versy which  agitated  the  Baptist  denomination  in  St.  Louis  and 
Missouri,  and  even  beyond  these  bounds,  to  a  marked  degree. 

At  the  communion,  at  the  close  of  the  first  Sabbath  spent  in  the 
synagogue  by  the  Second  Church,  Eev.  Dr.  W.  G.  Eliot,  Chan- 
cellor of  Washington  University,  an  eminent  Unitarian  minis- 
ter, who  had  been  attracted  to  the  service  by  the  phenomenal 
nature  of  the  occasion  and  by  symjjathy  for  the  church  and 
pastor  in  their  great  loss  by  fire,  remained  and  partook  of  the 
bread  and  wine — it  is  claimed  by  invitation  of  Dr.  Boyd.  The 
intention,  extent  and  manner  of  the  invitation  have  been  subject 
to  some  dispute.  However,  it  soon  became  the  cause  of  extend- 
ed comment  in  all  Baptist  circles  and  newspapers,  and  the  dis- 
cussion spread  even  to  other  denominations. 

A  few  months  later,  the  rebuilt  chapel  of  the  Second  Church 
was  nearly  ready  for  occupancy,  and  the  congregation  sought  some 
means  of  evincing  their  gratitude  to  the  Jews  for  their  hospital- 
ity. A  "joined  service"  on  the  Sabbath,  was  therefore  arranged 
for  the  last  evening  to  be  spent  in  the  temple,  and  a  magnificent 
silver  service  was  presented  to  Dr.  Sonneschein  by  prominent 
Baptist  members.  Both  pastors  spoke  in  warm  terms  of  the  mu- 
tual regard  felt.  The  edifice  was  crowded — thousands  could  not 
obtain  entrance. 

Here,  again,  it  was  claimed  by  those  who  had  already  passed 
severe  strictures  on  the  previous  occurrence  at  communion,  that 
the  occasion  was  made  of  too  secular  a  character,  being  better 
fitted  for  some  week  day  ;  that  in  the  omitting  of  the  first  verse 
of  the  hymn,  "Nearer  my  God,  to  Thee,"  and  in  other  incidents 
of  the  meeting,  allusion  to  Christ  was  avoided.  This  inference 
was  warmly  disputed  by  the  pastor  and  church,  they  declaring 
that  Christ  was  in  the  services,  He  being  mentioned  with  rev- 
erence even  in  Dr.  Sonneschein's  response  to  the  presentation. 

Soon  after  (in  July,  1879),  seven  Baptist  pastors  of  St.  Louis 
published  in  the  Central  Baptist  and  secular  papers  of  the  city,  a 
formal  "  Protest,"  founded  upon  these  incidents  and  upon  other 
utterances  of  Dr.  Boyd  which  they  claimed  to  be  unsound.  Re- 
plies from  him  and  his  people  followed,  with  rejoinders  from 
the  protesters  and  others,  till  much  feeling  was  aroused.  The 
church  naturally  rallied  around  its  pastor,  while  most  of  the 
city  churches  and  the  larger  part  of  the  denomination  in  the 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  Ill 

state  strongly  sided  with  the  protest.  The  denominational  pa- 
pers throughout  the  country  at  large  took  varying  views  of  the 
controversy. 

The  Second  Church,  observing  the  commotion  excited  at  home 
and  abroad  by  the  increasing  discussion  of  its  soundness,  sought 
to  allay  the  fears  of  its  friends  and  clearly  define  its  position  at 
a  numerously  attended  church  meeting,  by  solemnly  restating 
and  reaffirming  the  articles  of  its  church  covenant,  whose  sound- 
ness could  not  be  questioned.  This  action  was  widely  publish- 
ed, but  did  not  satisfy  those  who  asserted  the  justice  of  their 
criticisms  on  the  course  of  the  pastor  and  people,  it  being 
claimed  that  this  action  was  significant  only  of  a  desire  to  evade 
the  real  issue — the  countenancing  of  the  pastor's  acts  and  utter- 
ances by  the  church. 

September  26th  following,  the  St.  Louis  Association  met  at 
Fee  Fee  Church  in  St.  Louis  Count}^  and  charges  were  then  and 
there  presented  by  Park  Avenue  Church  against  the  Second 
Church,  specifying  heresy  in  doctrine  and  irregularity  in  prac- 
tice, but  averring  that  she  permitted  such  departures  by  her 
pastor  without  public  censure. 

In  the  proceedings  and  trial  which  followed,  the  delegates 
from  the  Fourth  and  the  one  present  from  Jennings'  Station, 
sided  with  those  of  the  Second  Church,  while  the  majority  up- 
held the  prosecution.  Demur  was  made  at  the  start  by  the  Se- 
cond Church  delegates:  1st.  To  the  right  of  the  association  to 
try  the  charges  ;  and,  2d.  To  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
brought — they  claiming  that  the  church  had  had  no  previous  no- 
tice of  them,  and  consequently  made  no  preparation  for  defense. 
But  the  association  voted  that  it  had  jurisdiction,  and  that  the 
trial  should  proceed,  unless  the  delegates  desired  jDostponement 
and  further  time,  which  they  did  not. 

The  Second  Church  delegation  declined  to  consider  the  church 
on  trial,  or  to  make  a  formal  defense,  but  met  the  charges  inform- 
ally, or  as  individuals.  After  the  presentation  of  evidence  and 
examination,  Rev.  Dr.  "VV.  Pope  Yeaman,  by  request  of  the  asso- 
ciation, summed  up,  and  at  the  close,  by  a  vote  of  27  to  17,  the 
charges  were  declared  sustained.  A  motion  was  subsequently 
made  by  the  delegate  from  the  Jennings'  Station  Church,  by  sug- 
gestion of  members  of  the  Second  Church,  that  the  connection 
of  the  Second  Church  with  the  association  be  dissolved.  This 
was  carried,  many  of  the  delegates  from  the  Second  Church  vo- 
ting affirmatively,  and  the  delegates  from  the  Second  Church 


112  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

left  the  house,  followed  by  those  from  the  Fourth  and  Jennings' 
Station  Churches. 

In  October  following,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Greneral  Associa- 
tion, held  at  Kansas  City,  the  matter  came  up  again  on  the  ques- 
tion of  receiving  the  delegates  sent  there  by  the  Second  Church. 
After  much  consultation  and  discussion,  these  delegates  prepared, 
subscribed  to  and  presented  the  following  statement  in  behalf  of 
the  church : 

"  The  delegates  from  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis 
do  hereby  state  that  the  said  church  neither  authorized  nor  ap- 
proved of  the  invitation  extended  to  Dr.  Eliot  to  join  with  said 
church  in  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper;  and  they  further 
state  that  in  the  so-called  joined  service  with  the  congregation 
of  Dr.  Sonncschein,  the  said  church  only  intended  to  give  an 
expression  of  their  gratitude  and  thankfulness  to  the  said  con- 
gregation for  their  kindness  and  unparalleled  liberality  in  ex- 
tending to  said  church  the  free  use  of  their  temple  for  religious 
worship;  and  if  anything  in  said  joined  service  was  either  said 
or  done  which  offends  any  brother  or  brethren,  said  church  most 
sincerely  regrets  it.  They  further  state  that  said  church  most 
emphatically  denies  that  it  was  the  purpose  or  intention  by  or 
in  said  service  to  abate  or  surrender  any  part  or  portion  of  their 
distinctive  faith  or  practice  as  Baptists,  and  does  most  heartily 
repudiate  and  disown  any  part  or  portion  of  said  service  from 
which  any  inference  that  they  had  so  abated  or  intended  to  abate 
any  part  or  portion  of  their  faith  and  practice  might  be  justly  or 
legitimately  drawn. 

"They  further  state  that  said  church,  by  its  reaffirmation  of  its 
Covenant  and  Articles  of  Faith,  did  intend  and  purpose  to  re- 
pudiate both  of  said  before  mentioned  acts  in  so  far  as  the  same 
were  irregular  and  unbaptistic  and  inconsistent  with  the  said 
Articles  of  Faith  ;  and  further,  to  repudiate  any  inference  which 
had  been  or  might  be  drawn  from  said  acts,  or  any  interpreta- 
tion of  ihem,  that  said  church  was  not  true  to  the  Baptist  faith, 
and  further  to  declare  their  purpose  and  intention  to,  in  the  fu- 
tifre,  dwell  in  and  abide  by  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  Baptist 
churches. 

[Signed  by  the  delegates  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church.] 
*'  P.  P.  Brown,  J.  W.  Phillips, 

Jos.  P.  Thompson,     Hosea  Howard, 

F.    H.    LUDINGTON." 

"  I  am  a  deacon  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis,  and 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  113 

a  Life  Member  of  this  body,  and  fully  endorse  the  statement 
above  made  by  the  delegates  of  said  church.     "VVm.  M.  Page." 

This  statement  and  the  delegates  were  then  gladly  received. 

The  St.  Louis  Association  at  its  next  meeting  invited  the 
church  to  make  the  same  statement  to  it,  and  to  be  readmitted 
to  its  fellowship,  but  the  invitation  was  not  accepted. 

The  next  year  the  church  did  not  send  delegates  to  the  meet- 
ing of  the  General  Association,  the  criticisms  of  its  course  being 
still  frequent.  But  in  October  of -the  year  following  (1881)  the 
editors  of  the  Central  Baptist  and  the  Christian  Repository,  with 
Dr.  Boyd  and  the  other  city  pastors  involved  in  the  controversy, 
met  and  signed  the  following 

"DECLAEATIOX. 
"  Whatever  errors  or  faults  there  may  have  been  in  the  past 
among  us,  after  a  full  and  free  interchange  of  views,  we  do  now, 
without  any  compromise  of  principle,  bur}^  all  our  grievances  at 
the  foot  of  the  Cross,  and  pledge  ourselves  to  be  one  in  the 
cause  of  Christ." 

Immediately  after,  the  Second  Church  appointed  delegates  to 
the  General  Association,  which  met  that  year  with  the  Third 
Church  of  St.  Louis,  and  great  cordiality  prevailed. 

Isaac  Taylor  Hinton — pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church, 
St.  Louis,  from  1841  to  1844,  an  eminently  useful  minister,  was 
born  in  Oxford,  England,  July  4,  1799.  He  received  his  classi- 
cal training  in  the  renowned  university  of  his  native  city,  and 
gave  early  promise  of  usefulness  both  in  the  literary  and  re- 
ligious world.  His  father,  James  Hinton,  was  the  distinguished 
pastor  of  a  Baptist  church  in  Oxford  for  thirty-six  years. 

In  1820  he  commenced  business  for  himself  in  Oxford,  as 
printer  and  publisher,  and  was  baptized  and  became  a  member  of 
his  father's  church  the  year  following.  In  1822  he  married  Miss 
Sarah  Mursell,  and  subsequently  moved  his  publishing  house  to 
London,  where,  while  editing  a  history  of  the  United  States,  he 
became  much  interested  in  our  institutions  and  form  of  govern- 
ment, and  without  hesitation  selected  the  United  States  as  his 
future  home.  He  accordinglj^  sailed  from  London  for  Phila- 
delphia on  the  9th  of  April,  1832,  at  which  place  he  landed  the 
following  June. 

He  spent  about  three  years  at  Philadelphia  and  PJchmond, 
"Virginia;  being  the  successor  of  the  eloquent  John  Kerr  in 
the  pastoral    office    in  the    First   Baptist   Church    in   the   last 


114  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

named  city.  During  his  brief  stay  in  Eichmond  he  acquired 
a  most  beneficial  influence,  and  the  church  grew  in  numbers, 
intelligence  and  efficiency.  Affable,  cordial  and  sincere,  he  won 
the  affections  of  his   brethren  and  the  community  generally. 

As  a  preacher,  he  occupied  a  high  position  among  the  pastors 
of  the  city.  Being  reared  in  England,  he  was  inclined  to  open 
communion,  but  soon  became  a  consistent  and  sound  Baptist  on 
this  subject.  He  entered  with  spirit  into  the  controversy  grow- 
ing out  of  Mr.  Alex.  Campbell's  theory,  and  took  strong  views 
of  Divine  sovereignty,  human  depravity,  the  Spirit's  influence, 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  &c. 

He  left  Richmond  and  removed  to  Chicago  in  1835,  then  a 
small  town,  and  took  charge  of  the  church  there.  He  threw  his 
influence  against  the  tide  of  worldliness  sweeping  over  the  com- 
munity, and  was  i^ermitted  to  see  a  large  church  built  up.  Dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  his  ministry  the  church  was  greatly  agi- 
tated on  the  question  of  slavery,  and  soon  after  his  removal  a 
division  actually  took  place. 

Eld.  Hinton  removed  to  St.  Louis  in  the  fall  of  1841,  and  be- 
came pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  numbering  at  that 
time  about  70  members.  During  his  pastorate  here,  which  end- 
ed in  1844,  between  200  and  300  were  added  to  the  church  by 
letter  and  baptism.  For  further  particulars  of  his  work  in  St. 
Louis,  see  History  of  Second  Baptist  Church,  by  Deacon  Wm.  M. 
Page. 

In  1843  the  General  Association  appointed  the  first  board  of 
trustees  with  a  view  to  establishing  William  Jewell  College:  I. 
T.  Hinton  was  a  member  of  this  first  board.  The  same  year  the 
General  Association  made  an  effort  to  perfect  the  establishment 
of  a  Baptist  Depository  in  St.  Louis,  and  Mr.  Hinton  was  ap- 
pointed on  the  standing  committee  for  that  purpose  ;  and  thus 
we  find  him  active  in  promoting  every  denominational  enter- 
prise. 

With  a  view  to  establishing  the  Baptist  interest  he  was  invited 
to  New  Orleans  in  1844,  to  which  place  he  moved  his  family  in 
December  of  the  same  year.  Here  he  labored  with  his  character- 
istic zeal  and  devotion  to  secure  a  permanent  footing  for  the 
primitive  faith,  and  after  three  successful  years  of  ministerial 
labor  in  that  city  he  fell  a  victim  to  the  yellow  fever.  His  spirit 
was  released  on  the  morning  of  August  28,  1847,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  his  body  was  interred  in  the  Protestant  burying 
ground  in  New  Orleans,  and  in  the  ensuing  spring  was  remov- 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


115 


ed  to  St.  Louis,  and  now  lies  in  Bellefontaine  Cemetery,  near 
that  city. 

"Mr.  Ilinton  was  the  father  of  eleven  children,  eight  of  whom 
survived  him. 

"As  a  public  speaker  he  always  secured  attention.  Eapid  in 
utterance  and  impassioned  in  manner,  it  was  never  doubted  that 
he  felt  the  full  force  of  the  great  truths  which  formed  the  bur- 
den of  his  message  from  the  pulpit."  (J.  B.  Taylor  in  Annals  Am. 
Bap.  Pulpit,  p.  810.) 

Jeremiah  Bell  Jeter.  —  On  the  18th  of  February,  1880,  this 
servant  of  the  Lord  breathed  his  last  at  his  home  in  Eichmond, 
Va.  The  whole  Baptist  brotherhood,  and  many  others,  mourned 
his  loss.  He  was  once 
the  honored  jiastor  of 
the  Second  Baptist 
Church,  St.  Louis.  On 
the  morning  after  his 
death  the  following 
brief  biographical 
sketch  was  j^ublished 
in  the  Richmond  Dis- 
patch : 

"Jeremiah  Bell  Je- 
ter was  born  in  Bed- 
ford Count\^,  Ya.,  July 
21,  1802.  He  was  con- 
verted in  his  twentieth 
year,  and  baptized  the 
first  Sunday  in  Dec, 
1821,  in  the  north  fork 
of  ptter  Eiver,  by 
Eev.  William  Harris. 
His  first  public  ad- 
dress was  made  on  the 
bank  of  this  stream  in  coming  out  of  it  on  the  occasion  of  his 
baptism.  On  the  night  of  the  15th  of  January,  1822,  he  preach- 
ed his  first  sermon  to  a  small  congregation  of  mountaineers  in 
the  gorge  between  the  Flat  Top  and  Luck  Mountains,  in  Bed- 
ford County.  He  was  present  at  the  organization  of  the  Baptist 
Greneral  Association  of  Virginia  in  Eichmond  in  1823;  was  the 
first  missionary  appointed  by  the  association,  and  the  last  sur- 
vivor of  the  men  who  formed  that  body.     On  the  4th  of  May, 


From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia. 
REV.    J.   B.   JETER,  D.  D. 


116  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

1824,  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry,  at 
High  Hills  Church,  Sussex  County,  by  Eev.  Nathaniel  Cham- 
bliss  and  Rev.  John  D.  Williams,  for  the  former  of  whom  he  act- 
ed as  assistant.  Leaving  Sussex  in  the  spring  of  1826,  his 
first  pastorate  was  with  Hill's  Creek  and  Union  Hill  Churches, 
Camj)bell  County.  In  the  autumn  of  1827  he  removed  to  the 
Northern  Neck  of  Virginia,  where  he  was  installed  pastor  of 
Morattico  Church,  in  Lancaster  County,  and  subsequently  of 
Wicomico  Church,  in  Northumberland  County.  His  ministry 
was  eminently  successful  in  this  field,  he  having  baptized  over 
1,000  persons  in  about  nine  years. 

"  In  the  latter  part  of  1835  he  was  invited  to  the  pastorate  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Eichmond,  and  was  installed  its  pas- 
tor on  the  first  Sunday  in  January,  1836,  Rev.  James  B.  Taylor, 
Rev.  Addison  Hall,  Rev.  Samuel  Cornelius,  Re^'.  William  F.  Nel- 
son and  Rev.  Henry  Keeling  participating  in  the  exercises.  He 
served  this  church  thirteen  and  a  half  years,  baptizing  into  its 
fellowship  nearly  1,000  converts,  among  whom  were  Rev,  Dr. 
Garlick,  of  this  city,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Henson,  of  Philadelphia. 
During  his  pastorate  the  First  Church  built  the  house  of  wor- 
ship it  now  occupies,  and  organized  its  colored  membership  of 
2,000  into  the  First  African  Church.  The  latter  church  was  put 
into  possession  of  the  old  house  of  worship  at  the  corner  of  Broad 
and  College  Streets. 

"■  In  October,  1849,  Dr.  Jeter  went  to  St.  Louis  and  took  charge 
of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  that  city.  He  remained  there 
three  years,  baptized  about  60  persons,  and  was  instrumental  in 
organizing  three  other  churches  in  the  city. 

"He  returned  to  Richmond  in  September,  1852,  to  assume  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  Grace  Street  Baptist  Church.  The  member- 
ship of  this  church  was  nearly  doubled  under  his  ministry.  It 
increased  from  322  to  600 — the  number  on  the  register  at  the  time 
of  his  resignation  in  1870. 

"  At  the  time  of  his  death.  Dr.  Jeter  was  the  senior  editor  of 
the  Religious  Herald,  to  which  he  had  devoted  the  last  fourteen 
3^ears.  He  was  also  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  at  Louisville,  Ky. ; 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Richmond  College  j  Presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Richmond  Female  Institute; 
Vice-President  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention,  and  Vice-President  of  the  State  Mission 
Board  of  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Virginia," 


MISSOURI   ASSOClATlOi^.  117 

To  this,  the  Central  Baptist  of  the  same  issue  justly  adds  : 

"Dr.  Jeter's  most  imj^ortant  contribution  to  Baptist  literature 
is  his  Campbellis/n  Examined,  a  book  which  created  a  profound 
sensation,  and  which,  perhaps,  more  than  anything  else  has  pre- 
served the  Baptists  of  Virginia  from  ever  swelling,  to  any  great 
degree,  the  ranks  of  the  'Current  Reformation.'  On  his  late 
visit  to  St.  Louis,  Dr.  Jeter  told  the  writer  that  he  had  but  re^^ 
cently  revised  his  book  on  Campbellism,  and  that  he  found  but 
little  in  it  that  he  desired  in  any  way  to  modify.  This  leads  us 
to  remark  a  striking  phase  of  Dr.  Jeter's  character.  His  work 
was  always  well  done;  his  words  were  well  weighed;  his  ac- 
tions were  the  result  of  intelligent  conviction.  He  was  not  sub* 
ject  to  the  momentary  whims  and  caprices  that,  more  or  less,  in* 
fluence  the  actions  of  most  men.  Whatever  he  did  seems  to 
have  been  done  deliberately,  and  while  we,  as  he  certainly  would 
not  have  done,  cannot  claim  for  him  perfection,  we  have  yet  to 
see  a  single  piece  of  work  from  his  hand  that  was  not  well  done. 

"  He  was  also  a  man  formed  by  nature,  as  well  as  acquired 
qualifications,  to  lead  other  men.  His  presence  was  command- 
ing, his  heart  was  warm,  and  his  judgment  of  men  was  almost 
unerring.  While  his  charity  may  have  sometimes  affected  the 
rigor  of  his  loyalty  to  the  denomination  of  which  he  was  a 
member,  and  which  he  dearly  loved,  no  one  can  justly  say  that 
he  was  not  conscientiously  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  evangelical 
faith  in  contradistinction  to  infidelity  of  all  kinds.  His  faith 
was  in  God  more  than  in  men.  His  last  words  were,  '  The  Lord 
reigneth.'  This  expression  in  a  dying  hour  is  a  valuable  heri- 
tage to  his  younger  brethren.  It  is  the  utterance  of  a  sublime 
faith  in  the  providence  of  God,  a  faith  which  is  the  greatest  need 
of  the  times  in  which  we  live. 

"  The  life  of  the  illustrious  servant  of  God  who  has  been  laid 
to  rest  in  the  quiet  shades  of  Hollywood,  we  commend  to  the 
young  men  who  are  now,  and  are  soon  to  come  on  the  stage  of 
action.  In  The  Recollections  of  a  Long  Life,  written  by  our  depart- 
ed father  in  Israel,  and  which  we  trust  will  soon  be  published 
in  book  form,  will  be  found  the  record  of  a  life  that  has  power- 
fully impressed  itself  on  its  generation.  That  life  was  well 
rounded.     There  rests  no  stain  upon  it. 

"Virginia  has  given  Presidents  and  Statesmen  to  the  Republic; 
the  records  of  fame  are  ablaze  with  the  glory  of  their  achieve- 
ments, but  to  the  camse  of  humanity,  of  religion,  of  journalism, 
she  has  given  none  greater  than  J.  B.  Jeter." 


118 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


.^' 


Galusha  Anderson — the  first  president  of  the  Missouri  Bap- 
tist State  Convention,  and  for  several  years  pastor  of  the  Second 
Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis,  is  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in 
Genesee  County,  March  7, 1832.  His  father  was  of  pure  Scottish 
descent,  of  Presbyterian  proclivities.  The  early  life  of  Galusha 
was  spent  on  the  farm,  with  intervals  in  the  district  schools  of 
the  place.  Until  17  years  old  he  had  his  whole  mind  and  heart 
set  on  the  law.  He  was  a  strong  partisan  of  Henry  Clay,  and 
an  advocate  of  total  abstinence. 

He  was  converted  Avhen  13  years  old,  and  became  a  member  of 
'\v  the  Baptist  church  in 

Sweden,  IST.  Y.  When 
17  years  of  age  he  en- 
tered Alfred  Academy 
after  a  severe  struggle 
as  to  his  duty  relative 
to  the  ministry.  He 
completed  his  course 
at  Eochester  Univer- 
sity, graduating  in 
1854,  and  was  the  first 
alumnus  on  whom  that 
institution  conferred 
the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity.  He  also 
graduated  in  the 
Eochester  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  in  1856, 
and  was  ordained  pas- 
tor at  JancsvillCjWis., 
in  the  autumn  of  that 
year.  There  he  re- 
mained for  two  years  in  what  he  regarded  the  most  successful 
work  of  his  life;  and  in  the  fall  of  1858  was  settled  as  pastor  of 
the  Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  where  he  held  his  post 
through  all  the  agitations  of  the  war,  continuing  until  18G6.  By 
him  the  "Society  for  Church  Extension  "was  formed  in  St. 
Louis,  through  means  of  which  three  churches  became  self-sup- 
porting. His  health  failing,  he  was  called  in  the  autumn  of  1866 
to  the  chair  of  Homiletics,  Church  Polity  and  Pastoral  Duties, 
in  the  Newton  Theological  Institute.  Ho  continued  in  this  po- 
sition until  1873,  when,  by  his  love  of  the  work,  he  returned  to 


From  "Tlic  Baptist  Eno\ilop<(lia.' 
OALt'SHA  AXDKRSOX,  1).  1). 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 


119 


the  pastorate.  Ho  was  installed  in  that  office  at  the  Strong  Place 
Church,  Brooklyn,  and  thence  in  June,  1876,  to  the  Second  Bap^ 
tist  Church,  Chicago,  He  continued  as  pastor  of  this  church 
until  February,  1878,  when  having  been  elected  President  of  the 
University  of  Chicago,  he  resigned  the  pastorate.  At  that  time, 
the  University  needed  the  qualities  of  character  which  Dr.  An^ 
derson  brought  to  it.  His  firm,  intelligent  and  manly  course 
soon  began  to  rally  new  friends  to  the  support  of  the  institil=' 
tion,  and  old  friends  took  a  new  interest.  Few  men  could  do 
the  work  which  Dr.  Anderson  is  doing,  and  many  reasons  exist 
for  believing  that  his  efforts  at  Chicago  will  crown  a  distinguish- 
ed and  successful  life. 

Aaron  H.  Burlingham. — Though  not  now  a  resident  of  Mis- 
souri, the  former  work  of  Dr.  Burlingham  in  St.  Louis  merits 
him  the  space  here  allotted  him.  He  was  born  in  Castile  County, 
N.  Y.,  February  18,  1822.  He  graduated  both  from  Madison 
University  and  from 
Hamilton  Theological 
Seminary  —  from  the 
former  in  1848,  and 
from  the  latter  two 
years  after.  In  1850 
he  was  ordained,  and 
spent  one  year  as  pas- 
tor in  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
then  two  years  at 
O wego,  N.  Y.,  and 
thence  he  moved  to 
Boston,  and  was  set- 
tled as  pastor  of  Har- 
vard Street  Church. 
While  here,  he  was 
chosen  chaplain  of 
the  State  Senate.  ^ 

From  1856  he  spent 
nine  years  as  pastor 
of  South  Baptist 
Church,  New  York.  Here  his  labors  were  so  arduous  that  he  re- 
signed and  made  a  trip  to  Europe,  and  while  there  filled  the  pulpit 
of  the  American  Chapel  in  Paris.  Returning  from  his  visit 
abroad,  he  accepted  a  call  from  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  St. 
Louis,  in  1866.     Under  his  labors  the  church  enjoyed  a  continu- 


REV.    A.    H. 


inini  •'The  Baptist  Encyclopedia." 
BUKLLNGHAil,   D.  D. 


120 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 


ous  growth,  sold  out  "  down  town,"  moved  to  its  present  loca- 
tion, and  built  the  chapel.  His  labors  towards  the  erection  and 
establishment  of  these  were  arduous  and  crowned  with  magnifi- 
cent results.  While  pastor  of  the  Second  Church  he  delivered  a 
course  of  lectures  on  the  ''  Women  of  the  Bible/'  which  attract- 
ed great  attention. 

He  went  from  St.  Louis  to  Brooklyn,  X.  Y.,  spent  a  time  in 
pastoral  work,  and  in  1879  entered  the  service  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union  as  District  Secretary  for  ]Srew  York. 

WiLLARD  W.  Boyd — is  a  native  of  Chemung  County,  N.  Y., 
and  was  born  ]S"ov.  22,  1843.  When  he  was  2  years  old  his  pa- 
rents moved  with  him 
to  Saco,  Maine.  When 
12  years  old,  he  was 
converted,  and  at  14 
he  was  prepared  for 
college.  At  the  death 
of  his  father  he  suc- 
ceeded him  in  super- 
intending a  factory  at 
Springfield,  Me.,  when 
he  was  only  18  years 
of  age.  The  only 
church  in  this  place 
was  Baptist,  with  a 
small  membership.  To 
them  Mr.  Boyd  read 
Spurgeon's  sermons 
for  a  time,  and  after- 
wards preached  to 
4P^  them  in  his  own  lan- 

iiuiii  'Thu  Baptist  Encyclopedia."  gUagC.        SOOU    a  rCVlV" 

RKv.  w.  w.  BOYD,  D.  1).  al  commcnccd  aud  bap- 

tism  was  solicited;  but  being  a  Congregationalist,  he  could  not 
proceed.  He  studied  the  subject  of  baptism,  and  coming  to  the 
light,  w^as  baptized  in  company  with  the  converts.  In  1866  he 
was  left  motherless,  and  the  year  after  he  entered  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, from  which  he  graduated  in  1871.  He  spent  a  year  in  the 
German  University,  after  which  ho  filled  the  position  of  tutor 
at  Harvard  for  one  year,  and  then  he  became  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  Charlestown,  a  port  of  Boston,  Mass.  Here  he 
remained  some  four  years,  during  which  period  he  received  into 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


121 


the  fellowship  of  the  church  about  400  members.  From  Charles- 
town  he  removed  to  St.  Louis  in  June,  1877,  and  was  at  once  in- 
stalled pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church.  Under  his  pastor- 
ate the  congregation  has  increased,  and  many  have  been  added 
to  the  church.  He  is  a  man  of  great  energy,  executive  ability 
and  pulpit  eloquence.  During  his  administration  the  house  of* 
worship  has  been  twice  built,  owing  to  fire.  In  June,  1878, 
Shurtleff  College,  111.,  conferred  on  him  the  honorary  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity.  As  pastor  of  the  largest  white  Baptist 
church  in  the  state,  no  man  occupies  a  more  responsible  posi- 
tion in  the  denomination  than  he.  In  the  pulpit,  the  prayer-meet- 
ing and  the  social  gatherings  of  the  church,  the  warmth  and 
magnetism  of  his  personal  qualities  are  strongly  felt. 

William  M.  McPherson.* — One  of  the  most  prominent  Bap- 
tist church  members  in  the  precincts  of  the  city  of  St.  Louis, 
was  the  late  Hon.Wm. 
M.  McPherson.  In 
fact  his  name  and 
deeds  were  known 
throughout  the  state 
in  connection  with 
Baptist  institutions 
and  movements. 

With  the  exception 
of  one  sister,  he  was 
the  oldest  of  a  family 
of  five  children,  and 
was  born  in  Boone 
County,  Kentucky, 
February  13,  1813— 
not  to  fortune  and 
immunity,  but  to  the 
necessity  of  carving 
his  own  way  through 
the  world.  By  the 
death  of  his  father  he 
was  left  with  the  care 
of  a  widowed  mother  and  family  at  the  age  of  9  years. 

He  surmounted  all  obstacles,  and  devoting  his  leisure  hours  to 
study  he  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law  about  the  time  of 
his  majority.     In  this  profession  he  spent  a  few  years  in  Bur- 

*  From  Dr.  A.  H,  Burlingham's  Memorial  Sermon, 


From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia." 
HON.   "U^I.   M.   MCPHERSON. 


122  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

lington,  Kentucky ;  moved  thence  to  Helena,  Arkansas,  where 
he  spent  five  years,  and  from  there  he  moved  to  St.  Louis  in 
1841,  where  he  lived  until  the  Master's  summons  reached  him  in 
the  prime  of  a  green  old  age. 

God  gave  him  a  large  nature,  and  in  everj-  organic  way  en- 
riched him  with  a  lavish  hand.  His  great  and  commanding  fig- 
ure was  but  the  fitting  counterpart  of  his  great  and  commanding 
soul. 

A  few  months  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  McPherson  in  St.  Louis 
there  came  a  crisis  in  his  history.  His  life  had  been  worldly. 
He  had  given  himself  to  his  profession  and  to  the  acquirement 
of  wealth  by  its  prosecution,  somewhat  to  political  affairs,  con- 
siderable to  the  Presidential  campaign  of  1846,  and  thrown  him- 
self freely  into  those  fellowships  and  professions,  political  and 
social,  which  were  calculated  to  drown  any  religious  conrictions 
which  he  might  have  had.  When  Eev.  Isaac  T.  Hinton  was  call- 
ed to  the  pastoral  office  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  Mr.  Mc- 
Pherson rented  a  pew  and  became  a  regular  attendant  at  said 
church.  Here,  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Hinton,  he  was  con- 
victed of  sin,  and  finally  led  to  Christ  in  January,  1843,  and  was 
bajitized  by  Mr.  Hinton  on  the  8th  of  that  month. 

After  his  conversion  he  gradually  abandoned  the  legal  profes- 
sion, and  engaged  in  the  business  of  real  estate,  and  was  largely 
instrumental  in  furthering  the  growth  of  the  city  of  St.  Louis  to 
its  present  metropolitan  position.  He  was  a  prominent  origin- 
ator of  the  beautiful  Bellefontaine  Cemetery,  one  of  the  first 
promoters  of  the  building  of  the  great  bridge,  and  his  hand 
Avas  felt  in  all  the  large  enterprises  in  the  city.  Every  success- 
ive pastor  was  made  to  feel  his  powerful  support  in  every  good 
work.  He  was  a  pillar  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis, 
and  contributed  most  liberally  both  of  his  means  and  of  his  time 
to  the  promotion  of  Baptist  sentiments  and  of  Baptist  growth 
all  over  the  state.  "When  stricken  down  with  the  fell  disease 
that  finally  carried  him  off,  the  church  felt  that  it  was  losing  its 
leading  lay  member.  ^No  one  else  could  quite  take  his  com- 
manding place.  He  died  in  the  Lord,  and  his  death  was  lament- 
ed by  the  entire  city. 

Nathan  Cole* — was  born  July  26,  1821.  His  father  came  to 
St.  Louis  in  1821,  from  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.  In  1842  he  pro- 
fessed religion  at  Alton,  and  since  1852  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis.     He  is  a  diligent  stu- 

*  From  Baptist  Encycloptdia,  Cathcart. 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


123 


dent  of  Grod's  word  now,  and  he  loves  to  expound  it  in  the  Sunday- 
school.  In  1869  he  was  chosen  mayor  of  St.  Louis,  and  filled  the 
office  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  his  fellow-citizens.  He  was 
elected  President  of 
the  Merchants'  Ex- 
change in  1876,  and 
the  same  year  was  sent 
to  Congress  from  the 
Second  District  of 
Missouri. 

Mr.  Cole  is  a  friend 
to  the  poor,  to  educa- 
tion and  to  religion, 
and  has  given  large 
amounts  to  sustain 
and  advance  the  cause 
of  Jesus,  and  to  fiii'- 
ther  public  interests. 
He  is  a  firm  Baptist, 
with  a  large  scriptu- 
ral charity.  He  is 
one  of  the  most  en- 
lightened, unselfish 
and  blameless  men 
that  ever  occupied  a  seat  in  Congress. 

William  M.  Page — was  born  January  16,  1815,  and  emigrated 
to  St.  Louis  in  the  fall  of  1833.  He  returned  to  New  Hampshire 
in  1836,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Jaquith  of  that  state,  and 
came  again  to  St.  Louis.  In  1842  Mr.  Page  professed  conversion, 
and  with  eleven  others,  among  whom  were  Edwin  Dobyns  and 
George  Trask,  was  baptized  in  Chouteau's  Pond,  and  he  became 
a  member  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church.  The  same  year  Mr. 
Page  and  Mr.  Dobyns  were  elected  deacons  of  the  church,  and 
Mr.  Trask  was  elected  treasurer.  All  three  had  been  active  in 
church  affairs  from  the  reorganization  under  Eev.  B.  T.  Bra- 
brook  in  May,  1837.  A  few  years  afterward  Deacon  Page  re- 
moved to  New  Orleans  and  became  a  constituent  member  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  that  city,  was  elected  one  of  its  deacons, 
and  through  his  influence  Pastor  Hinton  was  called  from  St. 
Louis  to  New  Orleans.  He  was  a  devoted  friend  of  Mr.  Hinton, 
and  was  at  his  bedside  and  closed  his  eyes  when  he  fell  a  victim 
to  the  yellow  fever  scourge  in  1847. 


ii'.iii     1  lie  Baptist  Encyclopedia." 
NATHAX   COLE. 


124 


MiSSOURI    ASSOCIATION. 


He  returned  to  St.  Louis  in  1848,  and  in  the  great  fire  of  1849 
he  lost  a  steamboat,  at  which  time  all  the  business  portion  of  the 
city  and  thirty-two  steamboats  were  burned.  Soon  after  the 
fire  he  opened  a  store  on  Broadway,  in  connection  with  Capt. 
Samuel  Smith,  and  two  years  afterwards  bought  the  controlling 
interest  in  the  St.  Louis  Glass  Works,  which  business  prospered 
until  the  second  winter,  when  the  continued  freezing  over  of 
the  river,  and  there  being  no  railroads,  thus  being  cut  off  from 
material,  and  the  hands  deserting  them,  the  company  became 


WILLIAM    M.    PAGE. 


discouraged  and  left  the  business.  Mr.  Page  again  went  back 
to  his  river  life  and  so  continued  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war,  most  of  which  period  he  spent  with  the  army  as  trades- 
man. The  war  over,  he  became  permanently  settled  in  business 
in  St.  Louis,  and  was  soon  after  re-elected  deacon  in  the  Second 
Baptist  Church,  and  is  now  the  senior  deacon  of  the  city  of  St. 
Louis,  and  is  also  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  his 
church.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  execu- 
tive board  of  the  General  Association,  and  was  one  year  its  pres- 
ident. He  has  also  been  honored  by  his  district  association, 
having  for  three  or  four  years  presided  over  its  deliberations. 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


125 


Deacon  Page  has  a  wide  reputation  as  a  Bible  scholar,  having 
always  lovingly  sought  to  accurately  interpret  the  meaning  of 
the  Sacred  Word  in  the  original  tongues.  Indeed,  his  strongest 
characteristic  may  be  deemed  a  scrupulous  devotion  to  truth  and 
consistency  in  all  the  affairs  of  life.  This  quality  causes  him  to 
be  one  of  the  most  faithful,  regular  and  methodical  of  Chris- 
tians, and  has  commanded  the  confidence  and  love  not  only  of 
those  who  agree  with  him,  but  of  his  opponents  in  any  given 
course.  He  is  one  of  the  most  benevolent  men  in  St.  Louis,  and 
has  for  j'ears  used  his  means  with  a  liberal  hand  to  advance  Bap- 
tist interests. 

Mrs.  Eliza  Page — wife  of  Deacon  W.  M.  Page,  is  a  native  of 
New  Ilamj^shire,  and  came  to  St.  Louis  soon  after  her  marriage 
in  1836.  She  was  a  member  of  Dr.  Malcolm's  church  in  the  East, 
and  as  soon  as 
she  came  to  St. 
Louis  identified 
herself  with  the 
Baptist  Church 
of  t  h.i  s  city, 
growing  in  the 
good  cause  with 
the  city's  growth. 
She  is  actively 
identified  with  all 
the  leading  en- 
terprises of  the 
city  in  the  vari- 
ous branches  of 
religious  culture, 
and  the  relief 
of  all  the  sick, 
poor  and  defence- 
less. She  is  Pres- 
ident of  the  In-  ' 
stitutional  Mis- 
sion, visiting  the  mrs.  w.  m.  page. 
City  Hospitals,  House  of  Eefuge,  Workhouse-  Jail  and  other 
places,  where  a  kind  word  to  a  needy  and  distressed  one  would 
do  good.  She  is  always  ready  to  go  on  any  mission  of  mercy, 
giving  a  kind  word  here,  some  papers  and  tracts  tliere,  and  al- 
ways, with  an  open  purse,  relief  to  the  needy.     She  is  now  alsQ 


126  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

actively  engaged  in  the  eifort  to  establish  a  Baptist  Orphans' 
Home  in  this  city,  which  will  be  one  of  her  crowning  efforts. 
She  loves  to  administer  to  the  wants  of  the  distressed.  The 
beauty  of  all  is,  that  all  her  acts  of  charity  and  mercy  are  unos- 
tentatious, and  coupled  with  grace  and  meekness.  Although  in 
her  threescore  years  and  ten,  she  is  one  of  the  most  active  and 
shining  lights  in  the  church,  being  first  and  foremost  in  all  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  church  work  and  the  advancement  of  the 
cause.  She  has  for  years  been  the  teacher  of  the  infant  depart- 
ment of  the  Sunday-school.  The  children  love  her  as  a  mother, 
and  her  power  with  them  is  magnetic. 

This  "  Mother  in  Israel  "  wields  a  power  for  good  in  the  de- 
nomination,which  is  not  only  local,  but  goes  through  the  state,  she 
having  some  years  since  gone  to  Jefferson  City  and  there  organ- 
ized a  branch  of  the  Institutional  Mission,  which  has  done  a 
great  deal  of  good  in  that  city.  Her  life  is  an  ornament  to  the 
denomination,  and  may  she  live  many  years  to  further  develop 
the  good  work  among  us.* 

The  Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Charles. — In  the  spring  of 
1832  Eld.  "William  Hurley  visited  St.  Charles  and  began  preach- 
ing. He  found  a  few  Baptist  families  in  the  town  at  that  time, 
and  at  their  earnest  solicitation  he  continued  his  labors  once  a 
month  with  them  for  the  year.  His  labors  were  very  acceptable 
and  blessed  to  the  conversion  of  souls.  In  a  few  months  after 
his  arrival  he  had  baptized  ten  or  twelve  persons,  and  these,  to- 
gether with  those  whom  he  found  in  the  town  upon  his  arrival, 
he  organized  into  a  church  in  the  summer  of  1832.  At  about  the 
end  of  one  year  Eld.  Hurley  left  them,  and  being  without  a  pas- 
tor the  church  never  reached  a  great  degree  of  efficiency,  and 
after  struggling  for  several  j'ears  disbanded. 

Another,  which  is  the  Third  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Charles, 
was  formed  by  Eld.  W.  E.  Eothwell,  corresponding  secretary  of 
the  General  Association,  and  Eld.  J.  H.  Tuttle,  missionary  of 
Bear  Creek  Association  in  1870  or  1871. 

We  now  resume  our  narrative  of  the  association  proper.  Its 
early  records  are  scarce.     We  give  what  we  have. 

In  1822  the  Missouri  Association  dismissed  those  churches  con- 
nected with  her  body  located  north  of  the  Missouri  Eiver,  to 
form  a  new  association,  of  which  we  will  give  an  account  in  fu- 
ture. Also  two  or  three  churches  were  dismissed  in  1832  to  aid 
in  forming  an  association  in  Franklin  County. 

*  By  L.  E.  Kline, 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  127 

In  1833  the  association  held  its  meeting  at  the  Fee  Fee  Creek 
meeting-house,  commencing  September  20th.  The  preceding 
year  (1832)  this  body  was  composed  of  7  churches,  viz. :  Fee  Fee 
Creek;  St.  Louis  (First  Church);  African,  St.  Louis;  Bonhom- 
me.  Good  Hope,  Wild  Horse  Creek  and  Goshen;  66  baptisms 
were  reported,  and  a  total  membership  of  835,  of  which  more 
than  one-half  were  members  of  the  African  Church,  St.  Louis. 
According  to  Allen's  Register,  there  were  only  four  ministers  in 
the  association  at  this  time,  viz. :  Thomas  E.  Musick,  J.  Bailey, 
A.  Felson  and  J.  B.  Meachum;  the  two  latter  of  the  African 
Church,  St.  Louis. 

The  minutes  of  1834  contain  reports  from  the  following 
churches :  Fee  Fee  Creek,  African  Church,  St.  Louis,  Bonhom- 
me,  Good  Hope,  Goshen  and  Union ;  aggregate  membership, 
342.  Ministers,  Thomas  E.  Musick,  Alton  F.  Martin,  J.  B.  Mea- 
chum (colored),  John  Bailey  and  Thomas  Hensley.  Only  32 
baptisms  reported.  In  1835  there  were  8  churches,  7  ministers 
and  390  members.  The  additional  ministers  were  Thomas  P. 
Green,  Joseph  ISTicholls  and  George  Clay;  15  baptisms  only 
were  reported  this  year. 

From  1849  to  1859  the  association  held  annual  meetings  with- 
out any  interruption.  The  32d  anniversary  in  1849  was  held  with 
the  Antioch  Church,  commencing  August  10th.  Eight  churches 
sent  letters  and  messengers,  reported  249  baptisms  and  an  ag- 
gregate membership  of  1,221.  The  committee  on  periodicals 
reported  the  destruction  by  fire  of  the  Western  Watchman  office 
in  May  of  this  year,  and  recommended  the  raising  of  a  publish- 
ing fund  of  $1,000,  to  place  said  paper  (then  the  Baptist  paper 
of  Missouri)  on  a  firm  basis.  The  committee  also  recommended 
the  periodical  publications  of  the  boards  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention,  viz. :  the  Southern  Mission  Journal  and  The  Commission. 

Silas  C.  James,  J.  M.  Peck,  John  H.  Thompson,  James  Wil- 
liams, J.  Berry  Meachum  and  Eichard  Sneethan  (the  two  last  of 
the  African  Churches,  St.  Louis),  appear  in  the  minutes  as  pas- 
tors of  the  churches  at  this  date. 

The  association  placed  herself  right  on  the  records  as  a  mis- 
sionary body  at  this  session,  by  "  affectionately  recommending 
the  churches  to  keep  up  weekly  prayer  meetings,  to  help,  by 
prayer  and  contributions,  foreign  and  home  missions,  the  Amer- 
ican and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  the  General  Association,  the 
Baptist  College  and  Sabbath-schools." 

In  1850  the  association  met  with  the  Fee  Fee  Church.     The 


128  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

principal  item  of  interest  was  the  report  of  the  formation  of  the 
"  German  Mission  Society"  in  St.  Louis  the  preceding  Novem- 
ber, and  the  employment  in  the  city  of  three,  and  in  the  interior 
of  the  state  of  two,  German  missionaries. 

Salem  Church  entertained  the  meeting  in  1852;  70  baptisms 
were  reported.  The  temperance  cause  was  very  earnestly  com- 
mended to  the  churches,  and  so  were  Sunday-schools.  The  con- 
dition of  the  churches  was  reported  as  being  low  and  nearly 
helpless ;  prayer  meetings  "  few  and  far  between ;"  family 
prayer  by  many  entirely  neglected;  "few,  if  any,  3'oung  men 
consecrating  themselves  to  the  ministry,  to  supply  the  places 
which  death  will  soon  make  vacant."  Many  of  tho  churches  were 
threatened  with  extinction. 

Concord  Church  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1853,  when  the 
constitution  was  amended,  and  the  name  of  the  association 
changed  to  "  St.  Louis  Baptist  Association,"  the  name  it  now 
bears.  From  this  act  it  appears  that  the  appellation  "  United  " 
was  dropped.  The  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Southern 
Board  of  Home  Missions  was  cordially  received  and  invited  to 
make  a  public  collection  on  tho  Sabbath.  Ministerial  education, 
temperance,  Sunday-schools  and  German  missions  all  received 
due  attention,  and  their  importance  was  made  prominent  in  the 
business  of  the  body.  So  far  as  we  can  discover  from  the  minutes, 
few,  if  any,  of  the  churches  promote  missions  through  the  asso- 
ciation. This  is  done  either  in  a  direct  way  or  through  some 
local  or  general  society. 

The  St.  Louis  Association  (for  such  is  now  its  name)  met  in 
1855  at  Salem,  and  declared  that,  "as  a  body,"  it  would  not  pro- 
mote foreign  missions,  but  only  missions  among  the  destitute  in 
the  district  embraced  in  its  own  limits.  At  the  same  session  it 
recommended  the  churches  to  make  collections  as  follows:  in 
January,  for  foreign  missions ;  in  April,  for  domestic  missions; 
in  July,  for  the  Sunday-school  and  publication  causes  ;  and  in 
October,  for  the  Bible  Society. 

The  remaining  part  of  this  period — that  is,  up  to  1859 — the 
association  occupied  itself  with  the  usual  business  of  such  bodies. 
The  executive  board,  for  the  most  part,  ke])t  a  missionary  in  the 
field  at  a  salary  ranging  from  $700  to  §900  a  year.  Elds.  J. 
Hickman,  J.  B.  Fuqua  and  P.  H.  Steenstra  were  the  evangelists 
for  the  last  four  j^ears  of  this  period,  and  662  were  added  to  the 
churches  b}^  baptism.  Baptist  principles  made  commendable  pro- 
gresSj  as  the  following  from  the  minutes  of  1859  will  sho^vv  : 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  129 

Churches. — Fee  Fee  Creek;  First  African,  St.  Louis;  Second, 
St.  Louis;  Salem;  Antioch ;  Chesterfield;  Second  African,  St. 
Louis  ;  Concord  ;  German,  St.  Louis  ;  Third,  St.  Louis  ;  Fourth, 
St.  Louis;  Union,  St,  Louis;   and  Allenton;  in  all  thirteen. 

Ministers. — John  B.  Fuqua,  Peter  H.  Steenstra,  J.  Hickman, 
Anthony  Hauslar,  Wm.  Crowell,  Geo.  Mitchell,  Washington 
Barnhurst,  Galusha  Anderson  and  S.  C.  James.  Total  member- 
ship of  the  Association,  2,359. 

We  again  turn  to  the  city  of  St.  Louis  to  see  something  of 
Baptist  progress  therein.  For  over  forty  years  from  the  form- 
ation of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  there  were  only  two  Baptist 
churches  in  St.  Louis,  viz. :  the  Second  and  the  First  African. 
Three  new  Baptist  churches  were  organized  in  St.  Louis  in  the 
years  1850  and  1851.     The  first  in  chronological  order  was  the 

German  Baptist  Church — to  constitute  which,  19  members 
were  dismissed  from  the  Second  Baptist  Church.  This  body 
was  organized  in  January  of  that  year. 

The  Third  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis — which  of  the  Amer- 
ican churches  ranks  as  second  in  numerical  strength,  was  or- 
ganized on  the  evening  of  the  29th  of  September,  1850.  The 
services  of  constitution  were  held  in  the  audience  room  of  the 
Second  B a jDtist  Church,  conducted  by  Dr.  Jeter,  their  pastor. 

The  reason  assigned  in  the  records  for  constituting  this  new 
church  was,  that  there  might  be  a  Baptist  church  *'  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  city."  And  still,  at  this  writing  (only  a  little 
over  thirty  years  from  the  date  of  constitution),  such  has  been 
the  rapid  progress  of  the  city,  that  the  church  edifice  on  Clark  Av- 
enue, near  Fourteenth  Street,  is  regarded  as  too  far  "  down 
town."  During  the  first  three  years  of  its  existence,  this  church 
was  sustained  by  the  joint  aid  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
and  the  General  Association  of  Missouri. 

In  December,  1850,  Eev.  Joseph  Walker  became  pastor,  which 
relation  he  sustained  for  two  and  a  half  years,  during  which  the 
church  gained  some  strength,  30  having  been  baptized  and  38 
received  by  letter  and  relation.  During  this  pastorate  24  were 
dismissed  by  letter,  9  of  whom  moved  to  and  formed  a  church  in 
La  Crosse,  Wis.  From  the  church  at  La  Crosse,  8  others  have 
gone  out,  so  that  the  Third  Church,  St.  Louis,  though  but  a  youth, 
is  an  honored  grandmother. 

In  April,  1853,  Eev.  John  Teasdale  was  installed  pastor,  and 
the  work  was  pushed  forward  with  fresh  vigor ;  59  were  added 
during  this  pastorate,  42  of  whom  were  baptized.  Eld.  Teasdale 
9 


130  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

lost  his  life  in  the  terrible  railroad  disaster  at  the  Gasco#ade 
Bridge,  Nov.  1,  1855,  and  the  church  was  again  without  a  pastor. 
In  1854  the  church  completed  a  very  neat  house  of  worship,  that 
now  stands  in  the  rear  of  her  present  elegant  house  on  Clark 
Avenue,  below  Fourteenth. 

Rev.  W.  Barnhurst  was  the  successor  of  Mr.  Teasdale.  This 
pastorate  began  in  September,  1856,  and  closed  July,  1860.  Un- 
der his  ministry  the  church  enjoyed  a  glorious  revival  in  1857, 
and  was  greatly  strengthened.  There  were  added  in  all,  during 
his  connection  with  the  church,  by  baptism  87,  by  letter  56  ;  to- 
tal, 143.     The  church  numbered  172  members  when  he  resigned. 

Rev.  Elias  John  Foote  began  as  a  supply  to  the  church  in  Au- 
gust, 1860,  and  in  February,  1861,  he  accepted  a  call  and  became 
pastor,  in  which  office  he  continued  until  April,  1862.  The  ex- 
citing days  of  the  war  made  this  period  unpropitious  for  suc- 
cessful pastoral  work  ;  6  only  were  added  by  letter,  22  were  dis- 
missed, and  3  were  excluded. 

The  fifth  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  Y.  Schofield,  who  began  his  la- 
bors in  June,  1862,  and  continued  until  1869;  he  then  resigned 
and  became  pastor  of  a  church  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  At  the 
close  of  his  pastorate  the  church  numbered  197.  During  Dr. 
Schofield's  labors  with  the  church,  the  present  edifice  was  built 
at  a  cost  of  $50,000,  the  most  of  which  he  raised  after  having  in- 
augurated the  movement. 

Rev.  W.  Pope  Yeaman  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in 
February,  1870,  and  on  the  first  Sunday  in  the  following  April 
entered  upon  his  duties  in  this  relation,  and  so  continued  until 
the  first  Sabbath  in  October,  1876.  During  Dr.  Yeaman's  con- 
nection with  the  church  some  400  were  added  to  it  by  letter  and 
baptism ;  a  large  congregation  was  built  up ;  a  debt  of  several 
thousand  dollars  was  paid  and  the  mortgage  on  the  church  edi- 
fice cancelled ;  and  the  social,  spiritual  and  pecuniary  strength 
of  the  church  greatly  enhanced. 

Rev.  George  A.  Lofton  commenced  his  labors  as  pastor  early 
in  the  year  1877.  Under  his  ministry  the  church  grew  in  mem- 
bership and  efficiency. 

Garrison  Avenue  Church,  St.  Louis. — This  is  a  new  interest, 
having  been  formed  in  April,  1877,  of  34  members,  mainly  from 
the  Third  Church.  Dr.  Yeaman  Avas  the  first  pastor,  and  so  contin- 
ued for  some  two  years.  After  him  came  Rev.  J.  C.  Armstrong 
in  the  same  office,  and  in  June,  1882,  Rev.  J.  H.  Curry  was  in- 
stalled pastor.    At  first  the  church  worshiped  in  a  chapel  on 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  131 

Garrison  Avenue.  About  1879  or  '80  this  house  was  moved  to 
Compton  Avenue  and  Morgan  Street,  where  the  church  now 
worships. 

Just  here  we  pause  in  this  narrative  to  chronicle  a  few  events 
in  the  lives  of  some  of  the  pastors  of  the  Third  Baptist  Church, 
St.  Louis. 

Rev.  John  Teasdale — the  second  pastor  of  the  Third  Church, 
was  of  English  extraction,  and  was  born  near  Hamburg,  Sussex 
County,  New  Jersey,  November  12,  1806.  His  grandfather, 
Thomas  Teasdale,  was  a  Baptist  minister  of  great  respectability 
in  England  for  some  years ;  also  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury in  this  country.  His  father,  Thomas  Teasdale,  Jr.,  was  a 
man  of  more  than  average  intellectual  powers,  and  was  for  sev- 
eral years  a  member  of  the  state  legislature. 

John  Teasdale  was  the  oldest  son  of  eleven  children.  He  re- 
mained at  the  parental  home  until  he  was  20  years  of  age,  when 
single-handed  he  commenced  the  battle  of  life.  He  began  his  in- 
dependent career  as  a  district  school-teacher,  and  about  this 
time  he  was  brought  seriously  to  consider  the  importance  of  per- 
sonal religion.  During  a  revival  in  the  neighborhood  of  his 
school,  Mr.  Teasdale  was  converted,  and  in  company  with  a 
younger  brother,  Thomas  C.  Teasdale,  now  a  popular  evangelist 
of  the  South,  he  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Wantage,  New  Jersey,  by  the  pastor.  Eld. 
Leonard  Fletcher,  Nov.  20,  1826. 

The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  his  brother  above  named — 
Thomas  C.  Teasdale,  D.  D.,  of  Knoxville,  Tennessee.     He  says: 

"Almost  immediately  after  his  conversion,  my  brother  was 
exercised  on  the  subject  of  preparing  for  the  gospel  ministry. 
At  first  his  modest  nature  shrank  from  the  solemn  and  respon- 
sible task.  But  impelled  by  an  ardent  love  to  Christ  and  a  deep 
solicitude  for  perishing  sinners,  he  was  enabled  at  length  to  tri- 
umph over  every  obstacle;  and  at  the  solicitation  of  his  pastor 
and  the  church  he  entered  at  once  on  a  course  of  preparation 
for  that  blessed  work.  He  accordingly  resorted  to  Hamilton, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  spent  some  five  years  in  vigorous  efforts  to  store 
his  mind  with  useful  knowledge,  and  prepare  himself  the  better 
for  his  responsible  duties  as  a  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  His 
irrepressible  desire  to  make  the  most  of  his  time  while  at  the 
seminary,  and  the  ease  with  which  he  mastered  the  lessons  as- 
signed to  his  class,  led  him  to  suppose  that  he  might  safely  take 
an  extra  study  or  two  and  still  maintain  a  respectable  standing 


132  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

in  his  class.  He  ventured  upon  the  experiment.  But  after  awhile 
his  constitution  gave  way  under  the  pressure  of  its  too  weighty 
burdens,  and  he  was  compelled  to  leave  the  institution  entirely 
before  his  intended  course  was  fully  completed. 

"  His  marriage  with  Miss  Susan  B.  Losey,  who  survives  to 
mourn  his  irreparable  loss,  and  his  ordination  and  subsequent  set- 
tlement as  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Newton,  and 
of  the  Hamburg  Church,  which  our  excellent  and  venerated 
grandfather  had  served  for  twenty-five  3'ears  previousl}^  soon 
afterwards  transpired. 

'' Subsequently  he  removed  into  Virginia  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health ;  and  after  traveling  for  some  months  as  agent  of  the 
Sunday-school  Union,  he  found  his  health  sufficiently  restored  to 
justify  his  return  to  the  duties  of  the  pastorate  ;  and  he  receiv- 
ed and  accepted  the  call  of  the  Fredericksburg  Church,  Va.,  in 
1836,  to  become  its  pastor.  This  position  he  filled  for  several 
years  with  great  success  and  acceptance.  But  his  health  failing 
he  resorted  to  the  agency  work  again,  and  labored  for  a  time 
with  gratifying  success  in  behalf  of  the  Virginia  Baptist  Sabbath- 
school  and  Publication  Society. 

"  In  18-41  he  returned  to  New  Jersey,  and  settled  with  the 
church  at  Schooley's  Mountain,  where  he  remained  some  ten 
years,  diffusing  a  spirit  of  increased  zeal  and  devotedness,  not 
only  in  his  own  church,  but  throughout  the  association,  which  in 
his  early  ministry  he  had  been  mainly  instrumental  in  forming,"* 

In  the  autumn  of  1850  Mr.  Teasdale  removed  West  and  set- 
tled in  Upper  Alton,  Illinois,  soon  after  which  he  became  agent 
of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  for  Central  and 
Southern  Illinois,  Missouri  and  Iowa.  Subsequently  he  was 
tendered  the  agency  of  Shurtleff  College,  which  he  accepted,  and 
by  constant  and  laborious  effort  was  rewarded  by  an  endowment 
fund  and  finished  building.  From  Alton  he  moved  to  St.  Louis 
in  April,  1854,  and  was  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Third  Baptist 
Church.  From  the  commencement  of  his  pastorate  the  church 
moved  forward  with  new  zeal  and  energ}-.  A  lot  of  ground  was 
secured-  on  which  to  erect  a  house  of  worship.  The  laborious 
pastor  raised  money  for  the  purpose,  and  the  building  was  dedi- 
cated on  the  31st  of  December,  1854.  This  house,  in  the  rear 
of  the  present  main  edifice,  is  now  used  by  the  church  as  its 
chapel,  in  which  it  holds  prayer  meetings,  socials,  Sunday^ 
school,  &c. 

*  Letter  of  T.  C.  Teasdale,  D.  D.,  in  Westet^n  Watchman,  Dec,  1855, 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  133 

Eld.  Teasdale's  pastorate  was  a  very  successful  one,  and  lasted 
one  year  and  eight  months,  during  which  he  greatly  endeared 
himself  to  the  church  and  won  the  profound  respect  of  the  com- 
munity. Neither  the  pastor  nor  the  church,  but  the  infinite 
Master,  terminated  his  pastorate.  We  have  the  following  ac- 
count of  his  sudden  death  : 

"  It  will  be  long  before  the  citizens  of  St.  Louis,  and  particu- 
larly many  members  of  the  Third  Baptist  Church,  will  forget 
that  heart-rending  disaster  which  resulted  in  the  death  of  many 
valuable  lives,  among  which  is  numbered  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Mr.  Teasdale,  in  company  with  other  invited  guests, 
was  on  an  excursion  in  honor  of  the  opening  of  the  Missouri 
Pacific  Eailroad.  The  train  reached  and  went  upon  the  bridge 
that  spans  the  Gasconade  Eivcr.  The  cheerful  company  was 
shocked  by  the  sudden  creaking  and  crashing  of  timbers.  But 
few  fleeting  moments  were  left  for  venting  thought  or  feeling. 
As  the  train  went  down,  the  beloved  Teasdale  was  heard,  by  one 
who  survived,  to  remark,  '  Great  God  !  how  terrible  are  thy 
judgments.'  This  was  on  the  5th  day  of  November,  1855.  These, 
so  far  as  man  knows,  were  his  last  words.  Thus  terminated  the 
life  of  one  deserving  the  highest  encomium  that  human  lips  can 
give:  'He  was  a  good  man.'  "  (Manual  of  Third  Baptist  Church, 
St.  Louis,  p.  29.) 

Seven  children  were  the  fruit  of  Mr.  Teasdale's  first  and  only 
marriage,  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  all  of  whom,  with  the 
wife,  survived  the  husband  and  father.  "  The  five  sons  and  the 
mother  are  members  of  the  Third  Church.  The  daughters  are 
members  of  Baptist  churches  elsewhere." 

Eev.  Washington  Barnhurst — for  several  years  the  devoted 
and  successful  pastor  of  the  Third  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  and 
youngest  son  of  Joseph  and  Priscilla  Barnhurst,  was  born  in 
Philadelphia,  December  30,  1880.  From  infancy  he  grew  up  with 
a  deep  reverence  for  the  teachings  of  the  gospel,  and  during  a 
special  awakening  in  the  Broad  Street  Church  in  his  native  city, 
was  converted  and  baptized  by  Eev.  J.  Lansing  Burrows,  D.  D., 
March  8th,  1846.  With  Edward  Payson's  "  passion  for  souls," 
it  was  natural  that  he  should  seek  the  ministiy. 

After  graduating  at  the  Philadelphia  High  School,  and  after- 
ward at  the  University  of  Lewisburg,  he  entered  Eochester  The- 
ological Seminary.  Here  he  pursued  a  course  in  theology  with 
zest  and  industry,  reached  great  eminence  in  his  class,  graduated, 
and  in  September,  1853,  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  church  at 


134  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

Chestnut  Hill,  Penn.  He  was  married  on  the  15th  of  the  same 
month  to  Miss  Jennie  S.  Clark  of  Eochester,  N.  Y.  During  his 
brief  pastorate  at  Chestnut  Hill  the  church  was  blessed  with 
large  accessions.  He  spent  the  entire  winter  of  1853-'4  in  pro- 
tracted meetings  at  Chestnut  Hill  and  Plymouth,  then  an  out- 
station.  The  large  number  of  conversions  at  the  last  named 
place  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  Plymouth  Church. 

From  1854  to  1856  he  was  pastor  of  Burlington  Church,  New 
Jersey.  Here  he  had  a  successful  pastorate,  and  led  many  con- 
verts into  the  baptismal  waters.  Each  Sabbath  afternoon  he 
preached  for  the  little  church  at  Florence,  where,  in  the  winter 
of  1855-'6  he  held  a  protracted  meeting;  and  it  is  supposed  that 
his  exposure  incident  to  these  labors  outside  his  duties  as  pastor, 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  disease  which  resulted  in  his  early 
death. 

In  search  of  health,  he  visited  in  the  spring  of  1856  his  friends 
in  St.  Louis.  He  became  interested  in  the  Third  Baptist  Church 
of  that  city,  then  for  some  time  destitute  of  a  pastor.  "  The 
church  was  weak  and  the  congregation  scattered.  He  became 
pastor  in  October,  1856,  the  church  being  dependent  on  the 
Southern  Baptist  Board  for  support.  His  first  year  was  one  of 
sowing.  Only  1  was  baptized,  and  9  received  by  letter;  while 
5  were  dismissed  and  2  excluded."  During  the  revival  in  No- 
vember, 1857,  the  church  was  greatly  enlarged,  the  congregation 
rapidly  increased,  and  about  100  were  added  to  the  church,  75 
of  whom  were  by  baptism.  The  church  soon  not  only  became 
self-sustaining,  but  able  to  help  others. 

"For  a  considerable  period  Bro.  Barnhurst  was  the  only  white 
Baptist  pastor  in  the  city  (the  other  white  churches  being  desti- 
tute), and  he  assisted  in  the  Zion  Church,  and  also  different  min- 
isters in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Louis.  Failing  health  compelled  him 
to  relinquish  regular  preaching  and  the  cares  of  the  pastoral 
office,  and  he  resigned  his  charge  July  8,  1860.  He  now  moved 
to  Iberia,  Miller  Count}",  Missouri,  where  he  purchased  a  farm, 
hoping  that  out-door  exercise  and  a  change  of  climate  might  re- 
store his  health.  He  removed  his  membership  to  Eichland  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  preached  in  the  destitute  regions  as  often  as 
health  would  permit.  But  he  constantl}^  declined.  His  last  ser- 
mons were  preached  during  a  visit  to  his  former  charge  in  St. 
Louis,  November,  1861.  After  this  he  was  confined  to  his  house 
until  his  death.  Early  on  the  morning  of  April  29,  1862,  he 
called  his  wife  and  sister  to  his  bedside  and  told  them  he  was 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


135 


dying.  lie  spoke  for  a  long  time  of  the  preciousness  of  Jesus 
and  the  joys  of  heaven.  Then  waving  his  hand  gently  and  ex- 
claiming '  higher,  higher/  his  spirit  left  its  frail  tabernacle,  and 
ascended  to  his  Father's  house  in  heaven."  {Manual  of  Third 
Baptist  Church,  pp.  32,  33.) 

During  his  brief  but  earnest  ministry,  he  baptized  more  than 
800  souls.  Washington  Barnhurst  had  a  warm,  generous  heart. 
"His  aims  were  simple,  his  nature  frank,  his  faith  abiding." 

George  Augustus  Lofton — is  a  Mississippian,  and  was  born 
in  Panola  County,  December  25,  1839.  He  was  educated  at  Mer- 
cer University,  having  finished  his  course  in  1859-'60.  His  orig- 
inal purpose  was  to  enter  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
but  while  studying  the  Greek  Testament  he  was  converted  to 
the  faith  of  the  Bap- 
tists, and  united  with 
the  Second  Baptist 
Church,  Atlanta,  Ga. 
For  four  years,  com- 
mencing in  1861,  he 
served  as  an  artillery 
officer  in  the  army  of 
the  Southern  Confed- 
eracy, In  1868  he  en- 
tered the  Baptist  min- 
istr}",  and  has  since 
served  as  pastor  the 
following  churches : 
Dalton,  Ga. ;  First 
Baptist,  Memphis, 
Tenn.;  and  Third  Bap- 
tist, St.  Louis;  in  all 
of  which  churches 
there  has  been  a  nu- 
merical, spiritual  and 
social  growth,  and  in- 
to their  fellowship  he  has  baptized  about  600  converts. 

From  the  commencement  of  his  work  as  pastor  of  the  Third 
Baptist  Church  in  1877,  his  labors  were  greatly  blessed.  Dur- 
ing his  less  than  six  years'  pastorate  with  this  church,  he  preach- 
ed 500  sermons,  delivered  over  1,000  prayer-meeting  and  Sun- 
day-school lectures,  taught  two  classes  almost  every  Sabbath, 
attended  over  100  funerals,  baptized  over  200  converts,  and  wel- 


FiDiii  "The  iJaptist  LnQclupeclia." 
REV.    G.   A.   LOFTON,   D.  D. 


136  MISSOURI  ASSOCIATION. 

eomed  as  many  more  into  the  church  by  letter.  During  this  pe- 
riod the  church  has  paid  off  a  debt  of  $10,000,  besides  meeting 
its  current  expenses,  which  have  been  heavy  ;  added  to  which, 
she  has  given  liberally  to  missions,  both  home  and  foreign,  and 
also  to  education.  When  Dr.  Lofton  entered  the  pastoral  office, 
the  church  was  struggling  under  division  and  declension,  but  the 
blessed  results  above  enumerated  have  been  achieved  under  his 
ministration.  But  the  strongest  may  be  too  heavily  loaded. 
Under  the  weight  of  hard  toil  Dr.  Lofton's  health  gave  way. 
In  fact  for  several  years  his  health  had  been  declining,  and  he 
was  compelled  to  take  occasional  vacations.  With  his  nervous 
system  completely  racked,  be  left  home  early  in  May,  1882,  for  a 
trip  South,  to  rest  his  over-taxed  powers.  It  was  on  this  trip 
that  an  unfortunate  episode  occurred,  for  which  the  few  cen- 
sured him,  while  the  many  exonerated  him  from  blame.  On  the 
12th  of  Jul}-,  1882,  he  tendered  his  resignation,  which  was  ac- 
cepted, whereupon  the  church,  without  a  dissenting  vote,  adopt- 
ed resolutions  expressive  of  the  kindest  Christian  sympathy  with 
him  and  its  confidence  in  him  as  a  true  Christian  gentleman; 
and  also  invited  him  to  preach  his  final  sermon  on  the  following 
Sabbath,  Julj^  16th.  The  occasion  was  one  of  the  deepest  in- 
terest. The  house  was  crowded  to  the  utmost  capacity,  eren 
to  the  filling  of  the  aisles  with  chairs.  Wrapt  attention  was 
given  to  the  sermon  throughout,  which  was  from  the  words, 
"  Finally,  brethren,  farewell."  Frequent  sobs  could  be  heard 
during  the  services,  after  the  close  of  which  both  young  and  old 
pressed  around  the  retiring  pastor  and  wept  bitter]}-. 

Judge  Marshall  Brotherton. — This  well-known  and  highly 
honored  citizen,  useful  and  beloved  Christian,  departed  this  life 
at  his  country  residence  in  the  county  of  St.  Louis,  on  Wednes- 
day, the  24th  of  November,  1871,  at  about  9.30  P.  M. 

Judge  Brotherton  was,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  a  deacon  of  the 
Third  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis.  To  mention  the  name  of  the  de- 
parted was  sufficient  to  awaken  admiration  for  the  noble  and 
generous  in  human  character,  and  inspire  reverence  and  love 
for  the  pure,  upright  and  humble  in  Christian  character. 

The  deceased  was  born  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  February 
5,  1811.  When  he  was  three  months  old  his  parents  emigrated 
to  Missouri  and  settled  in  St.  Louis  County.  In  earlj'  life  Marshall 
Brotherton  gave  his  heart  to  Jesus,  and  his  whole  subsequent 
career  was  one  of  singular  consecration  and  remarkable  piety. 
He  earlj^  won  the  confidence  of  those  who  knew  him,  and  while 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


137 


yet  a  young  man  was  promoted  to  positions  of  honor  and  trust, 
in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  which  he  impressed  the  public 
as  a  man  of  singular  fidelity  and  integrity.  For  many  years  he 
held  high  official  positions,  and  in  after  life  was  urged  by  the 
better  class  of  citizens  to  accept  further  and  higher  honors;  but 
his  naturally  modest  and  retiring  nature  shrank  from  additional 
distinction.  Large  success  attended  his  business  pursuits,  and  had 
not  his  large  heart  led  him  to  allow  others  to  use  his  name  in  their 
business  interests,  his  wealth  would  have  been  immense.  Be- 
nevolence, integrity  and  modesty  were  the  distinguishing  fea- 
tures of  his  character.  His  heart  was  an  asylum  for  the  sorrow- 
ing, and  his  purse  a 
treasury  for  the 
needy.  Than  he,  per- 
haps no  Baptist,  liv- 
ing or  dead,  west  of 
the  "  Great  Eiver," 
has  given  more  money 
to  the  cauae  of  Christ. 
His  funeral  services, 
which  were  held  at 
the  Third  Baptist 
Church,  conducted  by 
the  pastor,  who  was 
assisted  by  Drs.  John- 
son and  Burlingham, 
and  Bros.  Hickman, 
Morrill  and  Pogson, 
were  largely  attend- 
ed by  the  leading  cit- 
izens of  the  city  and 
county,  all  of  whom 
felt  th  emsel  ves 
mourners  and  losers.  The  life  of  our  departed  brother  was  an 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  that  a  man  may  live 
actively  and  successfully  without  tarnishing  his  character.* 

P.  J.  Thompson — a  deacon  in  the  Third  Baptist  Church,  was 
born  in  Newtown,  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  September  11,  1809,  just 
72  years  and  20  days  before  his  death,  October  1,  1881.  At  the 
age  of  12  he  removed  to  Philadelphia,  and  lived  in  the  family  of 
Joseph   Barnhurst.     At  20   he  joined   the  Nazareth   Methodist 

*  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  X. 


From  "The  Bapu.-t  l.ncyclupedia." 
IIOX.  MARSHALL   BROTHERTON. 


138  Missouri  association. 

Church,  but  about  four  years  after  he  became  convinced  that  the 
Baptist  belief  was  the  true  one,  and  united  with  the  Sansom 
Street  Baptist  Church  in  Philadelphia.  In  1836  he  came  West, 
having  previously,  on  September  4,  1833,  married  Miss  Mary 
Barnhurst,  daughter  of  his  friend  and  employer,  whom  he  leaves 
a  widow.  In  1844  he  settled  in  St.  Louis  and  united  with  the 
Second  Baptist  Church,  where  he  was  deacon,  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday-school  and  engaged  in  every  active  work.  His  broth- 
er-in-law. Rev.  "Washington  Barnhurst,  now  dead,  was  called  to 
the  pastorate  of  the  Third  Church  in  1858  and  Mr.  Thompson 
followed  him,  being  immediately  elected  deacon.  He  was  a  con- 
stant and  devout  attendant  at  public  worship,  until  disease  laid 
its  hand  upon  him,  and  he  was  ever  ready  with  counsel,  work  or 
pocket-book  to  help  a  church  in  its  work.  Said  Dr.  Lofton  :  "  In 
all  transactions  of  thirty  or  forty  years'  business  in  this  city — 
out  of  which  he  accumulated  a  handsome  estate — no  mortal  has 
ever  accused  him  of  wrong  or  dishonesty.  *  *  *  He  was  a 
good  man,  a  good  husband,  a  good  father,  a  good  citizen,  a  good 
business  man,  a  good  church  member,  a  good  deacon  and  a  good 
Christian." 

William  Marshal  Senter  —  is  not  a  minister  of  the  gospel, 
but  stands  prominent  among  the  Baptists  of  St.  Louis.  He  was 
born  in  Lexington,  Henderson  County,  Tennessee,  April  11, 
1831.  He  grew  up  on  a  farm,  taking  his  part  in  the  manual  la- 
bor incident  to  such  a  life,  going  to  school  more  or  less  each 
year  until  he  was  19  j^ears  old  ;  after  this  he  went  to  school  two 
years,  seeking  a  common  school  education.  In  1853  he  entered 
a  dry  goods'  house  as  clerk,  in  Trenton,  Tennessee,  four  years 
after  which  he  bought  out  his  employer,  and  continued  the  same 
business  until  1864;  in  the  fall  of  which  year  he  came  to  St. 
Louis  and  established  the  firm  of  Senter  &  Co.  Said  firm  j^et 
exists,  and  is  composed  of  W.  M.  Senter  and  William  T.  Wil- 
kins,  his  wife's  brother.  Its  business  is  "  Cotton  and  G-eneral 
Commission." 

Mr.  Senter  has  been  often  honored  by  his  fellow  merchants. 
For  one  term  he  was  Director  and  President  of  the  Merchants' 
Exchange;  also  three  times  President  of  the  Cotton  Exchange, 
St.  Louis,  which  position  he  now  holds.  He  is  Vice-president 
of  the  Texas  &  St.  Louis  Railroad,  a  road  now  being  built  from 
St.  Louis  to  Gale  City,  Texas,  a  distance  of  400  miles. 

In  1850  he  was  converted  and  united  with  the  Baptists  in  his 
native  state  ;  first  becoming  a  member  of  Bluff  Springs,  then  of 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


139 


Trenton  Baptist  Church.  His  business  in  Tennessee  requiring 
much  of  his  time  there,  he  continued  his  connection  with  the 
Trenton  Church  for  several  years  after  coming  to  St.  Louis.  In 
1870  he  united  by  letter  with  the  Third  Baptist  Church,  St. 
Louis,  then  under  the  pastoral  oversight  of  Dr.  "W".  Pope  Yea- 
man.  Here,  too,  as  in  business  circles,  Mr.  Senter  is  made  prom- 
inent by  his  fellow-workers.  He  fills  the  oflSce  of  deacon,  and 
has  for  years  been  president  of  the  finance  board  of  the  Third 
Baptist  Church  ;  he  is  also  superintendent  of  the  morning  Sun- 


^.^^ 


^■5^^!^^'' 


■\VILLTA>.T    M.   SEXTER. 


day-school.  With  a  liberal  hand  he  contributes  to  missions — 
state,  domestic  and  foreign;  and,  best  of  all,  he  said  to  the  wri- 
ter of  this  notice:  "  If  I  have  been  able  to  honor  God  in  the  po- 
sitions I  have  held,  that  is  all  I  desire." 

The  Fourth  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis — was  organized  Sep- 
tember 21,  1851,  under  the  name  of  the  Zion  Baptist  Church. 
There  were  16  constituent  members.  They  worshiped  in  Stur- 
geon Market  Hall  until  April  24, 1859.  They  then  entered  the  base- 


140  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

ment  of  the  present  house  of  worship,  under  the  name  of  the 
Fourth  Church.  Much  good  was  done  under  the  first  pastorate. 
The  early  history  of  the  church  was  very  discouraging,  and  after 
six  years  of  struggling  against  what  seemed  to  be  insurmounta- 
ble obstacles,  they  held  a  special  meeting  on  the  10th  of  October, 
1857,  to  consider  the  question  of  dissolving  the  organization  and 
abandoning  the  enterprise.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  con- 
sult with  the  other  churches  in  the  city.  It  was  finally  agreed 
that  one  more  efi'ort  should  be  made  to  sustain  the  undertaking. 
During  the  revival  of  1858,  the  church  was  much  increased,  and 
in  1859  the  membership  had  reached  150. 

The  war  came  on,  and  new  difficulties  gathered  around  the 
church.  Again,  in  1861,  the  chief  supporters  of  the  church  held 
a  consultation  to  determine  the  second  time  whether  the  effort 
to  build  up  a  Baptist  church  in  ISJ^orth  St.  Louis  should  be  finally 
abandoned,  but  all  this  while  there  were  some  faithful  men  and 
women  who  stood  by  the  enterprise  and  gave  it  their  prayers 
and  labor. 

The  pastorates  have  been  somewhat  brief,  as  might  be  expect- 
ed under  so  many  discouragements.  The  following  is  a  list:  Ed- 
ward I,  Owen,  Thos.  Morton,  Geo.  Howell,  Geo.  Mitchell,  E.  G. 
Taylor,  "VV.  B.  Bolton,  Thomas  Morton  (second  term),  A.  C.  Os- 
born,  D.  T.  Morrill,  M.  H.  Pogson  and  J.  V.  Schofield,  under 
whose  labors  the  church  has  been  gradually  building  up,  and  a 
cumbersome  debt  has  been  recently  paid  off. 

J.  V.  Schofield  —  is  a  native  of  Chautauqua  County,  New 
York,  the  eldest  of  a  famil}-  of  eight  children,  born  December 
4,  1825.  His  father,  Jamos  Schofield,  is  yet  living,  and  has 
been  formanj^  j^ears  in  the  ministry  of  the  Baptist  denomination. 
In  1843  the  family  removed  to  Illinois,  but  young  Schofield  re- 
mained one  year  and  attended  the  Mayville  Academy  in  his  na- 
tive county,  where,  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year,  he  made  9, 
pi-ofession  of  religion,  was  baptized  by  Rev.  O.  Dodge,  and  join- 
ed the  Mayville  Baptist  Church. 

In  the  fall  of  1848  he  entered  Madison  University;  three  years 
thereafter  he  became  a  member  of  the  junior  class  in  the  Uni- 
versit}^  of  Rochester,  and  graduated  in  1852.  He  then  entered 
the  Rochester  Theological  Seminary  and  graduated  in  1854.  In 
July  of  that  year  he  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  E.  Frary,  daugh- 
ter of  a  Baptist  preacher.  Immediately  after,  he  entered  his 
first  pastorate  in  the  Jeft'erson  Street  Church,  Louisville,  ^y. 
Here  he  was  ordained  the  24th  of  October,  1854.     During  his 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


141 


four  years'  occupancy  of  the  pastoral  ofBce,  this  church  added 
to  its  original  16  members,  94  by  baptism  and  87  by  letter. 
From  Louisville,  Eld.  Schofield  removed  to  Quincy,  Illinois,  in 
May,  1858,  to  acj^ept  the  care  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
that  city,  where  he  labored  a  little  over  four  years,  and,  under 
his  administration,  86  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism  and 
60  by  letter. 

In  the  summer  of  1862,  while  visiting  his  brother.  Gen.  Scho- 
field, in  St.  Louis,  he  was  invited  to  supply  the  pulpit  of  the 
Third  Baptist  Church,  on  Sabbath  morning.  Soon  after,  re- 
ceiving an  invitation 

to  become  their   pas-  ^^^^^r     ''"'-O' 

tor,  he  resigned  his 
charge  at  Quincy,  and 
settled  as  pastor  of 
the  Third  Baptist 
Church,  St.  Louis, 
commencing  his  la- 
bors July  1,  1862. 
{Manual  of  Third  Bap- 
tist Churchy  St.  Louis.) 
His  pastorate  here  of 
seven  years,  was  dur- 
ing a  very  critical 
period,  civil  strife  di-f 
viding  families  and 
former  friends ;  but 
under  his  wise  admin- 
istration the  church 
prospered.  The  pres- 
ent edifice  was  built  at 
a  cost  of  $50,000.  Dr.  Schofield  inaugurated  the  movement  and 
raised  most  of  the  money.  The  house  was  dedicated  May  12, 1866. 
Under  his  pastorate  the  church  took  rank  with  the  first  church- 
es in  the  city.  In  1869,  he  was  elected  to,  and  accepted,  the  pas- 
toral ofiice  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  In  one  year  the  house  of  wor- 
ship was  completed,  a  debt  of  $5, 000  provided  for,  and  a  revival 
ensued  in  which  80  were  baptized.  He  next  moved  to  New  Brit- 
ain, Connecticut,  in  1871,  and  for  four  and  a  half  years  was  pas- 
tor here,  adding  305  members  to  the  church,  225  of  whom  were 
by  baptism. 

In  1876  he  returned  to  St.  Louis,  and  was  installed  pastor  of 


Frum  ••In.;  iiaiJtist  Eucyciopcdia. 
J.  V.  SCHOFIELD,  D.  D. 


142  MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

the  Fourth  Baptist  Church,  his  present  field.  Here  the  edifice 
has  been  thoroughly  repaired,  debts  paid,  and  the  church  im- 
proved financially,  socially  and  spiritually.  In  May,  1880,  La 
Grange  College  conferred  on  him  the  honorary  degree  of  Doc- 
tor of  Divinity,  and  in  June  of  the  same  year  the  Chicago  Uni- 
versity conferred  on  him  the  same  degree.  Dr.  Schofield  is  a 
clear  thinker,  an  able  preacher,  an  earnest  and  efficient  pastor, 
and  has  baptized  over  600  persons.* 

Eev.  J.  y,  Schofield  was  the  contributor  of  the  other  bio- 
graphical sketches  from  Missouri,  for  Dr.  C&thcart' s  Baptist  Ency- 
clopedia. 

Carondelet  Baptist  Church  of  St.  Louis. — The  first  interest 
fostered  by  Baptists  at  Carondelet  was  a  mission  Suuday-school 
established  in  the  spring  of  1864,  with  occasional  preaching  by 
Rev.  John  Finkburg.  The  first  gathering  for  this  purpose  con- 
sisted of  8  children,  but  the  number  soon  swelled  to  130  pupils 
and  15  teachers.  The  meetings  were  held  in  Odd  Fellow's  Hall, 
corner  of  Nebraska  and  Main  Streets.  This  work  was  forward- 
ed somewhat  by  Dr.  Anderson,  then  pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist 
Church,  St.  Louis.  November  3, 1867,  under  the  guidance  of  Dr. 
Adiel  Sherwood,  the  Carondelet  Baptist  Church  was  organized 
at  the  house  of  Clinton  S.  Barrett,  corner  of  Second  and  Taylor 
Streets.  The  constituent  members  were  5  in  number.  Dr.  Scho- 
field, then  pastor  of  the  Third  Church,  assisted  Dr.  Sherwood. 
Mr.  Morey  T.  Andrews,  at  the  solicitation  of  his  wife,  who  was 
a  member  (now  deceased),  offered  the  church  a  lot  of  ground  75 
feet  front  by  140  feet  deep  on  Fifth  Street,  at  the  head  of  Taylor 
Street,  provided  the  church  would  erect  a  house  of  worship 
thereon  within  fifteen  years  dating  from  July  1,  1871,  to  cost  not 
less  than  $10,000.  The  offer  was  accepted  and  a  brick  chapel 
has  been  erected  on  the  rear  of  the  lot  at  a  cost  of  $4,000.  leav- 
ing a  $6,000  addition  to  be  made  within  four  years. 

The  first  regular  pastor  was  Fred.  Bowers,  then  J.  H.  Luther, 
after  him  Thos.  Hudson,  Jno.  Seige,  J.  H.  Breaker,  T.  J.  Koetzle, 
A.  F.  Eandall,  E.  L.  Schofield  and  G.  L.  Talbot.  The  total  num- 
ber of  members  from  the  organization  to  the  present  has  been 
267;  present  membership,  106;  Sunday-school,  average  attend- 
ance 100,  teachers  15.  There  is  also  a  Ladies'  Industrial  Society 
in  the  church,  which  has  done  efficient  work,  having  raised  $1,000 
for  church  purposes  among  themselves.  Altogether  things  look 
hopeful  at  Carondelet. 
*  Baptist  Encyclopedia,  Cathcart,  pp.  1034-'35. 


MISSOURI    ASSOCIATION.  143 

G.  L.  Talbot — was  born  near  Harrodsburg,  Kentucky,  June 
21,  1853,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  with  good  common-school 
advantages  during  his  minority.  He  spent  three  years  in  George- 
town College  and  two  years  at  Southern  Baptist  Theological 
Seminary,  at  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  made  a  profession  of 
religion  in  1869,  and  in  February,  1876,  was  ordained  a  gospel 
minister.  He  taught  school  for  two  years,  one  in  Kentucky  and 
one  in  Illinois,  and  while  thus  employed  supplied  several  pulpits 
for  short  intervals.  His  first  pastorate  was  at  Columbus,  Ken- 
tucky, beginning  May  1,  1879,  where  his  labors  were  much  bless- 
ed of  the  Lord.  On  the  first  of  January,  1882,  he  was  settled  in 
the  pastoral  office  at  Carondelet. 

Park  Avenue,  St.  Louis. — This  church  is  located  on  Park  Ave- 
nue and  State  Street,  and  was  organized  May  9,  1868;  13  mem- 
bers from  other  Baptist  Churches  and  15  by  baptism  were  en- 
rolled as  its  first  members.  J.  M.  C.  Breaker  was  the  first  pastor. 
His  successors  were  Geo.  Kline,  M.  L.  Laws,  D.  T.  Morrill,  J.  V. 
Schofield,  J.  T.  Green  and  C.  X.  Wester.  The  church  then  called 
Dr.  Geo.  A.  Lofton,  and  has  a  nominal  membership  of  130,  in 
reality  not  over  80.  It  is  situated  in  a  churchless  district  and 
is  as  much  a  mission  as  a  church,  says  the  clerk,  Jno.  Morton. 
They  have  a  Sunday-school  of  250  members,  with  "W.  L.  C.  Brey 
as  superintendent.  Prayer  meetings  and  also  young  people's 
meetings  are  held  weekly,  and  have  a  fair  attendance. 

Beaumont  Street  Church,  St.  Louis.^ — This  church  is  the  out- 
growth of  the  Jefferson  Mission  Sunday-school  which  was  or- 
ganized by  members  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  June  20, 1859. 
The  school  first  met  in  the  second  story  of  the  Jefferson  Engine 
House,  corner  Franklin  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street,  where, 
on  the  6th  of  January-,  1861,  a  neat  chapel  was  dedicated  for  the 
use  of  the  school.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  ^2,000.  This 
building  was  destroyed  by  fire  soon  after  the  war,  without  insu- 
rance. A  much  better  building  was  then  erected  on  a  lot  on  the 
corner  of  Beaumont  (Twenty-seventh)  Street  and  Morgan. 

October  4,  1866,  57  members,  55  of  whom  had  been  dismissed 
from  the  Second  Baptist  Church  for  the  purpose,  signed  the  Cov- 
enant, and  the  Beaumont  St.  Baptist  Church  was  duly  organized. 
Eev.  A.  A.  Kendrick  was  chosen  pastor,  and  continued  to  serve 
in  that  capacity  for  nearly  six  years.  In  the  first  three  years 
the  church  grew  to  182  members.  Mr.  Kendrick  resigned  the 
pastorate  June  1,  1872,  to  accept  the  Presidency  of  Shurtleff 
College.     He  was  succeeded  in  this  office  by  J.  C.  C.  Clarke  for 


144 


MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 


about  two  years,  and  Mr.  Clarke  by  J.  S.  Mabie,  who  remained 
as  pastor  until  the  church  was  consolidated  with  the  Second 
Church,  upon  the  removal  of  the  latter  from  its  location  in  the 
heart  of  the  city  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Beaumont  Street  Church. 
The  church  enjoyed  an  unusually  vigorous  and  prosperous  life, 
until  it  became  evident  that  it  was  the  purpose  of  the  Second 
Church  to  take  possession  of  the  promising  field  in  which  it  was 

located.  The  property 
of  the  Beaumont  St. 
Church  passed  into  the 
possession  of  the  Sec- 
ond Church,  and  the 
proceeds  of  sale  were 
held  in  trust  for  ex- 
penditure in  some 
new  field. 

In  June,  1858,  an- 
other church  was  or- 
ganized in  St.  Louis, 
called  Union.  It  was 
composed  mostly  of 
members  dismissed 
from  the  Second 
Baptist  Church,  In 
the  minutes  of  the 
St.  Louis  Associa- 
tion   for    1858,    they 

From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia."  rCpOrt       having      SC- 

KEV.  A.  A.  KENDRICK,  D.  D.  ^^^^^    ^^^    SCrvicCS    of 

Rev.  G.  J.  Johnson,  of  Burlington,  Iowa,  as  pastor.  During  their 
short  history  they  worshiped  in  the  commodious  house  formerly 
occupied  by  Dr.  Post's  Congregational  Church.  This  church, 
after  a  brief  career  of  only  a  few  years,  ceased  to  exist.  This  is 
all  we  know  of  its  history. 

Most  gladly  would  we  extend  these  sketches,  but  space  forbids. 
We  must  take  leave  of  the  Missouri  (now  St.  Louis)  Associa- 
tion. The  space  allotted  to  it  is  more  than  full.  This  body  has, 
for  the  past  twenty  years,  met  as  usual,  been  engaged  in  promot- 
ing the  various  enterprises  of  the  denomination,  such  as  mis- 
sions, Sunday-schools,  Bible  work,  &c.  It  is  now  confined  most- 
ly to  the  city  and  county  of  St.  Louis,  composed  of  about  twen- 
ty chui-ches,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  more  than  2,500. 


CHAPTER  TV. 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  ASSOCIATIOX. 

The  Baptist  Churcli  on  Loutre — Joseph  Baker — Indian  Troubles — Origin  of  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Bethel,  JNIt.  Zioii,  Salem  and  Concord  Churches — Formation  of  the  Mt. 
Pleasant  Association — AVilliam  Thorp — Preaching  in  the  Forts — J.  Hubbard — E. 
Turner — Golden  Williams — D.  McLain — Adventure  with  the  Indians — William 
Coates. 

IX  the  year  1809,  several  Baptist  families  emigrated  from  the 
State  of  Kentucky,  and  settled  near  Loutre  Island,  in  what 
is  now  known  as  Montgomery  County.  Among  the  number  were 
Eev.  Joseph  Baker  (and  wife,  perhaps),  and  John  Snethen  and 
Prudence,  his  wife;  also  one  or  two  families  by  the  name  of 
Brown. 

The  next  year  a  Baptist  church  was  organized  a  short  distance 
west  of  Loutre  Island,  which  was  the  first  organization  of  the 
kind  north  of  the  Missouri  Eiver.  It  was  organized  after  the 
following  form : 

"District  of  St.  Charles,  Upper  Louisiana,  the  first  Saturday  in  May,  1810. 
"We,  the  Baptist  members  of  the  United  Order,  whose  names 
shall  be  hereafter  written,  do  covenant  and  agree  to  live  to- 
gether in  a  church  capacity',  and  endeavor  to  hold  up  and  be 
governed  by  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  believing  it  to  be  the 
only  true  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  And  as  we  have  no  op- 
portunity to  get  helps  to  constitute,  we  do  therefore  form  our- 
selves into  a  church,  believing  it  to  be  legal  and  right,  as  we 
do  not  think  it  right  for  any  human  composition  to  be  binding 
on  the  conscience  of  any,  but  that  it  is  right  to  be  governed  by 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 

"  Samuel   Brown,    Joseph  Baker,    John  Savage,  Delaney 
BoLEN,  William    Savage,    John    Snethen,  Elisha  Todd, 
Benj.  Gammon,  Abraham  Groom,  Susanna  Savage,  Eliz- 
abeth  AViLLiAMS,    Prudence   Snethen,    Frances  Brown, 
Patsey   Bolen,  Mary    Savage,   Margaret   Jolly,  Sally 
Gammon,  Sarah  Todd,  Sarah  Groom." 
At  the  church  meeting  in  the  following  September,  Eev.  Jo- 
seph Baker  was  elected  pastor,  Samuel  Brown  was  ordained 
deacon,  and  "William  Savage  was  made  clerk, 
10 


146  MOUNT   PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION. 

During  the  time  they  had  pastoral  preaching  the  church  held 
regular  monthly  meetings,  but  in  the  fall  of  1811  these  were 
interrupted  by  the  death  of  the  pastor,  Eld.  Joseph  Baker. 
Some  were  added  to  the  church  during  this  period.  This  church 
was  organized  and  held  its  meetings  at  an  unoccupied  log  cab- 
in one-half  mile  west  from  Loutre  Creek,  and  some  four  miles 
north  from  Loutre  Island,  owned  by  Mr.  Williams  Warden.  This 
was  the  pioneer  church  of  North  Missouri,  it  being  the  first 
west  of  St.  Charles  and  north  of  the  river. 

Though  men  and  women  of  true  courage  and  bold  hearts,  these 
pioneer  pilgrims  were  destined  to  annoyances  and  sufferings 
scared}' dreamed  of  Avhen  ihcy  first  set  foot  on  the  soil  of  Mis- 
souri. They  were  compelled  literally  "  to  fight  for  the  field  "  in 
which  to  plant  Immanuel's  banner.  Their  houses  were  plun- 
dered, their  property  was  stolen,  and  they  were  driven  into  forts 
to  save  their  own  lives  from  the  ruthless  savages  whose  hands 
were  dripping  with  the  blood  of  many  an  innocent  sufferer. 

The  Indians  began  their  depredations  as  early  as  the  year 
1810.  In  July  of  that  3-car  a  hostile  band  of  Pottawatomies 
came  stealthily  into  the  settlement  on  Loutre,  nearly  opposite 
the  mouth  of  the  Gasconade  River,  and  stole  a  number  of  horses. 
A  volunteer  company  was  at  once  raised,  consisting  of  Stephen 
Cole,  Wm.  T.  Cole,  Samuel  Brown,  Messrs.  Gooch,  Patton,  and 
one  other  person,  to  go  in  pursuit  of  them.  They  followed  the 
trail  across  Grand  Prairie  to  Bone  Lick,  a  branch  of  Salt  Riv- 
er, where  they  discovered  eight  Indians,  who  threw  off'  their 
packs  of  plunder  and  scattered  in  the  woods.  Night  coming  on, 
the  party  disregarded  tlie  advice  of  their  leader,  Stephen  Cole, 
an  experienced  man  with  the  Indians.  He  advised  setting  a 
guard,  but  the  majority  exclaimed  against  it,  and  cried  "  cow- 
ardice." About  midnight  the  Indian  yell  and  death-dealing 
bullet  ai'oused  them  from  their  sleep.  Stephen  Colo  had  taken 
his  station  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and  if  he  slept  it  was  with  one 
eye  open.  He  killed  four  Indians  and  wounded  a  fifth,  though 
severely  wounded  himself.  Wm.  T.  Cole,  his  brother,  and  two 
other  persons,  were  killed  at  the  commencement  of  the  fight. 
Next  morning  the  survivors  reached  the  settlement  and  told  the 
dreadful  tidings,  and  a  party  returned  to  the  spot,  buried  the 
dead,  but  found  the  Indians  gone.     (Peck's  Reminiscences.) 

This  was  but  the  commencement  of  a  series  of  hostilities 
which  drove  the  settlers  into  forts,  and  finally  resulted  in  the 
Indian  war  of  1812-15.     After  being  greatly  harassed  for  some 


MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION.  147 

two  years,  the  little  church  near  Loutre,  with  the  exception 
of  Benjamin  Gammon  and  his  wife  Sally  Gammon,  and  Sarah 
Groom,  moved  higher  up  the  country  into  the  Boone's  Lick 
region,  where  the  settlements  had  become  much  stronger.  Here 
they  united  with  the  former  settlers  in  building  forts  to  protect 
themselves  against  the  hostile  Indians. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  John  Savage,  Delaney  Bolen,  "Wil- 
liam Savage  (clerk  of  the  church  on  Loutre),  Susanna  Savage, 
Elizabeth  Williams,  Patsey  Bolen,  Mary  Savage  and  Margaret 
Jolly  all  moved  across  the  river  and  settled  in  Cooper  County, 
not  far  from  the  present  town  of  Boonville.  Deacon  Samuel 
Brown,  John  Snethen,  Elisha  Todd,  Abram  Groom,  Prudence 
Snethen,  Frances  Brown  and  Sarah  Todd  remained  in  the  Boone's 
Lick  country,  and  subsequently  Mr.  Snethen  and  his  wife,  and 
perhaps  a  few  others,  returned  to  their  home  on  Loutre. 

The  fact  that  "William  Savage  was  clerk  of  the  church  formed 
on  Loutre  in  1810,  and  on  the  dispersion  of  the  church  at  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war,  having  been  driven  into  the  "  Upper 
Settlements,"  and  subsequently  moving  into  Cooper  County,  ac- 
counts for  the  records  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  being 
found  in  the  old  Concord  church  book,  for  it  was  but  natural  that 
the  clerk  should  hold  on  to  the  church-book  on  the  dispersion  of 
the  flock;  and  having  taken  it  into  another  county,  it  was  but  to 
be  expected  that  on  the  organization  of  a  new  church  he  would 
present  it  to  said  church,  to  be  used  as  it  had  formerly  been  ; 
just  as  William  Savage  did  when  the  Concord  Church  was  or- 
ganized in  1817. 

In  the  year  1810  a  number  of  families  emigrated,  mostly  from 
Madison  County,  Kentucky,  and  made  the  first  permanent  settle- 
ment in  the  Boone's  Lick  country.  Several  of  the  number  were 
Baptists,  who  came  with  the  purpose  of  planting  the  gospel  in 
these  wild  regions.  Among  these  Baptists  were  Col.  Benjamin 
Cooper  (one  of  the  pioneers  of  Kentucky),  Capt.  Sarshal  and 
Braxton  Cooper;  and  Elders  William  Thorp  and  David  McLain. 
These  were  joined  in  1812  by  several  Baptist  families  from  the 
Loutre  Settlement,  among  whom  were  John  Snethen,  Samuel 
Brown,  William  Savage,  Elisha  Todd,  Abraham  Groom,  their 
wives,  and  several  others,  who  had  been  driven  from  that  "  low- 
er settlement"  by  the  Indian  depredations.  Although  these  pio- 
neers were  in  hearing  of  the  savage  war-whoop,  and  the  more 
able-bodied  had  to  shoulder  their  trusty  rifles  in  defense  of  their 
homes,  yet  they  occasionally  met  to  worship  God. 


148  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

In  1812,  on  the  8th  of  April,  Elders  Thorp  and  McLain  held  a 
meeting  in  a  log  cabin  in  which  school  was  kept,  situated  only  a 
short  distance  from  Pranklin,  in  Howard  County,  and  organized 
the  first  Baptist  church  in  the  "  Upper  Country,"  "  Mount 
Pleasant."  The  following  were  constituent  members:  Eld.  Da- 
vid McLain,  Samuel  Brown,  Abraham  Groom,  John  Berry  and 
wife,  David  McQuitty,  Elisha  Todd,  Sarah  Todd  his  wife,  Wil- 
liam Creson  and  wife,  William  Monroe  and  wife,  Isham  Eevis, 
Berry  Wren  and  wife,  Shadrach  Wren,  John  Snethen  and  Pru- 
dence his  wife,  Josiah  Brown  and  Frances  his  wife,  Daniel  En- 
gart  and  wife,  Mr.  Hill  and  Mrs.Winscott.  Eld.  Wm.  Thorp  and 
wife  united  with  the  church  in  November,  1816. 

During  the  early  history  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  its  members 
were  called  to  pass  through  severe  trials  on  account  of  the  In- 
dian war.  The  people  who  remained  at  home  were  compelled 
to  live  in  forts  to  escape  the  Indian  tomahawk  and  scalping- 
knife.  Their  fields  were  cultivated  under  guard.  Their  meat 
was  brought  from  the  woods,  being  the  fruit  of  their  well-aimed 
and  trusty  rifles. 

In  consequence  of  the  war,  no  church  meetings  were  held  from 
September,  1812,  to  Januarj-,  1816.  During  all  this  time  Elds. 
McLain  and  Thorp  held  meetings  and  preached  in  the  forts. 
Eld.  David  McLain  was  chosen  pastor  in  July,  1812,  and  served 
in  this  capacity  until  April,  1819,  when  Eld.  W.  Thorp  was  cho- 
sen. In  February,  1824,  he  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by 
Ebenezer  Eogers,  who  continued  until  September,  1833.  In  1835 
Beubcn  Alexander  succeeded  Rogers  and  served  the  church  one 
year,  when  William  Duncan  was  chosen  pastor  and  so  continued 
until  1846. 

During  the  first  twenty-five  years  of  its  history  the  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant Church  had  several  divisions.  The  first  occurred  in  1817, 
on  account  of  slavery.  The  second  in  1831,  over  the  selection 
of  a  pastor;  and  in  the  following  year  another  occurred  upon 
the  question  of  missions;  again,  in  1834,  a  large  number  of  the 
members  became  disaff'ected,  withdrew,  and  went  off  with  the 
Campbellites;  and  finally,  in  1838,  quite  a  number  withdrew, 
and  united  with  the  Methodists.  Under  all  these  reverses  this 
primitive  community  stood  firm.  She  preserved  the  ancient 
faith,  and  stands  to-day  as  a  monument  of  God's  mercy  and 
goodness. 

Bethel  Church — comes  next  in  order,  north  of  the  river.  It 
was  situated  in  the  western  part  of  what  is  now  Boone  County', 


MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION.  149 

about  eight  miles  north  of  Rocheport,  and  organized  June  28, 
1817,  with  the  following  members  :  Anderson  Woods,  Betsey- 
Woods,  David  McQuitty,  John  Turner  and  James  Harris.  Wm. 
Thorp  was  its  first  pastor. 

Mount  Zion — another  of  the  pioneer  churches  of  this  period, 
was  constituted  December  20,  1817,  at  the  house  of  Elisha  Todd, 
four  or  five  miles  in  a  southerly  direction  from  the  present  town 
of  Fayette,  Howard  County.  The  following  persons  were  in 
the  constitution  :  Eld.  David  McLain  and  wife,  Thomas  Hulbarth, 
Elisha  Todd  and  wife,  Henry  Burnham,  and  Elds.  Golden  Wil- 
liams and  Edward  Turner. 

Eld.  McLain  was  chosen  moderator,  and  Henry  Burnham 
clerk.  In  June,  1818,  they  agreed  to  build  a  house  of  worship 
on  Bonne  Femme  Creek,  about  one  mile  north  of  where  it  was 
constituted,  and  in  1823  it  moved  back  and  built  upon  the  pres- 
ent site.  The  old  house  still  stands,  but  a  new  one  has  been 
built  near  by. 

In  1831  the  church  divided  on  the  mission  question,  but  we 
think  both  parties  continued  to  meet  in  the  same  house.  The 
anti-mission  brethren  have  not  met  for  worship  since  the  war  of 
1861,  and  only  about  three  members  remain.  The  present  mem- 
bership of  Mt.  Zion  Church  is  32. 

At  the  house  of  Wm.  Coats,  in  what  is  now  Callaway  County, 
Eld.  James  E.  Welch,  then  a  missionary  of  the  Triennial  Con- 
vention, on  the  31st  of  May,  1818,  constituted  the  "  Salem  Bap- 
tist Church,"  with  9  members,  5  of  whom  were  pious  and  prudent 
men,  and  one  of  them  a  deacon  of  long  standing  in  Tennessee. 
Immediately  after  the  organization  was  completed,  the  church 
celebrated  the  dying  love  of  Jesus  "in  the  breaking  of  bread." 
"The  meeting  was  a  solemn  and  deeply  interesting  one,"  saj^s 
the  venerable  Father  Welch  in  his  Recollections  of  the  West.  John 
M.  Peck  was  the  first  Baptist  preacher  who  visited  this  church, 
which  occurred  in  December  after  its  organization. 

Concord  Church,  Cooper  County. — On  the  10th  of  May,  1817, 
a  meeting  was  held  among  these  cross-bearing  disciples,  which 
was  attended  by  Elders  Edward  Turner,  William  Thorp  and 
David  McLain,  who  proceeded  to  organize  the  Concord  Church 
of  the  following  members :  Luke  Williams,  Polly  Williams,  Wil- 
liam Savage,  Mary  Savage,  DelaneyBolen,  Judith  Williams,  Ab- 
salom Huff,  Susanna  Savage,  Joseph  Baze,  Lydia  Turner,  Charles 
Williams,  Patsey  Bolen,  Sally  Baze  and  Elizabeth  Williams,  in 
all  14. 


150  MT.    PLEASAN'T    ASSOCIATION. 

The  following  is  a  coj)y  of  their 

ARTICLES   OF  FAITH: 

"Article  1.  "We  believe  in  one  only  living  and  true  God,  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these  three  are  one. 

Art.  2.  We  believe  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
taments to  be  the  written  word  of  God,  and  the  only  rule  of  life 
and  practice. 

Art.  3.  We  believe  in  the  fall  of  man  and  his  utter  inability 
to  recover  himself  from  that  lost  estate. 

Art.  4.  We  believe  the  doctrine  of  particular  election,  espec- 
ial calling,  believers'  baptism  and  the  final  perseverance  of  the 
saints,  through  grace. 

Art.  6.  We  believe  in  baptism  by  immersion,  and  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  that  true  believers  are  the  only  proper  subjects  of 
the  same. 

Art.  6.  We  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  and  a 
general  judgment. 

Art.  7.  We  believe  the  joys  of  the  righteous  and  the  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked  will  be  eternal. 

Art.  8.     We  believe  in  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ. 

Art.  9.  We  believe  it  to  be  our  duty  to  svppoii:  the  gospel,  and  de- 
fray the  expenses  of  the  church." 

This  church  was  located  in  the  settlement  south  of  Boonville, 
and  gave  name  to  the  Concord  Association  in  1823.  In  June  of 
the  year  1817,  at  the  second  meeting  of  the  church,  she  chose 
Elder  Luke  Williams  as  her  pastor,  who  continued  in  this  rela- 
tion until  his  death,  about  six  years  afterwards.  This  left  the 
church  in  a  very  destitute  condition.  The  membership  was  small, 
very  few  of  whom  were  males.  Such  was  the  gloomy  state  of 
affairs  when  Eld.  Kemp  Scott  came  among  them,  a  year  or  two 
after  the  death  of  Eld.  Williams.  He  was  chosen  pastor,  and 
for  a  time  the  church  was  greatly  prospered.  The  first  fourteen 
years  of  its  historj^  show  that  the  church  gradually  grew,  re- 
ceiving members  both  by  baptism  and  by  letter  every  year,  but 
at  the  same  time  dismissing  many  members  to  join  other  churches, 
and  sometimes  to  go  into  new  orgaiiizations.  During  this  per- 
iod its  numerical  strength  ranged  from  20  to  45.  There  are  no 
authentic  records  of  the  church  from  1833  to  1846,  a  period  of 
thirteen  years.  On  the  26th  of  December,  1846,  a  union  was 
formed  with  a  neighboring  church,  known  as  "The  Vine."  This 
event  added  considerable  strength  to  the  old  church,  which  to 
this  day  stands  as  "  a  city  set  on  a  hill." 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  151 

Some,  we  believe,  regard  the  Concord  Church  a  continuation 
of  the  church  on  Loutre,  formed  in  1810.  We  do  not  so  regard 
it.     We  have  aimed  simply  to  place  the  facts  before  the  reader. 

Anothe;!'  "Salem"  Church  was  organized  prior  to  the  year  1818, 
but  we  cannot  ascertain  when  it  was  organized  nor  where  it  was 
located. 

Saturday,  July  25,  1818,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Mount 
Pleasant  meeting-house,  Boone's  Lick  Settlement,  Howard  Coun- 
ty, and  "The  Mount  Pleasant  Association"  was  formed.  The 
5  following  churches  and  messengers  composed  this  first  meeting: 
Mount  Pleasavt :  David  McLain,  William  Thorp  and  S.  Brown  j 
Concord:  L.  Williams,  William  Savage  and  C.  W.  McWilliams; 
Salem  :  (the  last  Salem  above  named)  John  Croly,  Eeuben  Guage 
and  Joseph  Litterel ;  Mount  Zion :  Colden  Williams,  Henry 
Burnham  and  Edward  Turner;  Bethel:  John  Reed,  Anderson 
Woods  and  Lazarus  Wilcox.     Aggregate  membership,  161. 

These  five  churches  did  meet,  as  above  stated,  and  form  in 
point  of  time  the  third  Baptist  association  of  Missouri. 

Eld.  Wm.  Thorp  was  chosen  moderator  and  George  Stapleton 
clerk,  after  a  sermon  "  introductory  to  business  "  by  Eld.  Luke 
Williams.  Correspondence  was  opened  with  the  Tate's  Creek 
Association,  Kentucky",  and  the  Bethel  Association,  Missouri; 
with  the  former  by  letter  only.  Elds.  Wm.  Thorp  and  Edward 
Turner  were  selected  to  bear  the  letter  of  correspondence  to 
Bethel  Association  in  Southeast  Missouri,  some  two  hundred  to 
two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  away.  The  contributions  for  asso- 
ciational  expenses  were  $16.87. 

The  following  is  the  3rd  Article  of  the  constitution :  "  The 
members  thus  chosen  and  convened  to  be  denominated  'Mt. 
Pleasant  United  Baptist  Association,'  being  composed  of  sundry 
churches,  lying  and  being  in  the  territoiy  of  Missouri,"  &c. 

The  reader  may  have  need  to  refer  to  this  article  in  the  future. 

It  is  now  meet  that  we  should  inquire  somewhat  into  the  lives, 
and  if  possible,  learn  something  of  the  sacrifices  and  the  work 
of  the  ministers  of  this  early  period. 

William  Thorp. —  This  man  was  the  first  moderator  of  the 
Mount  Pleasant  Association.  He  was  born  in  Yirginia  in  the 
year  1772  ;  his  parents  were  from  the  old  world,  and  were  Scotch 
Irish.  At  a  very  early  age  his  mother  died,  leaving  him  and  his 
two  older  brothers,  Dodson  and  James,  in  somewhat  destitute 
circumstances.  The  father  was  of  a  restless  disposition.  He 
having  broke  up  housekeeping,  left  his  three  sons  to  shift  for 


152  MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION. 

themselves  in  the  midst  of  a  selfish  and  tempestuous  world.  The 
boys  became  separated  and  know  but  little  of  each  other  until 
they  were  about  grown.  William  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  tyran- 
nical aunt,  who  compelled  him  to  take  the  fare  of  the  negro  chil- 
dren. She  was  a  hard  mistress,  and  so  intolerable  was  her  treat- 
ment that  he  determined  to  get  away  ;  and  finally,  after  several  at- 
tempts and  failures,  he  succeeded  in  making  his  escape.  Not 
long  after  this  he  fell  in  with  his  uncle,  Thomas  Thorp,  with 
whom  he  migrated  to  the  wilds  of  Kentucky  in  1786.  Here  he 
encountered  many  hardships,  but  managed  to  support  himself, 
laboring  by  the  day,  month  or  job,  as  best  suited. 

Soon  after  his  conversion  he  united  with  the  Baptist  church 
in  Kentucky,  then  under  the  j^astoral  care  of  Eld.  D.  Chenault. 
Feeling  a  deep  impression  to  speak  of  Jesus  and  His  salvation, 
he  went  forward  in  praise  and  prayer,  and  began  at  once  to 
point  sinners  the  way  to  God.  He  was  now  in  his  20th  year, 
and  about  this  time  he  became  acquainted  with  Miss  Frances 
Owen,  a  daughter  of  Barnet  Owen,  late  of  Yirginia.  Frances 
was  the  youngest  of  three  daughters,  a  zealous  Baptist,  a  de- 
lightful singer,  and  an  attachment  sprang  up  between  them 
which  soon  resulted  in  their  marriage.  His  choice  of  a  wife 
proved  to  be  a  good  one,  for  through  all  her  long  life  she  ex- 
emplified those  qualities  which  adorn  a  preacher's  wife.  She 
would  say  to  her  husband  :  "  Go,  preach,  if  the  Lord  has  called 
you — He  will  provide  for  us."  When  first  married  they  were 
very  poor  in  this  world's  goods,  being  able  to  carry  their  en- 
tire possessions  in  a  sack;  they  were,  however,  rich  in  faith. 
They  believed  that  God  would  provide  for  their  wants  ;  and  with 
this  faith  they  coupled  industry  and  economy. 

They  hired  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Phelps  for  a  year;  he  to 
do  farm  work,  she  for  the  house-work,  wheel  and  loom.  Thus 
they  continued  for  three  years,  the  plan  of  salvation  all  the 
while  engrossing  his  mind.  He  still  wanted  to  preach,  but  had 
a  great  difliculty  to  encounter,  as  he  had  never  been  to  school 
and  could  neither  read  nor  write.  By  the  help  of  his  wife  and 
the  assistance  of  his  employer,  Mr.  Phelps,  he  soon  learned  both 
to  read  and  to  write.  Being  a  man  of  unceasing  energy,  he  press- 
ed on  through  every  difficulty,  overcoming  all  obstacles. 

He  commenced  preaching,  and  some  time  after  was  ordained 
to  the  full  work  of  the  ministrj-.  Under  his  ministry  the  church- 
es grew  and  prospered,  and  he  was  highly  esteemed  for  his 
work's  sake.     His  family  meanwhile  had  increased  to  six  chil- 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  153 

dren,  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  He  had  no  inheritance  of 
land  or  money,  and  having  heard  of  Missouri  and  her  won- 
derful riclmess,  he  put  his  little  household  goods  on  pack-horses, 
bid  adieu  to  friends  and  old  associates,  and  with  his  family 
started  westward.  About  the  1st  of  J^ovember,  1809,  he  pitched 
his  tent  at  Loutrc  Island,  now  in  Montgomery  County,  Missouri. 
At  St.  Charles,  then  occujoicd  mostly  by  French  and  Spaniards, 
with  a  slight  sprinkle  of  Americans,  they  passed  the  border  of 
civilization.  The  following  spring  he  left  his  family  in  charge 
of  his  brother  James,  who  had  come  with  him  from  Kentucky, 
and  went  about  a  hundred  miles  further  up  the  river,  and  made  a 
crop  in  Boone's  Lick  Bottom,  now  Howard  County.  On  Christ- 
mas eve,  in  1810,  he  landed  with  his  family  at  his  new  camp, 
made  of  split  slabs,  in  company  with  about  five  other  families. 
In  1811  the  settlement  increased  to  thirty  or  forty  families,  and 
in  1812  the  increase  was  still  greater,  covering  portions  of  what 
is  now  Boone  and  Howard  on  the  north,  and  Cooper  and  Saline 
counties  on  the  south  of  the  Missouri  River.  In  this  increase  of 
population  there  were  a  number  of  Baptist  families,  so  that,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  Elds.  David  McLain  and  Wm.  Thorp,  in 
1812,  constituted  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  the  first  church  on  the 
Baptist  platform  in  the  "Upper  Counti'y ;"  and,  save  the  little 
fraternity  near  Loutre  Island,  the  first  church  north  of  the 
Missouri  River.  The  troubles  of  the  Indian  war  came  on  in 
1812,  and  the  inhabitants  were  compelled  to  take  shelter  in 
forts  from  the  ravages  of  the  blood-thirsty  savages.  This  state 
of  things  lasted  until  jDeace  was  made  in  1815,  during  which  time 
our  venerable  father,  William  Thorp,  traveled  from  fort  to  fort, 
preaching  the  precious  gospel  at  such  intervals  as  best  suited, 
he  and  his  companions  with  guns  in  hand,  lest  they  should  be 
attacked  by  the  Indians.  Through  all  the  suff'ering,  privation, 
and  many  narrow  escapes  of  those  fort  days,  God  preserved  him 
from  the  hand  of  the  prowling  savages,  while  his  brother  and 
companion  in  labor.  Eld.  McLain,  was  wounded  and  had  a  son 
killed. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  he  devoted  most  of  his  time  to  the 
ministry,  constituting  churches,  having  generally  the  care  of 
four,  some  of  which  were  forty  miles  distant,  and  often  visiting 
destitute  neighborhoods  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  scattered 
sheep  of  Christ.  He  indeed  came  as  one  "  preaching  in  the 
wilderness,"  and  his  labors  were  blessed  in  the  conversion  of 
souls  and  many  were  added  to  the  churches.     His  early  asso- 


154  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

ciates  in  the  ministry  were  Elds.  David  McLain,  Luke  "Williams, 
Golden  Williams,  Jacob  Chism,  Edward  Turner,  Peter  Woods 
and  Thomas  Campbell.  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  of  which  Eld. 
Thorp  was  first  moderator,  was  formed  in  July,  1818,  and  still 
later  the  Salem  Association  was  constituted,  and  churches  and 
ministers  increased.  Among  his  later  ministerial  acquaintances 
were  Elds.  T.  P.  Stephens,  Theo.  Boulware,  Berryman  Wren, 
James  Barnes,  Thomas  Fristoe  Sr.,  John  Longan,  Kemp  Scott 
and  Thomas  Fristoe,  Jr. 

In  1821  he  extended  his  preaching  tours  up  the  Missouri  Elv- 
er and  constituted  several  churches  in  Eay  and  Clay  Counties. 
Fishing  Eiver  Church,  from  which  Fishing  Eiver  Association 
took  her  name,  was  the  first  in  order  of  time.  He  moved  from 
Howard  to  Clay  County  in  1824,  and  united  with  Little  Shoal 
Creek  Church,  where  he  remained  until  his  death.  For  some 
years  he  was  moderator  of  Fishing  Eiver  Association,  and  was 
discontinued  as  such  only  when,  from  old  age,  he  was  unable  to 
serve  longer.  During  his  long,  hazardous  and  somewhat  event- 
ful life,  he  received  no  pecuniary  compensation  from  the  churches, 
but  on  the  contrary  often  contributed  of  his  substance  to  supply 
the  wants  of  his  needy  fellow-laborers  in  the  ministry.  He  had 
great  prejudice  against  what  he  called  the  "modern  missionary 
system."  He  witnessed  the  union  of  the  Eegular  and  Separate 
Baptists  in  Kentucky,  and  was  in  the  sejDaration  in  Missouri  on 
the  missionary  question,  and  went  with  the  anti-missionaries. 

In  doctrine  Eld.  Thorp  was  an  extreme  Calvinist;  not  as  much 
so  as  some  of  his  later  associates.  He  would,  not  unfrequently, 
when  preaching,  dwell  on  the  final  doom  of  the  impenitent,  not 
in  a  cold  phlegmatic  manner,  but  with  tears  trickling  down  his 
furrowed  cheeks. 

"  On  one  occasion  he  and  Eld.  Thos.  Campbell  were  returning 
from  a  trip  to  Eocky  Fork  Church  in  Boone  County ;  conversation 
had  abated,  and  Eld.  C.  had  lagged  behind.  Suddenly  he  rode 
up  by  the  side  of  Eld.  Thorp,  and  remarked  hastily,  <Bro.  Thorp, 
I  can  beat  you  preaching,  and  you  will  never  do  any  good.'  Bro. 
Thorp  said,  '  Why,  Brother  Campbell?'  'Because,' said  Bro- 
ther Campbell,  '  you  preach  right  straight  along,  and  the  Devil 
comes  right  after  you  and  picks  it  right  straight  up;  but  I  scat- 
ter mine  so  that  he  can't  find  any  of  it.'  This  was  the  plun  Bro- 
ther Campbell  took  to  tell  him  what  he  thought  of  his  preaching." 

Eld.  T.  P.  Stephens  used  to  call  him  the  "Great  Apostle  of  the 
West."    His  name  was  in  almost  every  church  book  in  the  state 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  155 

at  that  day  and  it  was  sweetly  remembered  by  the  people  of 
God. 

He  suffered  from  paralysis  in  his  left  side  for  about  two  years 
before  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  7th  of  March,  1853,  at 
his  house  in  Clay  County.  He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  and  was  bur- 
ied in  the  public  graveyard  at  Little  Shoal  Creek  Church.  His 
faithful  wife  now  sleeps  by  his  side,  having  died  in  1860,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  87  years,  68  years  of  which  time  she  lived  a  de- 
voted Christian  life.  (Obtained  from  a  sketch  in  Regular  Baptist 
Magazine,  Yol.  Ill,  p.  418.) 

In  his  Reminiscences  of  Missouri,  Rev.  J.  jM.  Peck  furnishes  the 
following  brief  account  of  Elds.  Hubbard  and  Turner: 

"Elder  J.  Hubbard — who  was  an  old  man  and  had  been  long 
in  the  ministry,  was  a  resident  and  a  preacher  in  Howard  County 
on  my  first  visit  (in  1818).  He  possessed  a  strong  mind,  and  had 
received  a  better  education  in  early  life  than  his  brethren  in  the 
ministry.  He  was  clear-headed,  Calvinistic  in  doctrine,  and  yet 
free  from  the  blunders  of  those  who  could  not  reconcile  the  duty 
of  sinners  to  repent  and  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with 
the  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  dispensation  of  his  grace.  I  found 
no  preacher  in  Missouri,  and  few  anywhere  else,  who  had  such 
full  and  correct  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  Elder 
Hubbard  possessed.  Yet  he  was  modest  and  unassuming,  with- 
out the  least  dogmatism  in  giving  his  views  when  solicited.  He 
was  quite  deaf,  and  could  enjoy  conversation  only  when  his 
brethren  spoke  in  a  distinct  tone  of  voice.  I  did  not  hear  him 
preach,  but  those  who  had  heard  him  repeatedly,  said  he  was 
slow  of  speech,  with  very  little  emotion,  but  very  instructive  in 
the  Scriptures  to  all  those  who  did  not  relish  mere  preternatural 
excitement.  He  did  not  live  more  than  two  or  three  years  after 
my  visit. 

"Elder  Edward  Turner  —  was  from  Kentucky,  and  came  to 
Howard  County  soon  after  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  a  man 
of  moderate  abilities,  and  of  correct  deportment  as  a  minister 
of  the  gospel.  His  name  appears  on  the  minutes  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant Association  of  1820,  as  a  messenger  from  Mount  Zion  Church, 
but  in  1826,  and  for  several  years  after,  from  the  Mount  Gilead 
Church,  which  I  suppose  he  joined  on  its  constitution.  About 
1832  he  appears  as  a  messenger  of  correspondence  from  the  Salt 
Piver  Association.  On  the  division  in  the  churches  and  asso- 
ciations on  missionary  efforts,  or  more  properly  on  the  adoption 
of  measures  through  the  General  Association,  to  sustain  mission- 


156  MT.   PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

aries  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  destitute,  Elder  Turner's  affin- 
ities led  him  to  the  anti-mission  party.  I  have  no  knowledge 
of  the  period  of  his  death." 

CoLDEN  Williams — wiis  another  of  the  early  Baptist  ministers 
of  the  Boone's  Lick  Settlement.  The  first  we  know  of  him  is  in 
the  Cape  Girardeau  country,  where  he  is  said  to  have  been  pas- 
tor of  Bethel  Church.  From  there  he  came  to  the  Boone's  Lick 
Settlement  in  an  early  day.  As  a  minister  he  was  highly  es- 
teemed. He  possessed  a  discriminating  mind,  very  much  loved, 
and  was  faithful  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  became  a  con- 
stituent member  of  Mount  Zion  Church  and  for  a  time  supplied 
her  with  monthly  preaching,  and  continued  as  a  messenger  of 
said  church  to  the  association  until  1830,  when  his  name  disap- 
pears from  the  minutes,  and  he  is  supposed  to  have  died  about 
this  time. 

David  McLain. — Although  David  McLain  was  the  first  Bap- 
tist minister  in  the  order  of  time  to  settle  in  the  Boone's  Lick 
Country,  we  have  reserved  a  sketch  of  him  until  the  last  in  this 
list  of  pioneers.  He  aided  in  the  formation  of  Mount  Pleasant 
Church  in  1812  and  became  its  first  pastor.  So  far  as  we  have 
been  able  to  ascertain  he  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  married  in 
that  state  and  emigrated  to  Missouri  with  a  young  wife  in  1810, 
and  settled  in  what  is  now  Howard  County.  He  lived  in  a  log- 
cabin  on  a  farm  in  the  river  bottom  two  or  three  miles  from  the 
village  of  Franklin,  where  he  was  several  times  visited  by  the 
pioneer.  Eld.  J.  M.  Peck,  in  the  year  1819.  Eld.  Peck  says  of 
him  :  "  He  had,  like  many  of  the  preachers  of  that  day,  some 
crude  notions  about  election,  predestination,  and  some  other  Bi- 
ble truths.  He  saw  no  way  to  reconcile  the  free  agency  and 
moral  accountability  of  man  with  the  divine  sovereignty  in  the 
dispensation  of  grace.  He  had  no  just  conceptions  of  instrument- 
alities and  means  to  be  used  in  the  service  of  Christ,  as  belong- 
ing to  and  constituting  a  portion  of  the  purposes  of  God.  He  could 
not  perceive  that  the  instrumentalities  God  had  appointed,  such 
as  preaching  the  gospel  to  sinners  for  their  conversion  and  sal- 
ration,  was  as  much  of  divine  appointment  as  the  official  work 
of  Christ  in  justification,  or  the  mighty  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  regeneration." 

Eld.  McLain  was  a  co-laborer  with  Eld.  Thorp  in  the  forts 
during  a  portion  of  the  war,  and  aided  in  gathering  the  church- 
es that  composed  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  and  was  present 
and  assisted  in  the  constitution  of  said  association.     He  had 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  157 

strong  prejudices  against  the  missionary  enterprise.  Eld.  J.  M. 
Peck  was  one  day  conversing  with  him  about  sending  mission- 
aries to  the  heathen,  and  mentioned  that  the  Baptist  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions  was  making  efforts  to  furnish  missionaries  for 
the  Indian  tribes  of  the  country.  Eld.  McLain  replied,  some- 
what indignantly  :  "I  will  give  as  much  as  any  man,  according 
to  my  means,  to  buy  powder  and  lead  to  kill  them  all,  but  I 
would  not  give  one  dollar  for  all  the  attempts  to  Christianize 
them,  as  you  call  it."  Somewhat  surprised  at  such  an  outburst 
of  indignation.  Eld.  Peck  inquired  for  his  reasons,  and  received, 
in  reply,  a  thrilling  narrative  of  his  privations  and  sufferings 
during  the  war ;  including  the  following  remarkable  adventure  : 
Early  in  March,  1813,  Eld.  David  McLain  started  on  horseback 
to  Kentucky  in  company  with  a  man  by  name  of  Young.  They 
traveled  without  molestation  till  they  reached  Hill's  Ferry  on 
the  Kaskaskia  Eiver,  on  the  old  trace  from  St.  Louis  to  Vin- 
cennes,  where  Carlyle,  the  seat  of  justice  of  Clinton  County,  111., 
now  exists.  Three  families  that  resided  here,  being  alarmed  by 
Indian  signs,  had  left  the  ferry  for  one  of  the  settlements  in  St. 
Clair  County.  The  ferry  boat  being  fastened  to  the  west  bank, 
the  two  travelers  crossed  with  their  horses,  and  had  not  pro- 
ceeded more  than  half  a  mile  before  they  were  fired  on  b}^  In- 
dians. Mr.  Young  was  shot  and  fell  from  his  horse.  Mr.  Mc- 
Lain's  horse  was  shot  through  the  body,  and  fell,  but  the  rider 
extricated  himself,  threw  his  saddle-bags  into  the  bush  and  ran 
for  his  life  with  several  Indians  in  chase.  Soon  after,  all  the  In- 
dians fell  back  but  one  stout,  athletic  fellow  that  seemed  deter- 
mined not  to  lose  his  prey.  Elder  McLain  was  encumbered 
with  heavy  winter  clothing.  The  Indian  fired  and  missed  him, 
which  gave  him  the  chance  to  throw  off  his  heavy  coat,  in  hopes 
the  prize  would  atti-act  the  attention  of  his  pursuer.  The  other 
Indians  having  fallen  back,  Mr.  McLain  made  signs  of  surrender 
as  this  one  approached  him,  having  loaded  his  gun.  In  this  way 
he  deceived  his  foe  till  he  got  within  a  few  feet,  when  he  assum- 
ed an  attitude  of  defiance,  watched  his  motions,  and  at  the  in- 
stant he  fired  dodged  the  ball,  and  then  with  all  the  energy  he 
could  command  ran  for  his  life.  The  contest  continued  more 
than  one  hour,  during  which  his  foe  fired  at  him  seven  times. 
In  one  instance  as  he  threw  his  breast  forward,  unfortunately  he 
threw  his  elbow  back  and  received  the  ball  in  his  arm.  They 
had  run  three  or  four  miles  in  the  timbered  bottom  down  the 
j*iver,  and  at  a  bend  came  near  the  bank.     Elder  McLain  found 


MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION.  159 

himself  nearly  exhausted,  and  it  seemed  to  him  his  last  chance 
of  escape  was  to  swim  the  river.  He  plunged  in,  making  the 
utmost  effort  of  his  remaining  strength,  and  yet  he  had  to  keep 
an  eye  constantly  fixed  on  his  wily  foe,  who  had  loaded  his  gun 
for  the  eighth  time,  and  from  the  hank  brought  it  to  a  poise  and 
fired  a  second  of  time  after  McLain  dived  in  deep  water.  By 
swimming  diagonally  down  the  stream  he  had  gained  on  his  pur- 
suer, who,  with  the  savage  yell  peculiar  on  such  occasions,  gave 
up  the  chase  and  returned  to  his  band.  Doubtless  his  report  to 
the  braves  was  that  he  had  followed  a  "  great  medicine,"  who  was 
so  charmed  that  his  musket  balls  could  not  hurt  him. 

On  reaching  the  shore  Mr.  McLain  was  so  exhausted  that  it 
was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  he  could  crawl  up  the  bank;  for 
he  was  in  a  profuse  perspiration  when  he  plunged  into  the  cold 
water.  He  was  wet,  chilled  through,  badly  wounded,  and  could 
not  stand  until  he  had  rolled  himself  on  the  ground  and  rubbed 
his  limbs  to  bring  the  blood  into  circulation.  It  was  thirty-five 
miles  to  the  Badgley  settlement  where  Elder  Daniel  Badgley 
and  several  Baptist  families  lived,  which  Mr.  McLain,  after  in- 
credible effort  and  sufferings,  reached  the  next  morning.  There, 
with  his  wounded  arm  and  a  burning  fever,  he  lay  several  weeks, 
till  some  of  his  friends  came  from  the  Boone's  Lick  Settlements, 
and  got  him  to  his  family.  A  party  of  volunteers  went  over  the 
Kaskaskia  Eiver,  buried  Mr.  Young,  found  Mr.  McLain's  saddle- 
bags, with  the  contents  safe,  but  saw  no  Indians. 

In  Februaiy,  1819,  he  was  stricken  down  with  that  often  fatal 
disease,  the  winter  fever,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  died  of  it  that 
month. 

We  omitted  to  say  that  the  Mount  Pleasant  Association  at 
its  first  session  adopted  the  following  article  of  faith :  "  9th. 
The  preaching  that  Christ  tasted  death  for  every  man  shall  be 
no  bar  to  communion,"  This  article  was  and  is  common  in  the 
confessions  of  faith  of  the  "United  Baptists"  from  Virginia  to 
Missouri. 

The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  association  was  held  at  Mount 
Zion  meeting-house,  Howard  County,  in  1819,  when  Mt.  Pisgah 
and  Providence  churches  were  received.  Salem  Church  pre- 
sented the  following  query :  "  Is  it  admissible  for  a  church  to 
license  a  sister  to  speak  in  public?"     Answer,  "No." 

Emigration  was  now  pouring  into  the  country,  extending  west- 
ward on  both  sides  of  the  river  to  the  Indian  boundary,  which,  on 
the  south  of  the  river,  was  the  west  line  of  Lillard  (now  Lafay- 


160  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

ette)  County,  and  on  the  north  of  the  Missouri  Eiver  was  the  old 
state  line,  running  due  north  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kaw  (Kan- 
sas) Eiver. 

In  1820  the  meeting  was  held  south  of  the  river  at  Concord 
Clmrch  on  the  Petit  Saline.  Seven  new  churches  were  admit- 
ted, viz. :  Petit  Osage  Bottom  (Teet  Saw),  Mt.  ISTebo,  Double 
Springs  and  Big  Bottom,  from  the  south  side;  Mt.  Ararat,  Little 
Bonne  Femme  and  Chariton,  from  the  north  side  of  the  Missouri 
Eiver.  Thomas  Campbell,  Eobt.  Dale,  John  B.  Longan,  Jacob 
Chism,  Lewis  Shelton,  Peyton  !Nowlin,  Wm.  Jennings,  Peter 
"Woods,  Ebenezer  Eogers  and  John  Bowles,  a  licentiate,  were 
added  to  the  list  of  ministers.  The  most  of  these  men  were  from 
Kentucky.  Total  membership  at  this  time,  401.  Elder  Peter 
Woods  was  moderator. 

"  Quarterly  (sometimes  called  yearly)  meetings  for  preaching 
and  other  religious  exercises  were  appointed  in  the  bounds  of 
the  association.  These  continued  three  days  and  were  kept  up 
by  the  association  for  a  long  series  of  years.  From  three  to 
eight  preachers  would  volunteer  to  attend  these  meetings." 

Elder  William  Coats. — As  a  member  of  the  "  Pioneer  Bri- 
gade" of  Baptist  emigrants  to  the  Far  West,  William  Coats  well 
deserves  a  place  in  this  chajster.  He  had  been  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  denomination  nearly  twenty  years  when  he  came  to  Mis- 
souri, and  a  few  years  after  this  event  of  his  life  he  became  a 
Baptist  minister.  He  was  most  likely  a  native  of  the  State  of 
Tennessee.  At  any  rate  he  emigrated  from  that  state  to  Mis- 
souri in  the  year  1817,  and  became  the  first  settler  in  a  small 
prairie  in  Callaway  County,  which  was  afterwards  given,  and 
to  this  day  bears  the  name  of"  Coats'  Prairie." 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  Callaway  County  was  formed  at 
his  house  by  Eev.  James  E.  Welch  in  June,  1818.  There  was  no 
pastor  to  pay  them  the  usual  "  monthly  visits,"  and  the  little 
flock  was  greatly  encouraged  by  the  influence  of  Brethren 
Coats  and  Smith,  who  kept  up  prayer  meetings  regularly  in  the 
community.     The  church  in  Coats'  Prairie  was  called  "Salem." 

lie  died  in  the  year  1834  or  1835,  and  is  thus  remembered  by 
the  association  to  which  he  belonged  (see  minutes  Salem  Association, 
ISoG) :  "  We  deem  it  due  from  us  to  express  the  high  regard  which 
we  entertain  for  the  memory  of  Bro.  William  Coats  as  a  faithful, 
zealous  and  devoted  man  of  God,  who  was  exemplary  in  life, 
patient  in  affliction  and  resigned  in  death." 


CHAPTER  V. 


MOTJ]S"T  PLEASANT  ASSOCIATION. 

(Continued.) 
Great  Prosperity — ^New  Associations  Formed — How  They  Divided — The  Case  of 
Lynch  Turner — Account  of  the  Division  on  Missions — Primitive  Baptists  and  Mis- 
sions, or  Who  Are  Primitive,  Missionary  or  Anti-Missionary  Baptists? — Thomas  P. 
Fristoe— Fielding  Wilhoite — The  Three  Horsemen — The  Old  Log  Court  House, 
Carrollton — The  Grand  River  Country — The  Devil's  Headquarters — Ebenezer  Rog- 
ers— "W.  H.  Mansfield — The  Terrills,  Jesse  and  Benjamin. 

FEOM  emigration  and  by  baptism,  the  churches  of  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant Association  increased  very  rapidly.  From  1820  to  1823 
18  new  churches  were  admitted — 32  now  in  all ;  dispersed  over 
a  country  some  200  miles  from  east  to  west,  and  25  miles  on  either 
side  of  the  river.  At  the  session  of  1823,  held  at  Pisgah,  Cooper 
County,  504  baptisms  were  reported,  and  218  the  year  previous; 
total  members,  1,523.  The  body  was  now  entirely  too  large,  and 
"  the  request  of  Mt.  Vernon  Church  relative  to  a  division  of  the 
association,  adhered  to.  "We  agree  to  divide  into  three  associ- 
tions — to  divide  north  and  south — so  as  to  leave  the  churches  in 
Big  Bottom  and  Chariton  to  the  east,  and  that  the  lower  part  be 
divided  by  the  Missouri  Eiver — the  upper  association  to  be  held 
at  Fishing  Eiver,  to  commence  the  second  Saturday  in  Novem- 
ber, 1823.  The  lower  association,  on  the  south  side,  to  be  held 
at  Mt.  Nebo,  to  commence  the  third  Friday  in  October."  This 
action  was  taken  at  the  session  of  1823. 

The  year  1824  was  a  time  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord.  The  association  met  this  year  at  Little  Bonne  Femme 
Church.  Eld.  "Wm.  Coats  preached  the  introductory  sermon; 
Eld.  Edward  Turner,  moderator;  Geo.  Stapleton,  clerk;  con- 
tributions, $57.29  ;  5  new  churches  and  2  ministers  were  receiv- 
ed; there  had  been  103  baptisms.  Anderson  Woods,  Thomas 
Turner  and  Jabez  Ham  were  among  the  ministers  raised  up  in 
the  churches  from  1823  to  1826. 

At  the  seventh  annual  meeting  in  1825,  held  at  Mount  Zion 
meeting-house,  Howard  County,  the  following  query  was  enter- 
tained, viz.:  "Will  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  advise  the 
churches  composing  her  body  to  receive  into  their  fellowship  a 
U 


162  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

member  baptized  by  a  person  out  of  their  fellowship  ?"  Answer, 
"No."  Muscle  Fork,  Little  Union  and  Dover  were  new  churches 
added  at  this  session.  "  Bro.  Rogers  presented  a  letter  from  the 
board  of  foreign  missions,  which  was  read."  The  treasurer  was 
instructed  to  pay  the  expenses  of  corresponding  messengers. 

At  the  session  of  1827,  held  at  old  Mt.  Pleasant  meeting- 
house, it  was  agreed  to  again  divide  the  association,  and  the 
line  between  ranges  13  and  14  west  was  fixed  upon  ;  the  churches 
east  of  said  line  to  form  a  new  association,  which  they  subse- 
quently did  under  the  appellation  of  "  Salem,"  an  account  of 
which  will  be  given  in  due  time.  The  division  still  left  16 
churches  and  10  ministers  in  Mt.  Pleasant  Association. 

About  this  time  some  "  wandering"  preachers,  called  "Christ- 
yans,"  disturbed  the  minds  of  some  with  their  Arian  and  other 
anti-christian  sentiments.  These  influences  were  successfully 
counteracted  by  the  publication  of  a  circular  letter  in  the  min- 
utes of  this  session  on  the  divinity  and  mediatorship  of  Christ, 
written  by  the  late  Ebenezer  Rogers. 

From  1828  to  1832,  Friendship,  Boone's  Lick,  Mt.  Nebo  and 
Pleasant  Grove  Churches  were  received  into  the  union.  The 
minutes  of  1832  give  the  following  abstract: 

Churches. — Mt.  Pleasant,  Salem,  Mt.  Zion,  Bethel,  Silver  Creek, 
Mt.  Ararat,  Chariton,  Mt.  Gilead,  Xew  Hope,  Mt.  Moriah,  Mt. 
Hermon,  Sugar  Creek,  Muscle  Fork,  Little  Union,  Dover,  Leb- 
anon, Friendship,  Mt.  Nebo  and  Pleasant  Grove. 

Ministers. — Fielding  Wilhoite,  R.  Alexander,  Thomas  Fristoe, 
E.  Rodgers,  Thomas  Turner,  H.  Thomas,  Felix  Redding,  J.  Bus- 
ter, J.  Radcliff  and  A.  J.  Bartee ;  18  churches  and  10  ministers  ; 
baptisms  reported,  91;  total  membership,  1,050. 

In  1834  the  association  met  with  Dover  Church,  Randolph 
County.  In  this  session  there  was  considerable  agitation.  The 
majority  of  one  church  was  rejected  and  the  foundation  was  laid 
for  a  division  in  the  body  which  came  next  year.  Two  letters 
were  presented  to  the  association  from  Dover  Church,  one  from 
the  majority,  another  from  the  minority,  each  claiming  to  be  the 
Dover  Church.     The  circumstances  were  these: 

"  Campbellism,  through  preachers  of  that  sect  and  the  Millen- 
nial Harbinger,  had  entered  the  state  and  sought  the  same  mis- 
chief and  division  among  Baptist  churches  in  Missouri  as  it  was 
then  working  in  Kentucky.  With  little  in  common  with  Bap- 
tists but  the  mode  of  baptism,  and  making  an  open  shoAv  of  it 
and  inveighing  against  pedobaptists,  they  claimed  close  affinity 


MT.   PLEASANT  ASSOCIATION.  163 

and  affection  for  Baptists,  when  in  fact  Baptist  churches  were 
their  chief  point  of  attack,  from  the  dismemberment  of  which 
they  expected  to  build  their  churches.  Eld.  Lynch  Turner,  in 
1830,  fell  into  their  toils,  and  the  church  at  Dover,  of  which  he 
was  a  member,  was  shaken  and  sifted.  For  two  years  he  im- 
bibed and  occasionally  taught  the  views  of  Campbell.  He  was 
arraigned  before  his  church  for  heretical  teaching,  and  witnesses 
were  called  from  Mt.  Ararat  and  other  churches  where  he  had 
preached.  On  trial  he  was  sustained  by  a  majority  of  the  church. 
The  minority  withdrew  and  sent  up  a  separate  letter  stating 
grievances  to  the  association  in  1834.  "With  two  letters  from 
Dover  Church  the  matter  was  squarely  before  the  association. 
It  referred  the  case  to  the  corresponding  delegates  present  from 
Concord,  Salt  Eiver,  Fishing  River  and  Saline  Associations. 
The  committee  of  whom  J.  B.  Longan  was  moderator  and  Pey- 
ton Nowlin  clerk,  decided  that  'the  minority  by  sufficient  evi- 
dence established  the  charges  against  Lynch  Turner,  and  that 
they  and  the  witnesses  from  Mt.  Ararat  Church  had  been  treated 
with  contempt  by  the  decision  of  the  majority  at  Dover  Church, 
and  that  said  minority  be  recommended  to  the  regard  of  Mt. 
Pleasant  Association  as  the  Dover  Church.'  The  decision  was 
adopted  by  the  association."  * 

The  missionary  question  was  the  next  thing  that  involved  dis- 
cussion in  the  meeting  of  1834.  The  following  further  details  of 
this  meeting,  also  of  the  meeting  of  1835,  and  the  division  that 
resulted,  are  given  by  an  eye  witness: 

"Not  long  after  the  Central  Society  was  organized  (September, 
1834),  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  met  with  the  Dover  Church, 
in  Eandolph  County.  Elds.  Fristoe  and  "Wilhoite,  who  were 
members  of  this  association,  were  present  at  the  organization  of 
the  Central  Society,  but  if  my  memory  is  correct,  neither  of  them 
joined  it.  The  fact  of  their  attendance  gave  offence  to  some  of 
their  brethren,  who  were  industriously  engaged  until  the  associa- 
tion met  in  exciting  prejudice  against  them,  j^articularly  against. 
Eld.  Fristoe,  who  had  for  several  years  been  moderator  of  the 
association.  A  great  point  with  the  anti-mission  brethren  was  to 
run  Eld.  Turner  into  the  moderator's  chair,  which,  after  a  regu- 
lar and  systematic  course  of  electioneering,  was  effected.  After 
the  strife  in  electing  officers  had  subsided,  the  business  was  con- 
ducted quietly,  until  the  queiy,  'What  shall  be  done  with  the 
missionary  system  which  has  made  its  appearance  among  us?' 
*Ekl.  S.  y.  Pitts,  in  Central  Baptist,  Yo\.  XIV,  No.  21. 


164  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

came  up  for  consideration  on  Monday.  Various  answers  were 
proposed  by  the  friends  of  benevolent  efforts,  which  were  re- 
jected. The  simple  proposition,  'Liberty  of  conscience  should 
be  granted,'  was  at  length  submitted,  and  after  a  debate  of  some 
hours,  was  decided  in  the  negative.  No  answer  had  yet  been 
suggested  by  any  person  opposed  to  the  Central  Society.  James 
H.  Birch,  Esq.,  then  a  candidate  for  Congress  and  a  delegate  from 
Fayette  Church,  whom  the  anti-mission  brethren  classed  with 
themselves,  j^roposed  for  answer,  in  substance,  '  That  the'  sub- 
ject of  missions  was  one  ujDon  which  Christians  might  conscien- 
tiously differ,  but  we  advise  the  churches  to  keep  it  out  of  their 
bodies.'  The  missionaries  were  silent.  The  antis  regarding  the 
mover  as  their  fast  friend,  carried  his  proposition  by  acclamation, 
and  as  it  was  the  only  remaining  subject  of  interest,  and  the  day 
far  spent,  the  association  adjourned  in  a  few  minutes  after  the 
question  was  taken.  The  adjournment  took  place  but  a  short 
time  before  the  anti  party  discovered  they  had  granted  the  mis- 
sionaries all  thej^  had  desired,  which  was  a  source  of  no  little 
chagrin  and  dissatisfaction.  Their  prey  had  escaped  them,  but 
they  solaced  themselves  with  the  reflection  that  a  year  would 
soon  flit  away ;  and  they  would  then  have  the  line  distinctly 
drawn. 

"  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  Elder  Stephens  of  the  Salem  As- 
sociation was  more  active  in  exciting  the  spirit  of  discord,  than 
any  minister  belonging  to  Mount  Pleasant.  It  is  true  that  Elds. 
Eatcliff,  Redding,  and  some  others,  were  as  hostile  as  Stephens, 
but  he  was  more  active  and  exerted  a  greater  influence  than  all 
of  them  together.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  in  his  zeal  to  sup- 
press what  he  conceived  to  be  an  error,  he  should  have  acted 
upon  the  principle  that  the  end  should  justify  the  means.  If  he 
had  confined  himself  to  what  he  knew,  or  had  good  reason  to 
believe,  his  course  had  been  less  exceptionable,  for  on  various 
occasions  he  endeavored  to  create  impressions  by  making  state- 
ments which  he  coiild  not  but  know  were  incorrect.  For  instance, 
at  Millersburg,  in  September,  1835,  the  Salem  Association  being 
then  and  there  in  session,  he  brought  up  as  facts  the  oft-repeated 
calumnies  against  the  late  Mrs.  Judson.  These  were  presented 
in  the  most  solemn  manner  and  a  stranger  would  have  supposed 
that  Eld.  S,  had  no  doubt  of  their  correctness;  but  when  Eld. 
Fristoe  inquired  of  him  whether  he  did  not  know  they  had  been 
disproved,  he  replied,  in  effect,  that  he  believed  they  had  been  ! 

"  The  Mount  Pleasant  Association  convened  this  year  (1835) 


MT.   PLEASANT  ASSOCIATION.  165 

with  the  Mount  Zion  Church,  Howard  County,  on  the  second 
Saturday  in  September,  just  one  week  after  the  adjournment  of 
the  Salem  Association.  When  the  letters  were  called  for,  two 
were  presented  from  Mt.  Moriah,  and  two  from  Friendship.  It 
seemed  that  minorities  in  each  of  these  churches  had  refused  to 
adhere  to  the  advice  given  by  the  association  at  Dover,  the  pre- 
ceding year.  Nothing  would  satisfy  them  but  the  excision  of  all 
who  were  tinctured  with  the  missionary  spirit.  Each  of  these  mi- 
norities claimed  to  be  the  church  and  sent  its  letter  and  messenger. 

"  The  four  letters  were  referred  to  the  committee  of  arrange- 
ment. When  the  committee  was  about  to  be  appointed  Elder 
Suggett  suggested  to  the  moderator  (Elder  Turner)  the  propriety 
of  appointing  an  equal  number  from  each  party.  When  this 
suggestion  was  made.  Elder  Stephens  remarked  that  he  was  sur- 
prised, or  that  it  was  strange  advice  to  be  given  by  Elder  Sug- 
gett, for  but  a  week  before,  when  precisely  such  a  case  occurred 
in  Salem,  Elder  Suggett,  the  moderator,  took  special  care  to  ap- 
point the  committee  of  arrangement  exclusively  from  his  own 
party.  To  this  Elder  Suggett  replied  that  Elder  Stephens  stated 
what  he  must  know  to  be  incorrect,  for  the  minutes  would  show 
that  there  had  been  no  such  case  at  Salem,  and  the  truth  was, 
that  no  respect  whatever  had  been  paid  to  this  subject  in  select- 
ing the  committee.  The  moderator  and  clerk  of  Salem  had  been 
appointed  with  power  to  call  in  whom  they  pleased,  and  it  was 
the  clerk  and  not  himself  who  had  called  in  others.  By  refer- 
ence to  the  minutes  it  will  be  seen  that  the  following  individuals 
were  in  attendance  as  messengers  from  other  associations,  viz.: 
J.  B.  Longan  and  J.  W.  Maxey  from  Concord;  E.  Clark  and  W. 
E.Price  from  Fishing  Eiver;  J.  Suggett,  Wm.  Duncan,  E.  S. 
Thomas.  T.  P.  Stephens,  A.  Woods,  J.  Barnes  and  T.  Campbell 
from  Salem ;  and  W.  H.  Helms  from  Bethel. 

"  It  was  obvious  on  Saturday  to  a  majority  of  the  brethren  last 
mentioned,  that  if  a  compromise  could  not  be  agreed  upon  there 
must  be  a  division,  and  with  the  hope  of  preventing  this  they 
met  that  night  at  the  house  of  Bro.  Sebree.  After  much  consul- 
tation the  corresponding  brethren  advised  the  missionaries  to 
submit  the  following  propositions: 

"  '1.  We  are  willing  to  be  at  peace  upon  the  principles  of  the 
United  Baptists  of  the  United  States. 

"  '2.  We  are  willing  to  be  at  peace,  if  the  association  will  ad- 
here to  the  advice  given  at  its  last  session,  yielding  to  all  the 
liberty  of  conscience  upon  the  subject  of  missions. 


166  TUT.  1»LEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

''  'S.  If  a  division  upon  the  subject  of  missions  is  inevitable, 
the  minority  proposes  that  it  shall  be  effected  by  advising  the 
churches  to  grant  to  minorities  in  each,  if  that  minority  request 
it,  a  copy  of  the  record  of  the  church  book,  and  that  in  all  cases 
the  majority  in  each  church,  -whether  for  or  against  the  forego- 
ing propositions,  retain  the  regular  days  of  meeting,  and  the 
church  book.  Should  the  minority  in  any  case  require  it,  they 
shall  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  the  house  two  days  in  every  month, 
selecting  for  themselves  any  other  day,  Saturday  and  Sunday, 
than  those  upon  which  the  majority  meet.' 

"These  propositions  were  given  to  Bro.  Sebree,  who  on  Mon- 
day morning  before  the  association  met,  submitted  them  to  El- 
der Bedding.  After  reading  them  Elder  Eedding  remarked  that, 
in  behalf  of  his  brethren  he  would  agree  to  the  last,  but  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  others.  At  a  suitable  moment  Broth- 
er Sebree  remarked  to  the  association  that  he  had  three  prop- 
ositions to  offer,  which  he  would  read.  He  wished  to  have  the 
first  adopted.  It  was  his  first  choice.  If  that  was  defeated  he 
would  offer  the  second,  as  he  preferred  it  to  the  third ;  but  if  he 
could  not  obtain  the  second  he  would  then  offer  the  third,  as  the 
only  alternative  left  them.  He  then  read  the  propositions,  but 
before  he  could  offer  the  first,  Elder  Eedding  moved  the  adop- 
tion of  the  third,  and  met  with  a  second,  whereby  Bro.  S.  was 
forestalled.  To  effect  his  object  he  moved  to  amend,  by  substi- 
tuting the  first  instead  of  the  third.  It  was  the  fixed  purpose  of 
Elder  Eedding  and  the  anti  brethren  to  avoid  the  question, 
whether  they  would  be  governed  by  the  principles  of  the  gener- 
al union,  and  they  would  have  succeeded  if  Bro.  Sebree  had  been 
ignorant  of  the  principles  of  parliamentary  proceedings.  The 
amendment  forced  the  association  to  decide,  and  the  question  be- 
ing taken,  whether  they  were  willing  to  live  upon  the  principles 
of  the  United  Baptists  in  the  United  States,  it  was  carried  in  the 
negative.  Bro.  Sebree  then  moved  the  adoption  of  his  second 
proposition,  which  was  refused,  and  the  libei'ty  of  conscience 
clearly  denied.  The  question  recurring  upon  the  adoption  of  the 
t'lird,  it  was  carried  in  the  affirmative.  The  missionary  party  then 
retired,  and  having  no  disj)osition  to  interrupt  those  who  occu- 
pied the  house,  adjourned  to  meet  with  the  Mt.  Moriah  Church 
on  the  fourth  Saturday  in  October  succeeding. 

"It  should  be  remembered  that  no  church  in  the  association 
had  taken  any  action  on  the  subject  of  missions.  There  were, 
perhaps,  not  more  than  thirty,  certainly  not  more  than  fifty,  per- 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  167 

sons  in  the  whole  association  that  belonged  to  the  Central  Soci- 
ety, and  no  one  of  these  had  introduced  the  subject  into  the 
church  of  which  he  was  a  member.  We  have  called  one  party- 
missionary  only  for  the  sake  of  distinction,  for  in  truth  a  large 
portion,  if  not  a  large  majority  of  those  so  styled  had  never  belong- 
ed to  any  benevolent  society,  and  stood  opposed  to  missionary  op- 
erations. The  question  which  caused  the  division  was  whether 
liberty  of  conscience  should  be  granted;  and  all  who  were  in 
the  affirmative  were  then  and  still  are  called  missionaries.  We 
have  remarked  that  when  this  question  was  fairly  put  and  decid- 
ed in  the  negative,  the  minorit}^  withdrew  and  adjourned  to  a 
future  day.  Both  parties  claimed  to  occupy  original  ground,  and 
each  styled  itself  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,"  (E.  S.  T.  in 
Mo.  Bap.,  June,  1843.) 

Note  please  the  closing  sentence  of  the  foregoing  quotation  : 
"  Both  parties  claimed  to  occupy  original  ground,  and  each 
styled  itself  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association."  As  a  historian,  we 
are  compelled  to  follow  one  party  or  the  other,  or  to  reject  both 
as  the  original  Mt.  Pleasant  Association.  We  have  no  personal 
interest  in  this  matter,  and  without  hesitation  shall  be  governed 
by  the  facts.     What  are  they  ? 

1st.  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  was  organized  upon  the  princi- 
ples of  *'  United  Baptists,"  and  so  continued  until  1835. 

2d.  In  1835,  when  the  trouble  came  up  on  missions,  the  oppos- 
ers  rejected  the  original  basis  or  constitution,  while  the  friends 
of  missions — the  minority — stood  upon  the  said  basis  or  consti- 
tution. 

3d.  The  anti-mission  partj'  changed  the  old  constitution,  drop- 
ped the  name  "United  Baptists,"  and  took  the  name  "Old 
School  Baptists."  Upon  the  other  hand,  the  missionary  party 
did,  and  to  this  day  do,  retain  the  original  name  and  constitution. 

With  these  facts  before  us  we  shall  follow  in  these  sketches 
the  missionary  party  as  the  real,  true  and  original  Mt.  Pleasant 
Association,  and  regard  the  Old  School  Mt.  Pleasant  Association 
as  originating  in  1835,  and  in  due  time  continue  the  history  from 
said  date. 

"Associations  among  the  Baptists  with  their  present  name  and 
model,  originated  in  Wales  between  two  and  three  hundred 
years  ago,  and  are  really  human  inventions  with  no  ecclesiasti- 
cal power  whatever.  And  so  long  as  a  Baptist  association  is 
regarded  as  a  voluntary  society,  with  no  ecclesiastical  power 
over  any  body,  made  up  for  useful  and  religious  purposes,  com- 


168  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

posed  of  messengers  from  the  churches  thus  united,  whose  privi- 
lege is  to  devise  measures  for  all  good  and  lawful  purposes  that 
individual  churches  may  and  can  do,  all  is  well.  The  trouble 
usually  has  arisen  from  resolutions  to  prohibit  or  require  action 
on  the  subject  of  missions  and  other  objects  of  Christian  benev- 
olence."    (J.  M.  Peck  in  Christian  Repository.') 

The  trouble  in  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  mainly  grew  out 
of  the  fact  that  some  of  the  members  of  some  of  its  churches 
had  united  with  the  Central  Society  for  missionary  purposes.  A 
portion  of  the  association  was  so  bitterly  opposed  to  said  society 
and  the  object  of  its  organization,  that  they  determined  to  with- 
draw fellowship  from  all  who  had  countenanced  the  society,  on 
the  ground  that  it  was  a  human  invention  and  unauthorized  in 
the  Scriptures.  These  brethren  were  no  doubt  honest  in  their 
opposition  to  the  Central  Society,  but  it  does  seem  strange  that 
they  could  not  also  see  that  Baptist  associations  are  as  really  hu- 
man inventions  as  are  mission  societies. 

The  following  extract  is  from  the  doings  of  the  old  Welsh  As- 
sociation, the  first  of  modern  times: 

"  In  the  association  held  at  Swansea  in  1654,  the  church  at 
Llantrisaint  proposed  to  assist  the  church  at  Abergavenny,  now 
Llanwenarth,  to  support  their  minister,  which  also  they  did. 
From  the  messenger  of  Llantrisaint,  also,  the  proposal  to  revive 
the  ancient  order  of  things  came  the  preceding  year;  that  is,  to 
encourage  and  support  the  missionary  cause."  (His.  Welsh  Bap., 
by  Davis,  p.  85.) 

The  anti-missionarj^  Baptists  claim  that  the  missionary  enter- 
prise is  a  **  modern  invention."  They,  no  doubt,  think  that  it 
is  ;  but  the  very  opposite  is  true.  Missions  are  as  old  as  Chris- 
tianity— no  new  thing,  not  even  among  the  Baptists.  By  the 
foregoing  extract  we  learn  that  over  200  years  ago  the  Welsh 
Baptists  promoted  missions,  and  considered  the  "missionary 
cause"  a  part  of  the  "ancient  order  of  things."  We  hope  the 
reader  will  not  pass  on  without  carefully  reading  the  quotation 
again.  The  oldest  Baptists  this  side  of  the  bloody  age — the 
times  of  persecution,  when  God's  true  witnesses  lived  in  seclu- 
sion to  escape  the  cruelties  of  the  Eomish  Church — were  mission- 
ary Baptists.  Tell  it  to  all  around  you,  and  wherever  you  go. 
The  real  old  school,  or  primitive  Baptists,  in  every  age  of  eccle- 
siastical history,  have  been  the  most  zealous  supporters  of  mis- 
sions, home  and  foreign.  This  is  written  advisedly ;  we  know 
whereof  we  affirm. 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  169 

The  "Welsh  Baptists  ma}'  be  considered  the  fathers  of  the  Eng- 
lish Baptists,  who  were  also  missionary.  Abundant  proof  of 
this  might  be  adduced,  but  our  space  forbids  more  than  the  fol- 
lowing: The  General  Assembly  of  Particular  Baptists  of  Eng- 
land and  Wales  met  in  the  city  of  London  in  1689.  The  follow- 
ing action  was  taken  on  the  third  day  of  the  meeting:  "After 
solemnly  seeking  the  Lord,  considered  and  concluded  that  a 
public  fund  or  stock  was  necessary  toward  maintaining  and  sup- 
porting a  regular  ministry,  and  came  to  a  resolution  how  to  raise 
it,  and  unanimously  concluded  that  it  should  be  raised  by  a  free 
will  offering;  that  every  person  should  communicate  according 
to  his  ability,  and  as  the  Lord  shall  make  him  willing  and  en- 
large his  heart,  and  that  the  churches  severally  among  them- 
selves do  order  the  collection  of  it  with  all  convenient  speed,  that 
the  ends  proposed  may  be  put  into  present  practice." 

The  uses  to  which  this  public  fund  or  stock  were  to  be  applied 
are  as  follows: 

''  1st.  To  communicate  thereof  to  those  churches  that  are  not 
able  to  maintain  their  own  ministry,  and  that  their  ministers 
may  be  encouraged  wholly  to  devote  themselves  to  the  great 
work  of  preaching  the  gosjiel.  2d.  To  send  ministers  that  are 
ordained,  or  at  least  solemnly  called,  to  preach  both  in  city  and 
country  where  the  gospel  hath  or  hath  not  yet  been  preached, 
and  to  visit  the  churches,  and  these  to  be  chosen  out  of  the 
churches  in  London  or  the  country,  which  ministers  are  to  be 
approved  of  and  sent  forth  by  two  churches  at  the  least,  but 
more  if  it  may  be."  {Crosbifs  Hist.  Eng.  Bap.,  vol.  Ill,  pp.  251-'2,) 

The  foregoing  is  submitted  without  note  or  comment. 

The  great  American  Baptist  brotherhood  almost  boast  of  their 
descent  from  the  English  Particular  Baptists.  The  first  and  old- 
est Baptist  churches  and  associations  of  America  were  mission- 
ary Baptists.  The  old  Philadelphia,  the  Warren,  the  Charles- 
ton and  the  Kehukee  associations,  all  had  missionary  plans  for 
promoting  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  We  submit  the  following 
testimony  on  this  subject: 

The  Philadelphia  Association  was  the  first  formed  in  Amer- 
ica, having  been  constituted  in  1707.  In  the  minutes  of  1750  the 
following  action  is  recorded  :  "  The  association,  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  advantages  and  benefits  that  will  arise  to  the  in- 
terests of  religion  and  the  cause  we  profess,  from  a  public  fund 
or  stock  in  bank,  *  *  *  -we  have  concluded  to  acquaint  the 
several  congregations  we  belong  to  with  the  proposal,  that  if  it 


170  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

seem  meet  to  them  to  further  so  good  a  purpose  by  sending  in 
yearly  such  sums  as  the  Lord  shall  bless  them  with,  and  incline 
their  hearts  to  contribute,  that  a  beginning  be  made  against  next 
year." 

Again  at  the  session  of  1771,  ''A  motion  being  made  relative  to 
the  appointment  of  an  evangelist,  *  *  *  five  ministers  were 
put  in  nomination  for  the  office,  viz. :  Eev.  Messrs.  John  Gano, 
Benjamin  Miller,  Samuel  Jones,  David  Jones,  Morgan  Edwards. 
The  choice  fell  on  the  last,  which  he  accepted  on  the  conditions 
then  specified." 

There  were  not  twenty  thousand  Baptists  in  the  United  States 
(colonies)  when  these  efforts  at  evangelization  were  made.  "We 
now  turn  to  the  Charleston  Association,  formed  in  1751.  This 
also  was  a  missionary  body,  shown  from  the  following: 

"In  1755  the  association,  taking  into  consideration  the  desti- 
tute condition  of  many  places  in  the  interior  settlements  of  this 
and  the  neighboring  states  (then  provinces),  recommend  to  the 
churches  to  make  contributions  for  the  support  of  a  missionary 
to  itinerate  in  those  parts."  (Benedict's  His.  Bap.,  first  edition, 
Vol.  II,  p.  135.) 

The  old  Kehukee  Association  of  N'orth  Carolina  originated  in 
1765.  In  18-32  it  became  anti-missionary.  It  was  a  missionary 
body  in  its  former  days,  as  will  appear  from  the  following  action 
of  said  body  in  1786  : 

"  From  the  frequent  requests  in  the  church  letters  to  the  asso- 
ciation, we  think  it  necessary  that  four  ministers  be  appointed  to 
visit  the  churches  in  our  connection,  each  one  to  go  through  the 
churches  twice  in  one  year. 

"  For  the  support  of  these  ministers,  we  think  necessary  for 
the  association  to  advise  the  congregations  thus  visited  to  con- 
tribute as  they  may  think  it  to  be  their  duty;  and  favor  the  next 
association  with  an  account  of  what  they  shall  do  for  that  pur- 
pose."    (Bnrkitf  and  Bead's  Hist.  Kehukee  Asso.,  p.  91.) 

The  foregoing  facts  will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  spirit 
and  disposition  of  the  Baptists  of  the  oldest  associations  on  the 
continent  of  America  relative  to  the  mission  work  of  the  de- 
nomination in  that  early  day.  We  have  given  them  that  all  who 
peruse  these  pages  may  have  a  proper  conception  of  the  contro- 
versies on  missions,  with  which,  in  these  sketches,  we  shall  fre- 
quently meet. 

Fidelity  to  the  truth  compels  us  to  say  that  the  anti-missionarj' 
party  were  the  aggressors  in  this  controversy.   There  can  be,  we 


MT.    PLEASANT   AS.SGCIATTON.  171 

tlhink,  no  doubt  on  this  subject,  and  in  confirmation  of  tJK?,  truth 
of  wliut  we  say,  we  refer  the  reader  to  the  propositions  of  Uriel 
Sebree  at  the  meeting  in  1835,  submitted  in  behalf  oiftftic  friends 
of  missions,  as  follows: 

"  1st.  We  are  willing  to  be  at  peace  upon  the  pmiciples  of  the 
United  Baptists  of  the  United  States ;  2d.  We  ar-e  willing  to  be  at 
peace,  if  the  association  will  adhere  to  the  advice  given  at  its  last 
session,  yielding  to  all  the  liberty  of  conscience  upon  the  subject 
of  missions." 

Both  these  propositions  were  rejected  by  the  opposers  of  mis- 
sions; hence  we  say  they  were  the  aggressors,  for  both  these 
propositions  were  reasonable  and  in  perfect  harmony  with  the 
original  principles  of  the  association  and  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination generally. 

For  the  reason  that  we  propose  giving  a  history  of  the  Bap- 
tists of  Missouri,  not  only  of  what  we  consider  the  Eegular  or 
Primitive  Baptist  denomination,  but  of  the  entire  Baptist  name, 
we  have  given  the  foregoing  facts.  And  further,  it  is  but  justice 
to  say  that  the  Baptists,  commonly  called  Missionary  Bap- 
tists, as  a  people,  have  never  yet  declared  non-fellowship  for  the 
Anti-missionaries  (this  might  have  been  done  in  some  cases) ; 
but  this  is  just  what  the  last  named  party  has  done  toward  the 
former. 

After  all  efforts  to  secure  harmony  in  the  association  had  fail- 
ed, those  adhering  to  the  original  platform,  being  in  the  minor- 
ity, quietly  withdrew,  held  a  temporary  session  and  adjourned; 
and  on  the  fourth  Saturday  of  the  following  October  (1835)  met 
at  the  Mt.  Moriah  meeting-house,  Howard  County,  and  held  the 
seventeenth  annual  session  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association, 
properly  so-called.  In  the  meeting  harmony  prevailed.  There 
were  represented  the  following 

Churches. — Mt.  Pleasant,  Mt.  Zion,  Silver  Creek,  Bethel,  Chari- 
ton, Mt.  Grilead,  Mt.  Moriah,  Sugar  Creek,  Friendship,  Otter 
Creek,  Union — 11  in  all. 

Ministers. — Elds.  Fielding  Wilhoite,  William  Duncan,  Thomas 
Fristoe,  E.  Foley,  W.  H.  Mansfield  and  A.  J.  Bartee.  Total 
church  membership,  574. 

Of  the  preachers  who  continued  with  the  old  Mount  Pleasant 
Association,  we  have  sketches  of  but  four.  Of  Elder  Foley 
we  have  been  unable  to  gather  any  information.  Eld.  A.  J. 
Bartee  was  cotemporary  with  Elds.  Fristoe  and  Wilhoite,  and 
in  company  with  the  latter  made  extended  preaching  excursions 


172  MT.   PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

in  the  newl}^  settled  districts  in  Upper  Missouri  in  1834-*5,  He 
died  soon  after  the  split  in  the  association.  Great  prosperity 
followed  the  division.  Elds.  Thomas  Fristoe,  Wm.  Duncan  and 
Fielding  Wilhoite  took  the  field.  They  went  from  church  to 
church  preaching  the  gospel;  an  extensive  revival  of  religion 
followed,  hundreds  of  willing  converts  were  added  to  the  Lord, 
and  the  churches  fast  increased  in  numbers.  Eld.  Alvin  P.  Wil- 
liams, then  living  in  Cooper  County,  came  over  and  helped  them 
in  these  meetings,  and  their  mutual  labors  were  abundantly 
blessed.  New  churches  were  formed  and  old  ones  were  greatly 
increased  in  strength  and  efficiency,  and  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Asso- 
ciation was  again  a  large  and  influential  body.  From  1835  to 
1843  the  following  churches  were  added  :  Bethlehem,  Huntsville, 
Fayette,  Keytesville,  Big  Spring,  Highland,  Bear  Creek,  Eben- 
ezer,  Richland,  Blanket  Grove,  Xew  Providence,  Mt.  Salem,  Mt. 
Tabor,  Shiloh,  Ten  Mile,  Pleasant  Grove,  and  the  membership 
increased  to  1,950. 

The  session  in  1843  was  held  at  Friendship  meeting-house, 
Howard  County.  The  churches  reported  415  baptisms  this  year. 
The  following  additional  ministers  appear  on  the  list:  J.W.  Ter- 
rill,  B.  Terrill,  G.  Corey,  A.  B.  Hardy,  Jesse  Terrill,  O.  P.  Dav- 
is, L.  Ellison,  E.  Stringer.  The  churches  were  located  in  the 
counties  of  Boone,  Howard,  Eandolph,  Chariton,  Macon,  Adair 
and  Schuyler. 

A.  B.  Hardy,  B.  Terrill  and  T.  Fristoe  agreed  to  attend  a  meet- 
ing on  the  Fabius,  the  second  Saturday  in  the  following  October, 
and  help  constitute  a  new  association.  This  was  the  Middle  Fork 
Association,  an  account  of  which  will  appear  in  due  time. 

From  following  these  details  we  shall  now  turn  to  contemplate, 
for  a  time,  a  subject  more  life-like  in  the  sacrifices,  devotion  and 
work  of  some  of  the  ministers  of  those  times.  We  shall  commence 
with 

Eld.  Thomas  Fristoe  —  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Central  and 
Upper  Missouri,  who  was  born  near  Knoxville,  in  East  Tennes- 
see, February  8,  1796.  Few  men,  if  any,  did  more  to  build  up 
and  defend  the  cause  of  Christ  in  Central  Missouri  than  he.  Al- 
most alone,  so  far  as  ministerial  co-operation  was  concerned,  he 
stood  firm  as  a  rock  during  the  contest  on  the  subject  of  "  mis- 
sions" and  ''  liberty  of  conscience"  in  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Associa- 
tion; and  in  his  subsequent  ministerial  life  did  much  to  build  up 
the  churches  in  the  state.  And  although  he  was  not  equal  in 
culture  and  executive  pulpit  ability  to  some  others  of  his  day, 


MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION.  173 

yet  he  was  not  a  whit  behind  any  man  in  devotion  and  usefulness 
in  the  Baptist  ranks.  Hundreds  in  "that  day"  will  call  him 
blessed  and  own  him  as  their  spiritual  father. 

Thomas  Fristoe  was  of  respectable  parentage.  His  grandfather 
(Richard  Fristoe)  and  grandmother  were  natives  of  Wales  and 
came  to  this  country  at  an  early  day.  They  both  belonged  to 
the  established  church  in  the  colony  of  Virginia.  Four  sons  were 
born  to  them,  three  of  whom,  viz.  :  Daniel,  William  and  Robert, 
became  Baptist  preachers.  The  two  former  were  conspicuous 
among  the  early  Baptists  of  Virginia;  the  latter  was  the  father 
of  him  whose  name  heads  this  sketch. 

Not  much  is  known  of  the  early  domestic  life  of  young  Fris- 
toe. In  the  year  1814,  when  eighteen  years  old,  he  enlisted  in 
the  war  then  raging  between  England  and  the  United  States. 

Young  Fristoe  was  baptized  by  Jesse  Brooks  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  West  Fork  Church,  Todd  County,  Tennessee.  He  after- 
wards baptized,  in  Missouri,  several  children  of  the  man  who 
baptized  him.  He  removed  to  Missouri  in  1818,  soon  after  which 
he  began  to  preach  the  gospel.  On  his  arrival  he  became  an  in- 
mate of  the  house  of  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Campbell,  in  Old 
Chariton,  Howard  County. 

While  only  a  licensed  preacher,  Bro.  Fristoe  visited  Lafayette 
County,  and  commenced  preaching  in  that  destitute  country. 
There  was  no  Baptist  minister  nearer  than  Cooper  County. 
Many  persons  were  hopefully  converted  and  made  a  public  pro- 
fession of  religion,  when  Eld.  Luke  Williams  was  sent  for,  and 
came  all  the  way  from  Cooper  County  to  baptize  the  converts. 
He  made  several  trips  to  Lafayette  County  for  this  purpose. 
These  labors  on  the  part  of  Brethren  Fristoe  and  Williams  wore 
blessed  to  the  good  of  many  souls,  and  in  the  end  a  Baj^tist 
church  was  organized — the  first  in  all  that  upper  country — which 
is  now  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Lexington.  These  meetings 
were  held  before  the  town  was  located  some  two  miles  from  its 
present  site.  Brother  Fristoe  continued  his  labors  in  that  coun- 
try until  his  ordination,  which  took  place  at  the  first  meeting  of 
the  Fishing  River  Association,  in  1823,  having  been  called  for 
by  what  is  now  the  first  Baptist  Church  in  Lexington,  and  it  was 
participated  in  by  Eld.  J.  B.  Longan,  Ebenezer  Rogers,  Kemp 
Scott  and  others.  Soon  after  his  ordination  Eld.  Fristoe  return- 
ed to  Howard  County,  where  he  made  his  permanent  home  until 
his  death.  About  this  time  (1823)  he  became  pastor  of  Chariton 
Church,  which  relation  he  sustained  for  about  thirty  years. 


174  MT.  PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

In  1824  he  married  ISTaney  Jackson,  daughter  of  Congreve 
Jackson  of  Kentucky.  She  was  to  him  a  helpmeet  indeed,  being 
well  adapted  to  the  duties  of  her  station.  The  fruit  of  this  mar- 
riage was  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  all  of  whom  made  cred- 
ible professions  of  religion — one  daughter  at  the  age  of  twelve 
years.  From  the  beginning  of  his  life  as  a  husband  he  sustained 
the  family  altar.  In  later  years  he  adopted  the  custom  of  hav- 
ing one  of  the  children  read  a  chapter;  he  would  then  interro- 
gate the  whole  number  as  to  what  was  in  it,  and  by  this  means 
the  attention  of  each  one  was  secured. 

In  his  early  ministry,  Eld.  Fristoe  was  chosen  pastor  of  Zoar 
Church,  Saline  County,  where  he  labored  about  ten  or  twelve 
years  most  successfully,  which  fact  was  evinced  by  his  having 
baptized  during  the  time  some  300  converts.  At  the  close  of  his 
thirty  years'  pastorate  at  Chariton,  the  church  numbered  250 
members.  At  this  place  he  was  succeeded  by  Eld.  William 
Thompson.  During  the  thirtj^  years  next  succeeding  his  ordin- 
ation and  permanent  settlement  near  Glasgow^  Howard  County, 
he  was  pastor  of  a  number  of  churches  far  and  near,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  Richland,  Mount  Zion,  Salem  and  Ara- 
rat in  Howard  County,  and  Fish  Creek  and  Rehoboth  in  Saline 
County.  Eld.  Fielding  Wilhoite  was  his  well  beloved  fellow-la- 
borer. In  addition  to  his  pastoral  labors  he  was  accustomed,  in 
company  with  Eld.  Wilhoite,  to  make  preaching  excursions  to 
the  more  recently  settled  and  destitute  parts  of  the  state  to  the 
north  and  northwest  of  his  home.  In  addition  to  being  a  good 
pastor,  he  was  well  adapted  to  the  work  of  a  pioneer  evangelist. 
His  faithful  sermons  and  earnest  exhortations  have  been  heard 
and  felt  in  many  log-cabins  and  school-houses  in  the  counties  of 
Chariton,  Carroll,  Linn,  Randolph,  Monroe,  Lafayette  and  oth- 
ers. And  many  a  sin-burdened  soul  has  been  led  to  the  feet  of 
the  Savior  by  his  counsel,  and  rejoiced  in  the  hope  of  sins  for- 
given. The  Central  Society  (now  General  Association),  grew 
out  of  these  preaching  excursions.  Elds.  Fristoe,  Wilhoite  and 
one  or  two  others  saw  so  much  need  of  preaching  as  they  trav- 
eled over  the  counties  of  Randolph,  Macon,  Monroe  and  others, 
that  the}"-  held  a  consultation  at  the  house  of  Deacon  John  Jack- 
son, and  resolved  upon  an  effort  to  form  a  society  for  promoting 
evangelical  preaching  among  the  destitute,  composed  of  members 
from  all  parts  of  the  state,  which  was  fully  consummated  in  1835. 
So  that  Bi'o.  Fristoe  must  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  GeBfiral  Association,  the  present  jiaane  of  the  Central  Society. 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  175 

As  a  preacher  Elder  Fristoe  was  not  remarkably  endowed, 
either  as  to  the  graces  of  delivery  or  as  to  mental  structure.  Nor 
were  his  requirements  such  as  he  earnestly  desired  the  rising 
ministry  to  possess.  Eeared  in  a  new  country,  he  was  to  a  great 
extent  deprived  of  the  advantages  of  education.  Engaged  in  the 
laborious  duties  of  a  pioneer  preacher  and  in  providing  for  the 
wants  of  his  family,  there  was  little  time  for  mental  culture  and 
the  acquirement  of  general  information.  Yet  he  familiarized  him- 
self with  God's  word,  obtained  clear  views  of  its  saving  doctrines, 
imbibed  its  principles,  drank  deeply  of  its  spirit  and  bowed  his 
head  in  humble  submission  to  its  authority.  He  was  rich  in  ex- 
perience and  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  vast  importance  of 
his  work.  Conscious  of  his  weakness,  he  habitually  implored 
divine  assistance.  He  once  said  to  me,  "  Often,  when  lining  out 
the  hymn,  I  would  all  the  while  be  praying,  'Oh  Lord,  do  not 
let  me  disgrace  Thy  glorious  cause  to-day.'  "  To  glorify  God 
was  the  end  ho  set  before  him.  Possessed  of  an  unquenchable  de- 
sire for  the  salvation  of  souls,  he  sought  the  end  in  the  divinely 
appointed  way  of  calling  sinners  to  repentance.  In  substance  ho 
thus  expressed  himself  to  the  writer  on  different  occasions.  On 
his  dying  bed  he  exclaimed,  "  Oh  !  the  glory  of  God  !  That  is 
the  great  end;  live  for  that." 

To  these  qualifications,  and  to  the  worth  and  influence  of  the 
character  so  faintly  outlined  above,  he  added  a  sweet  and  affec- 
tionate address  and  a  zeal  that  never  abated.  Thus  qualified,  he 
went  forth  on  his  mission  of  love  without  the  prospect  of  tem- 
poral remuneration,  but  strong  in  faith  and  earnest  in  prayer. 
Here  were  the  elements  of  success;  here  the  explanation  of  the 
lasting  impression  he  has  left  on  the  denomination  throughout 
Central  Missouri.  Multitudes  were  converted  under  his  preach- 
ing. Of  these  he  baptized  nearly  fifteen  hundred.  Churches 
were  organized  and  influences  set  in  motion,  the  benefits  of 
which  will  be  gathered  by  our  people  in  all  the  years  to  come. 

In  the  closing  days  of  his  life  he  rejoiced  in  the  denominational 
progress  to  which  he  had  so  largely  contributed,  and  was  in  full 
sympathy  with  all  the  more  recent  activities  and  enterprises  of 
our  people.  But  he  is  gone.  He  died  March  2,  1872,  without 
any  special  form  of  disease.  "Without  pain  he  gradually  yielded 
to  the  burden  of  years.  His  faithful  wife  preceded  him  about 
thirteen  years,  having  closed  her  earthly  career  in  1859.  (In  part 
from  a  sketch  by  W.  E.  Painter  in  Central  Bap.,  Vol.  YII,  p.  12.) 

Eld.  Fielding  Wilhoite — a  cotemporary  of  Thomas  Fristoe, 


176  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

and  who,  being  identified  from  the  beginning  with  the  General 
Association,  occupied  a  prominent  place  among  the  ministers  of 
the  past,  was  born  in  Kentucky,  April  14,  1799.  His  father  was 
Sampson  Wilhoite,  in  company  with  whom  he  came  to  Missouri 
in  1818,  and  in  the  year  following  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  McQuitty. 

In  the  year  1822  he  professed  religion  under  the  preaching  of, 
and  was  baptized  by,  the  venerable  Peter  Woods  into  the  fel- 
lowship of  Bethel  (now  Walnut  Grove)  Baptist  Church,  Boone 
County,  of  which  he  remained  a  member  as  long  as  he  lived. 
About  four  years  after  his  conversion  and  baptism  he  was  licens- 
ed to  preach,  and  about  one  year  later,  at  the  call  of  the  Bethel 
Church,  he  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the  ministry  by 
Elds.  Robert  Dale  and  Elijah  Toby.  He  made  the  ministry  his 
life  work.  He  traveled  over  eleven  counties,  including  Boone, 
Howard,  Callaway,  Audrain,  Randolph,  Macon,  Adair  and  Chari- 
ton, preaching  the  gospel  to  dying  men.  In  his  day,  ministers 
more  generally  followed  the  apostolic  plan,  by  traveling  two  and 
two.  Thus  did  Eld.  Wilhoite.  He  was  often  the  traveling  com- 
panion and  co-laborer  of  Noah  Flood,  E.  S.  Thomas,  Thos.  Fris- 
toe  or  A.  P.  Williams.  Fielding  Wilhoite  was  the  Apollos — they 
planted,  he  watered.  His  forte  was  in  exhortation.  In  this  he 
was  wonderfully  gifted.  At  times  he  was  said  to  be  almost  over- 
whelming. Entire  congregations  were  sometimes  moved  under 
his  melting  appeals.  In  his  labors  with  Dr.  A.  P.  Williams  he 
seemed  especially  fitted.  They  had  "gifts  differing,"  yet  they 
were  not  divided.  The  solid  and  convincing  arguments  of  Wil- 
liams, followed  by  the  gushing  pathos  of  Wilhoite,  seldom  failed 
of  immediate  good  results. 

In  those  earlier  days  ministers  often  made  ''preaching  excur- 
sions," in  which  they  would  travel  many  miles  and  visit  and  hold 
meetings  in  many  neighborhoods.  We  now  invite  the  reader  to 
follow  us  in  one  of  these  excursions. 

Not  very  late  in  the  summer  of  1839  three  horsemen  were  seen 
wending  their  way  across  the  country  toward  the  present  town 
of  Carrollton  (then  a  mere  village),  where  they  had  an  appoint- 
ment to  preach.  Just  before  reaching  the  village  they  met  a 
man  (Benjamin  Ely,  father  of  Lewis  B.  Ely)  who  informed  them 
that  no  appointment  had  been  made.  Benjamin  Ely  was  a  Bap- 
tist, and  of  course  very  cheerfully  invited  these  travelers  to  go 
home  with  him,  which  they  did,  and  were  well  cared  for  until 
morning. 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  177 

Our  horsemen  were  Elds.  Fielding  Wilhoite,  Thomas  Fristoe 
and  Alton  F.  Martin,  then  a  young  preacher.  Next  morning  our 
three  missionaries  were  early  in  town  and  called  on  a  Baptist 
hotel  keeper  by  name  of  Freeman,  from  Virginia.  They  asked 
him  about  the  chances  for  a  meeting.  He  answered  :  "To  be 
candid,  I  think  a  very  poor  chance.  Presbyterians  and  Metho- 
dists have  tried  and  failed — the  Baptists  need  not  try  at  all.  In 
fact  this  town  is  called  *  The  Devil's  Headquarters.'"  But  this 
was  the  kind  of  place  our  little  band  was  hunting,  in  which  to 
work.  In  the  town  was  a  log-house  used  as  a  court-house.  Leave 
was  obtained  to  hold  meeting  there.  A  meeting  for  a  certain 
hour  in  the  afternoon  was  announced,  and  they  got  brooms  and 
went  and  cleaned  up  the  old  court-house;  then  retired  to  rest, 
meditate  and  pray.  Only  twelve  persons  were  present  at  the 
meeting  in  the  afternoon  ;  but  at  night  the  house  was  full.  In  a 
few  days,  such  was  the  throng  that  they  had  to  move  out  into 
the  grove,  and  by  the  following  Lord's  day  a  number  of  persons 
wore  at  the  *'  mourner's  bench."  Old  Bro.  Freeman,  who  had 
grown  cold,  was  among  the  penitents.  Quite  a  number  of  con- 
verts were  baptized  as  the  fruit  of  the  meeting,  and  a  Baptist 
church  organized.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  Carrollton 
Church. 

Eld.  Wilhoite  and  his  companions  journeyed  northward  up 
Grand  Eiver.  They  stopped  at  a  little  village  called  Knave 
Town  late  one  afternoon,  in  the  forks  of  Grand  Eiver  near  the 
line  of  Grundy  County.  There  was  no  meeting-house  and  they 
were  directed  to  a  little  log  school-house  about  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  from  the  village,  and  arrived  just  as  school  was  dismissed. 
They  asked  the  teacher  if  they  could  have  meeting  there  that 
night.  He  readily  assented,  and  it  was  announced  to  the  child- 
ren, who  stood  around  listening  attentively  to  the  strangers. 

One  little  boy,  about  twelve  years  old,  stepped  up  and  said, 
"  Won't  you  go  home  with  me  ?  My  father  and  mother  are  Bap- 
tists." They  of  course  went,  and  met  with  a  cordial  reception, 
and  all  ate  a  hearty  supper,  after  which  they  returned  to  the 
place  of  meeting  and  found  the  house  and  yard  filled  with  peo- 
ple, eager  to  hear  what  the  men  of  God  had  to  say.  Quite  a  num- 
ber went  forward  for  prayer  that  night,  and  before  the  meeting 
closed  some  twelve  or  fifteen  professed  conversion.  The  baptiz- 
ing was  left  for  a  Brother  Merrill  to  do,  whom  our  missionaries 
met  at  the  meeting,  and  who  soon  after  gathered  a  little  church, 
which  became  a  constituent  of  Nortb  Grand  Eiver  Association. 
12 


178  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

Fielding  Wilhoite  was  one  of  the  most  useful  ministers  of  Cen- 
tral Missouri.  He  witnessed  the  conversion  of  nearly  four  thou- 
sand souls  in  his  day,  a  large  number  of  whom  he  baptized. 
From  the  field  of  his  ministry  have  gone  out  quite  a  number  of 
useful  preachers,  among  whom  might  be  named  Dr.  S.  H.  Ford, 
Tyree  C.  Harris,  his  brother  E.  H.  Harris  and  others. 

He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  "Central  Society" — now 
the  General  Association;  was  in  the  first  meeting  in  1834,  and 
was  quite  prominent  in  the  contest  in  Mt.  Pleasant  Association 
on  the  missionary  question. 

As  is  common  with  men  of  his  temperament  and  manner  of 
preaching,  after  about  twenty-five  years  of  active  ministerial  life 
his  health  gave  way.  He  lived  for  some  years  after  this  event 
in  his  life,  but,  on  account  of  infirmity,  was  never  able  to  do 
much  preaching  after  the  year  1852  or  '53.  His  death  occurred 
in  November,  1872.  He  suffered  from  nervous  disease  twenty 
or  thirty  years.  He  had  three  apoplectic  strokes,  and  under  the 
third  he  died.  He  had  often  prayed  that  he  might  retain  his 
consciousness  up  to  his  death,  but  God  willed  it  otherwise.  He 
now  rests  from  his  labors. 

Eld.  Ebenezer  Eogers — whose  life  in  some  respects  was  an 
eventful  one,  and  who  emigrated  to  the  Boone's  Lick  country  in 
1819,  and  spent  fifteen  years  of  the  best  part  of  his  ministerial 
life  as  a  pioneer  in  Upper  Missouri,  was  the  eldest  child  of  Wil- 
liam and  Cecilia  Rogers,  born  March  16,  1788,  near  Newport, 
Monmouth  County,  South  Wales.  His  ancestors  had  lived  in 
the  same  neighborhood  for  centuries,  and,  as  far  back  as  1715, 
were  staunch  Baptists,  connected  with  the  church  at  Blaina  from 
the  earliest  times. 

He  landed  in  America  in  the  fall  of  1818,  intending  to  return 
in  a  few  months,  but  an  overruling  Providence  ordered  it  other- 
Avise.  In  his  travels,  prosecuting  his  business,  he  became  the 
welcome  guest  of  Benjamin  Edwards,  a  very  distinguished  Bap- 
tist of  Nelson  County,  Ky.,  and  father  of  Dr.  B.  F.  Edwards,  so 
well  known  about  St.  Louis.  While  he  sojourned  in  Kentucky 
he  preached  with  great  acceptance  and  success  in  different  towns 
and  counties.  While  in  this  state  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of 
Rev.  James  E.  Welch,  then  a  young  minister,  who  thus  describes 
the  interview  (see  Western  Watchm  m,  Vol.  VII,  No.  41):  "While 
at  the  meeting  of  the  Elkhorn  Asr  ociation  in  1818, 1  first  became 
acquainted  with  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Rogers,  who  had  but  a  few 
weeks  before  landed  upon  our  shores  direct  from  Wales,  his  na- 


MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION.  179 

tive  country.  I  was  delighted  with  the  man  at  my  first  inter- 
view. His  open  frankness,  simplicity  and  softness  of  manners, 
interested  all  who  formed  his  acquaintance." 

In  May,  1819,  in  company  with  Hon.  Cyrus  Edwards  and  his 
newly  married  wife,  he  started  on  a  visit  to  the  Territory  of 
Missouri.  Traveling  by  steamboats  and  railway  cars  was  then 
scarcely  thought  of  in  the  "West,  and  public  stage  coaches  were 
very  rare  in  the  Mississippi  Yalley.  With  his  traveling  compan- 
ions in  a  private  vehicle  and  he  on  horseback,  the  trip  was  made. 
This  was  a  new  mode  of  life  to  the  young  Welsh  graduate  just 
from  the  metropolis  of  old  England. 

Upper  Missouri  was  then  thinly  settled  and  almost  destitute 
of  preachers,  and  being  in  the  prime  of  early  manhood,  enrich- 
ed with  a  liberal  education  and  animated  with  aspirations  to  do 
good,  he  saw  a  field  of  usefulness  opened  before  him,  which, 
though  not  sought  by  him,  he  could  not  refuse  to  enter.  He  at 
once  commenced  his  labors,  traveling  from  settlement  to  settle- 
ment and  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  settlers  in  their  rude  log- 
cabins  or  in  the  shade  of  forest  trees  in  the  open  air.  Blessings 
in  rich  profusion  were  poured  out  upon  these  primitive  assem- 
blies. The  first  church  organized  under  the  labors  of  Eld.  Rog- 
ers was  at  Chariton,  Howard  County,  consisting  of  19  members. 
This  church  was  in  the  old  town  of  Chariton,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river  of  the  same  name  and  just  north  of  the  Missouri  River,  a 
short  distance  west  of  the  present  town  of  Glasgow.  Mr.  Rog- 
ers was  chosen  first  pastor  of  Chariton  Church  and  so  continued 
for  a  period  of  five  years.  He  generally  preached  to  four 
churches,  often  from  fifteen  to  twenty  miles  apart;  and  not  alone 
to  the  churches  of  which  he  was  pastor  did  he  confine  his  labors, 
but  made  occasional  tours  to  the  settlements  east,  west,  north 
and  south,  to  the  distance  of  forty  to  fifty,  and  sometimes  a  hun- 
dred miles  from  home.  He  made  frequent  preaching  excursions 
during  the  warm  season,  and  taught  school  during  the  fall  and 
winter  as  a  means  of  support.  It  is  said  that  he  was  the  first 
gospel  preacher  whose  voice  was  heard  west  of  Grand  River. 
He  aided  in  organizing  some  50  churches  and  several  associa- 
tions. In  August,  1834,  he  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  prelim- 
inary meeting  of  the  General  Association,  and  in  November  of 
that  year  he  removed  to  Upper  Alton.  Several  years  before  his 
death  he  had  his  own  monument  erected,  fully  inscribed,  except 
the  date  of  his  death.  He  did  this,  he  said,  **  To  familiarize 
myself  with  death."  He  died  at  Upper  Alton,  111.,  May  25,  1854. 


180  MT.   PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

Eld.  Wm  H.  Mansfield. — Another  who  came  into  Mt.  Pleasant 
Association  in  an  early  day  was  Wm.  H.  Mansfield,  a  brief  sketch 
of  whose  life  was  furnished  by  Eld.  W.  L.  T.  Evans,  as  follows  : 

"  Eld.  William  H.  Mansfield  was  born  October  2,  1790,  in  Albe- 
marle County,  Virginia;  moved  to  Missouri  in  the  fall  of  1831 ; 
professed  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  year  1823,  and 
having  been  raised  by  Methodist  parents  and  sprinkled  in  in- 
fancy, he  had  grave  doubts  in  regard  to  his  baptism  j  and  being 
much  concerned  about  some  Baptist  peculiarities,  he  betook  him- 
self to  reading  the  Bible;  and  in  about  a  3'ear  after  his  conver- 
sion he  was  baptized  in  the  likeness  of  his  Savior's  death  by 
Eld.  John  Goss,  and  united  with  Pleasant  Grove  Baptist  Church 
in  Orange  County,  Ya.  He  was  licensed  in  1831,  and  preached 
his  first  sermon  at  Mt.  Hermon,  Howard  County,  the  church  he 
united  with  on  his  arrival  in  Missouri.  He  subsequently  remov- 
ed his  membership  to  Chariton  Church,  by  which  church  he  was 
ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the  ministry,  Elds.  Fielding  Wil- 
hoite,  William  Duncan  and  Thomas  Eristoe  acting  as  an  ordain- 
ing council.  Eld.  Mansfield  was  pastor  of  Silver  Creek  Church, 
Eandolph  County,  about  twelve  j'ears;  supplied  Otter  Creek, 
Monroe  County,  for  a  time,  also  Pleasant  Grove  Church  for  two 
or  three  years.  After  the  consolidation  of  Pleasant  Grove  and 
Mt.  Ararat  Churches  and  the  formation  of  Mt.  Olive  Church,  he 
preached  for  said  church  for  many  years.  Father  Mansfield  as- 
sisted in  the  constitution  of  three  churches  and  labored  in  the 
counties  of  Randolph,  Chariton,  Howard  and  Monroe  with  great 
acceptability,  and  the  Lord  blessed  his  labors  abundantly. 

"He  has  been  living  at  his  present  home — one  mile  north  of 
Eoanoke,  Howard  County — over  forty  years  [this  was  written 
in  1872],  beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  His  aged 
companion,  with  whom  he  has  lived  nearly  fifty-five  years,  is 
still  spared  to  comfort  him  with  her  presence.  His  health  has 
been  somewhat  feeble  for  several  years,  but  his  mental  faculties 
seem  to  be  unimpaired,  and  it  is  his  delight  to  converse  with  his 
brethren  and  talk  of  his  prospects  for  the  better  land.  His  mem- 
bership is  now  at  Roanoke,  and  when  his  health  will  admit  of  it 
he  attends,  and  his  presence  always  encourages  his  brethren  and 
sisters.  The  issue  of  his  only  marriage  was  eleven  children,  all 
of  whom  he  lived  to  see  make  a  profession  of  religion  and  be- 
come consistent  members  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  save  one. 
One  son,  R.  J.  Mansfield,  became  an  earnest  and  zealous  preach- 
er in  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association." 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  l8l 

The  aged  Mansfield  was  still  living  in  November,  1878,  but  has 
since  died,  the  particulars  of  which  we  have  asked  for,  but  have 
failed  to  secure. 

Eld.  Jesse  Terrill. — Another  minister  who  moved  into  the 
bounds  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  just  after  the  "  split," 
was  Jesse  Terrill,  a  man  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  strong  in  the 
faith,  and  whose  influence  is  yet  felt  in  that  part  of  the  state 
which  constituted  the  field  of  his  labors. 

Jesse  Terrill  was  a  native  of  the  state  of  Virginia,  born  in  Al- 
bemarle County,  January  12,  1805.  His  parents,  Eobert  and 
Mary  Terrill,  moved  to  and  settled  in  Boone  County,  Ky.,  when 
he  was  a  little  boj^  three. years  old.  He  professed  religion  and 
joined  the  Baptist  Church  at  Bulletsburg,  Ky.,  when  he  was  only 
thirteen  years  of  age. 

He  sought  and  won  the  heart  and  hand  of  Miss  Abigail  Wal- 
ton, of  Boone  County,  Ky.,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  the  year 
1826,  and  of  whom  were  born  to  him  nine  children,  an  only  son, 
the  rest  daughters.  The  son  and  one  daughter  died  several  3-ears 
ago.  Of  the  six  married  daughters  one  became  the  devoted 
wife  of  Eld.  W.  L.  T.  Evans,  of  Eandolph  County. 

In  November,  1832,  he  was  ordained  a  minister,  the  council 
consisting  of  Elds.  Wm.  "Whitaker,  Joseph  Botts  and  Francis 
Craig,  at  the  call  of  Dry  Creek  Church.  After  his  ordination  he 
was  chosen  pastor  of  East  Bend  Church,  and  so  remained  until 
his  removal  from  Kentucky.  No  more  is  known  of  his  minis- 
terial life  in  that  state. 

Late  in  the  year  1836,  in  company  with  two  of  his  brothers, 
James  and  Benjamin  Terrill.  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  and  set- 
tled in  Randolph  County,  not  far  from  the  town  of  Roanoke. 
Here  he  lived  until  he  died.  He  was  pastor  of  churches  loca- 
ted in  Central  Missouri,  as  follows:  Friendship,  Howard  Coun- 
ty, thirteen  years  ;  Union,  Randolph  County,  three  years  ;  Eben- 
ezer,  in  Randolph  County,  till  death  ;  Sweet  Spring,  same  county, 
three  years ;  Silver  Creek,  same  county,  three  years  ;  Mt.  Gil- 
ead  and  Moniteau  churches,  two  to  four  years. 

It  can  be  truly  said  that  no  pastor  was  ever  more  tenderly 
loved  by  his  people  than  was  Jesse  Terrill.  The  following  inci- 
dent will  confirm  this  statement.  In  the  year  1839  the  Ebenez- 
er  (now  Higbee)  Church  called  him  as  her  pastor,  in  which  re- 
lation he  continued  until  his  health  gave  way  about  three  years 
before  his  death  ;  he  then  sent  in  his  resignation,  being  unable 
longer  to  attend  the  meetings;  but  the  church  refused  to  accept 


182  MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION. 

his  resignation,  saying  that  nothing  but  death  should  separate 
them  as  pastor  and  people. 

He  was  a  very  punctual  pastor,  seldom  missing  an  appoint- 
ment. In  a  thirteen  years'  pastorate  at  Friendship  Church, 
Howard  County,  he  is  said  to  have  been  absent  on  only  three 
occasions.  His  labors  were  abundantly  blessed  to  the  good  of 
the  Baptist  interests  in  Howard,  Eandolph,  Chariton,  Macon  and 
Monroe  counties;  and  he  was  regarded  by  all  who  knew  him  as 
"  one  of  the  good  men  of  the  earth." 

For  ten  years — from  1859 — Jesse  Terrill  was  the  venerated 
moderator  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association.  Being  a  man  of  sound 
judgment,  executive  ability,  and  characterized  by  decision, 
punctuality  and  uniformity,  coupled  with  a  broad  charity  for  all, 
he  commanded  the  highest  esteem  and  won  the  warmest  Chris- 
tian affection  of  all  who  knew  him. 

For  the  last  three  years  of  his  life  he  was  confined  to  his  room, 
but  bore  his  sufferings  with  meekness  and  resignation.  He  died 
at  his  residence  in  Eandolph  County,  February  2,  1873,  and  was 
buried  in  the  old  family  graveyard.  The  funeral  services  were 
conducted  by  Rev.  S.  Y.  Pitts,  of  Huntsville,  a  large  congregation 
of  people  being  present  to  participate  in  and  witness  the  ser- 
vices. 

Eld.  Benjamin  Terrill — a  younger  brother  of  Eld.  Jesse 
Terrill,  and  one  of  the  good  and  useful  men  of  his  day,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Boone  County,  Kentucky.  He  was  born  on  the  7th  of 
May,  1811.  A  few  years  prior  to  his  birth  his  parents,  Robert 
and  Mary  Terrill,  emigrated  from  Albemarle  County,  Virginia. 
In  early  life  he  was  the  subject  of  Divine  grace,  and  at  the  age 
of  14  years  was  hopefully  converted  and  baptized  into  the  fel» 
lowship  of  Bulletsburg  Baptist  Church,  by  Elder  Absalom 
Graves. 

In  the  22nd  year  of  his  age  he  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  M. 
Bishop,  who  only  lived  about  three  years  after  this  event.  On 
the  2nd  day  of  June,  1836,  he  was  again  married  to  Miss  Deblah 
vS.  Crisler,  of  Boone  County,  Kentucky.  The  fruit  of  this  mar- 
riage was  four  sons  and  two  daughters  reared  to  maturity,  all  of 
whom  became  members  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  One  of  the 
four  sons,  James  W.  Terrill,  is  a  Baptist  minister  of  great  pow- 
er. He  was  former  president  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Baptist  College, 
and  greatly  distinguished  himself  at  the  head  of  that  institution. 
In  fact,  as  a  teacher  he  was,  perhaps,  the  most  remarkable  man 
we  ever  saw  in  the  school-room.    He  is  now,  we  believe,  at  Win- 


MT.    PLEASANT?   ASSOCIATION.  183 

Chester,  Tennessee.  Another  and  younger  son,  A.  W.  Terrill, 
for  several  years  distinguished  himself  as  president  of  Hardin 
College  at  Mexico,  Mo. 

Benjamin  Terrill,  from  the  time  of  his  conversion,  at  the  early 
age  of  14  years,  often  had  impressions  in  regard  to  the  ministry. 
But  his  extreme  youthfulncss,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  he  had 
not  even  a  good  English  education  deterred  him  for  some  time 
from  entering  upon  the  work. 

In  the  fall  of  1836,  in  company  with  his  wife  and  two  broth- 
ers, James  and  Jesse  Terrill,  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  settled 
in  Eandolph  County,  near  the  present  town  of  Moberly,  where 
he  remained  until  a  few  years  ago.  At  the  time  of  his  settle- 
ment in  Randolph  County,  he  found  but  few  Baptists  in  that  part 
of  the  state.  The  nearest  Baptist  church  to  him  was  Mt.  Ararat, 
in  Howard  County,  with  which  he  and  his  wife  sought  and  ob- 
tained membership.  He  at  once  gave  his  influence  to  the  build- 
ing up  of  Baptist  interests  in  Randolph  and  adjoining  counties. 
His  attention  was  first  turned  to  the  centers  of  influence.  On 
the  27th  of  August,  1837,  he  and  seven  others  formed  the  new 
church  at  Huntsvillc,  under  the  ministry  of  Elds.  Fielding  Wil- 
hoite,  Thos.  Fristoe  and  Wm.  H.  Mansfield.  Subsequently  he 
moved  his  membership  to  Union  Church,  four  miles  east  of  his 
residence.  The  meetings  of  this  church  were  held  at  the  house 
of  Deacon  P.  T.  Oliver.  By  the  authority  of  this  church  he  was 
ordained  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  on  the  second  Sat- 
urday in  N"ovember,  1838,  the  presbytery  consisting  of  Elder 
Jesse  Terrill — his  older  brother — and  Deacons  P.  T.  Oliver,  D. 
D.  Crews  and  Elijah  Benton.  When  Eld.  Terrill  entered  the 
field — which  he  did  immediately  upon  being  ordained — the  ''Ma- 
cedonian cry"  came  to  him  from  almost  every  quarter.  He  real- 
ly became  the  pioneer  in  his  field,  and  as  rapidly  as  he  could, 
responded  to  the  calls  upon  him  to  "  come  over  and  help  us." 
He  traveled  and  preached  the  gospel  from  Monroe  to  Schuyler 
County,  and  aided  in  forming  a  number  of  churches  in  this  vast 
field.  The  following  may  be  named  :  Shiloh  (now  Moberly), 
Sweet  Spring,  Higbee,  Thomasville,  Union,  and  Mt.  Vernon  in 
Randolph  County;  Hickory  Grove  and  Oak  Grove  in  Monroe 
County;  Mt.  Salem  and  Ten  Mile  in  Macon  County;  and  High- 
land in  Schuyler  County.  "Within  the  territory  of  many  of  these 
churches,  Eld.  Terrill  was  the  first  Baptist  minister  who  preach- 
ed the  gospel  and  baptized. 

At  the  time  of  Eld.  Terrill's  early  ministry,  Missouri  was  one 


1B4  Mt.  pleasant  association. 

vast  missionary  field.  He,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  dur- 
ing the  crop  season,  was  compelled  to  labor  on  his  farm  during 
the  week,  and  preach  Saturdays  and  Sundays.  As  soon  as  crops 
>vere  laid  by,  he  took  the  field  at  his  own  charges,  and  toiled  day 
and  night,  pointing  sinners  to  the  Lamb  of  God.  In  this  way  he 
held  a  great  number  of  meetings  in  the  school-houses,  cabins  of 
the  settlers,  or  under  the  trees  of  the  forest,  and  had  the  exquis- 
ite pleasure  of  rejoicing  with  hundreds  of  happy  converts,  most 
of  whom  he  baptized. 

Bro.  Terrill  was  a  sound  gospel  preacher,  and  though  not  a  man 
of  "great  learning,"  was  possessed  of  a  natively  strong  mind. 
His  views  of  "salvation  by  grace"  were  very  decided.  He  held 
no  mixed  views,  but  had  clear  conceptions  of  Divine  truth.  He 
was  a  genial  companion  in  the  social  circle,  and  always  delight- 
ed to  talk  about  Christ  and  his  salvation. 

A  little  more  than  four  years  before  his  death,  his  health  be- 
gan to  fail.  His  disease  was  what  is  properly  known  as  "  heart 
disease."  He  gradually  became  more  and  more  feeble,  but  en- 
dured it  all  without  a  word  of  complaint.  About  four  years  be- 
fore he  died,  he  thus  wrote:  "I  am  looking  at  the  sun  as  she 
fast  moves  to  the  West.  I  sometimes  feel  like  I  have  a  home  in 
heaven,  and  as  soon  as  I  enter  the  door  I  expect  to  cry,  Grace, 
grace."  He  died  at  the  residence  of  his  son,  President  A.  W.  Ter- 
rill, of  Mexico,  at  9  o'clock  p.  m.,  June  17th,  1877;  and  his  re- 
mains were  carried  to  his  old  home,  one  mile  from  Moberly,  and 
buried  in  the  family  graveyard. 

One  word  more.  The  Terrill  family  of  Central  Missouri  have 
been  a  power  for  doing  good ;  not  surpassed,  probably,  by  any 
family  in  the  state. 


CHAPTER  YI. 


MOUNT  PLEASANT  ASSOCIATION. 

(Concluded.) 
Plan  of  DomeBtic  Missions — William  Duncan — Parting  Scenes — From  the  Pulpit  to 
the  Grave — The  Slavery  Question — Addison  M.  Lewis — The  Huguenot  Lawyer — 
James  Porter — Union  with  Anti-^Iissionary  Baptists — Y.  E.  Pitts,  His  Last  Hours 
and  Sudden  Death— J.  W.  Terrill— S.  \\  Pitts— G.  W.  Robey^J.  B.  Weber- 
Sketches  of  Bee  Branch,  Clitl'ton,  Friendship,  Huntsville,  Hickory  Grove,  Moberly, 
Mt.  Horeb,  Mt.  Shiloh,  Mt.  Salem,  Salisbury  and  other  Churches. 

''  A  LEE  AD  Y  have  we  seen  that  the  decade  immediately  suc- 
-L\.  ceedingthe  division  gave  to  the  churches  Jesse  and  Benja- 
min Terrill,  Addison  Lewis,  Joshua  Terrill,  Wm.  Duncan,  Green 
Carey,  T.  S.  Allen,  John  Roan  and  B.  Anderson  as  ministers. 
During  the  same  period  the  association  nearly  quadrupled  its 
membership,  the  years  1839-'40-'41  furnishing  by  baptism  327,  203 
and  415  additions,  respectively.  The  churches  during  this  time 
began  to  move  out  on  two  lines  of  progress,  viz. :  missions  and 
ministerial  education.  In  1839,  at  Mt.  Gilead,  a  committee  of 
which  Stephen  Wilhite  was  chairman,  entertaining  a  deep  sense 
of  the  need  of  educating  the  rising  ministry,  recommended  to 
the  association  a  proposition  which  was  adoj)ted,  setting  forth 
the  propriety  and  practicability  of  establishing  a  theological 
seminary  in  the  state;  and  asking  co-operation  of  Baptist  church- 
es and  associations  throughout  the  state  in  the  enterprise.  Thus 
was  agitated  the  wave  that  led  the  General  Association  to  adopt 
in  1846  a  plan  for  the  erection  and  endowment  of  Wm.  Jewell 
College  at  Liberty,  and  here  Dr.  Wm.  Jewell  found  in  Wade  M. 
Jackson,  Eoland  Hughes,  Uriel  Sebree,  Noah  Kingsbury,  Noah 
Flood,  Addison  Lewis  and  the  Wilhites  its  warmest  friends  and 
efficient  supporters."  * 

At  the  session  of  1843  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  adopted 
measures  for  raising  funds  to  aid  young  men  in  studying  for  the 
ministry;  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  examine  such  as 
might  be  recommended  to  them  as  beneficiaries,  consisting  of  A. 
B.  Hardy,  Roland  Hughes,  Wade  M.  Jackson,  F.  Wilhoite  and 
Wm.  Duncan.  The  committee  was  styled  the  "Educational  Com- 
*  Eld.  S.  Y.  Pitts  m  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  XIV,  No.  23. 


186  MT.   PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

mittee  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association."  Some  few  of  the  churches 
seemed  yet  to  be  unsettled  in  regard  to  the  General  Association. 
They  had  grave  doubts  as  to  whether  the  real  design  of  said 
association  was  understood,  although  its  aims  were  explicitly 
stated  in  its  constitution.  A  large  majority  were  in  favor  of 
becoming  auxiliary  to  the  said  General  Association,  but  for  the 
sake  of  the  little  remaining  disaffection  action  was  deferred,  and 
all  were  advised  to  acquaint  themselves  with  the  real  purposes 
of  that  body.  The  Condensing  Committee  say:  "In  all  our  let- 
ters we  hear  a  salutary  expression  in  reference  to  Sunday-schools 
and  Bible  classes." 

The  association  held  meetings  regularly;  attended  to  the  usual 
routine  of  business,  with  occasional  "forward  movements."  The 
old  mother  church,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Howard  County,  entertained 
the  meeting  of  1844;  Huntsville  was  the  place  of  meeting  in 
1845;  Ebenezer,  Randolph  County,  in  1846;  Mt.  Zion,  Howard 
County,  in  1847 ;  and  back  to  Randolph  County  with  Shiloh 
Church,  in  1848 ;  and  in  1849  it  met  at  Mt.  Olive,  Howard  Coun- 
ty. During  all  this  time  Uriel  Sebree  was  moderator,  and  John 
Swetnam  clerk.  The  minutes  show  a  good  degree  of  prosper- 
ity in  quite  a  number  of  the  churches;  261  baptisms  were  re- 
ported ;   number  of  churches,  25  ;    total   membership,   2,043. 

The  plan  of  domestic  missionary  operations  adopted  this  year, 
consisted  of  two  parts  : 

1st.  The  churches  were  pledged  by  their  messengers  for  a 
specified  amount  of  money  for  missionary  work  the  ensuing 
year,  to  be  paid  at  the  next  meeting ;  2d.  An  executive  board 
was  appointed,  consisting  of  the  moderator,  treasurer,  clerk  and 
three  other  brethren,  whose  duty  was  annually  to  appoint  a  mis- 
sionary or  missionaries  to  ride  in  the  bounds  of  the  body;  said 
board  was  to  perform  its  duties  without  any  pecuniary  consider- 
ation and  report  annually  to  the  association. 

The  following  item  of  business  will  be  of  interest  to  many: 

"  Settled  with  corresponding  members.  Eld.  Jesse  Terrill  was 
allowed  S4;  B.  Terrill,  $3,  and  M.  M.  Modisett,  $7." 

(Xote. — The  above  named  plan  of  domestic  missions  may  have 
been  adopted  in  1848  instead  of  1849.  We  have  not  the  minutes 
of  1848  before  us,  and  from  the  records  of  1849  see  that  pledges 
for  missions  were  made  the  preceding  year.) 

Rev.  William  Duncan. — "  This  deservedly  popular  minister 
of  the  gospel  attended  for  the  last  time  the  association  in  1846. 
At  that  session  he  preached  on  Monday,  the  last  day  of  the  meet- 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  187 

ing,  and  was  taken  sick  while  in  the  pulpit,  but  could  still  travel, 
and  rode  home  the  same  day  a  distance  of  some  20  miles ;  he  was 
immediately  confined  to  his  bed  and  died  on  the  following  Sat- 
urday, October  10,  1846,  of  congestive  fever.  The  meeting  was 
held  this  year  at  Ebenezer  Church,  Eandolph  County. 

"  William  Duncan  was  born  in  Amherst  County,  Virginia, 
February  22,  1776.  His  parents,  John  and  Sarah  T.  Duncan, 
were  highly  respectable  residents  of  that  county.  His  father 
was  a  Baptist  minister.  At  the  age  of  20  years  he  became  the 
subject  of  religious  influence,  and  was  converted  and  united  with 
the  Baptists,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
He  was  very  soon  recognized  as  a  young  man  giving  promise  of 
usefulness.  Early  in  his  ministry  he  was  called  to  the  pastoral 
care  of  as  many  churches  as  he  could  serve.  In  this  capacity  he 
labored  with  Ebenezer,  Mt.  Moriah  and  Pedlar  Churches,  in  Am- 
herst County,  and  Rock  Fish  and  Jonesborough,  in  Nelson 
County.  The  first  four  of  these  churches  he  is  said  to  have  served 
about  34  years.  He  labored  with  fidelity  and  eminent  success, 
until  his  removal  from  Virginia.  Large  numbers  were  brought 
into  the  fold  of  Christ  through  his  instrumentality,  so  that  his 
churches  were  the  largest  and  most  influential  in  the  Albemarle 
Association."* 

He  was  married  quite  young,  in  his  native  county,  to  Miss  Sal- 
ly Henly,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  two  sons  and  six 
daughters.  Three  of  the  daughters  are  dead.  The  sons  are  in 
Missouri;  one  of  whom,  Dr.  W.  H.  Duncan,  is  a  physician. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1830  he  emigrated  to  Missouri, 
leaving  behind  him  four  churches  he  had  served  about  thirty-four 
years.  These  churches  he  left  amid  the  pleadings,  remonstrances 
and  tears  of  all,  to  follow  his  children  to  the  West.  He  settled 
in  Callaway  County,  where  he  lived  for  eight  years,  faithfully 
pursuing  his  ministerial  work.  "He  then  moved  to  Howard 
County,  where  he  served  five  churches,  acting  a  part  of  the  time 
as  domestic  missionary,  and  thus  filling  up  his  time  in  the  min- 
istry until  the  close  of  his  life."-j" 

Besides  his  pastoral  work  he  traveled  over  a  large  portion  of 
Central  North  Missouri  preaching  the  gospel,  and  no  man  ever 
held  a  more  enviable  place  in  the  aff'ections  of  the  people  to 
whom  he  ministered.  Two  incidents  will  serve  as  illustrations 
on  this  subject.  The  first  is  his  departure  from  his  churches  in 
Virginia,  thus  described  by  an  eye-witness: 

*  Virginia  Baptist  Ministei's,  by  Taylor,  p.  312.     f  Ibid.,  312. 


1^8 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 


"  I  shall  never  forget  his  valedictory  sermons  to  those  church- 
es. The  lamentations  of  his  flock  he  had  so  long  fed  on  spirit- 
ual food,  in  fact  the  sorrow  pervading  the  whole  congregation, 
surpassed  anything  of  the  kind  I  had  ever  witnessed,  or  ever 
expect  to  witness.  This  speaks  in  language  not  to  be  misunder- 
stood, as  to  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  his  churches, 
and  his  congregation  generally.  But  not  so  loudly  as  when  he 
was  solicited,  after  locating  in  Missouri,  to  return  to  Virginia 
and  take  charge  of  his  old  churches  at  any  cost  he  might  assess 
them;  and  was  also  offered  the  finest  farm  in  that  section  of 
country  with  everything  to  make  him  comfortable.''  All  this 
he  declined  and  remained  in  Missouri. 

The  other  incident  is  this  :  When  the  news  of  his  death  reach- 
ed Huntsville,  Eandolph  County,  where  he  had  been  pastor  the 
last  eight  years  of  his  life,  the  circuit  court  was  in  session; 
which,  on  motion,  was  immediately  adjourned.  His  puljiits  also, 
both  at  Huntsville  and  in  all  the  churches  where  he  was  pastor, 
were  draped  in  mourning. 

William  Duncan  was  an  eloquent  preacher,  with  much  more 
than  ordinary  talent  and  influence.  "His  views  were  enlarged 
and  liberal." 

Born  in  the  times  of  our  Revolution,  Eld.  Duncan  was  one  of 
the  connecting  links  between  the  present  and  the  past — a  repre- 
sentative of  another  age ;  zealous  and  vigilant  of  the  interest 
and  progress  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  "  Fidelity  to  friends, 
noble  and  generous  impulses,  devotion  to  wife,  children  and  all, 
gushed  from  the  fountain  of  a  clear  and  strong  judgment,  the 
streams  of  which  fertilized  the  actions  of  his  life.  And  more 
still,  he  cultivated  the  minor  as  well  as  the  greater  virtues.  His 
presence  was  seen  in  everything  useful  and  honorable  within  his 
reach.  He  was  frequently  urged  to  become  a  candidate  for  Con- 
gress and  as  frequently  declined  the  honor,  preferring  to  spend 
his  time  in  his  Master's  vineyard  rather  than  to  mingle  with  the 
rabble." 

The  last  sixteen  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  Missouri.  And 
although  he  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  70  years,  he  literally 
went  from  the  pulpit  to  the  grave,  as  the  circumstances  of  his 
death  already  spoken  of  show.  He  had  clear  views  of  Bible  doc- 
trine and  was  a  sound  gospel  preacher. 

During  the  decade  commencing  with  1850,  the  Mt.  Pleasant 
Association  held  regular  annual  meetings  in  the  following  or- 
der ;  Mt.  Gilead,  Howard  County ;  Keytesville,  Chariton  Coun- 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  189 

ty;  Sweet  Spring,  Eandolph  County;  Bethlehem,  Boone  County; 
Huntsville ;  Sugar  Creek,  Boone  County;  Chariton,  Howard 
County;  Huntsville;  New  Hope,  Chariton  County;  Eoanoke, 
Howard  County.  New  churches  admitted  as  follows :  In  1850 
Little  Bethel;  1851,  New  Hope  and  Eocheport;  1852,  Liberty, 
Middle  Fork  and  Oak  Grove;  1853,  Mt.  Horeb  (Boone  County), 
Lebanon,  Yellow  Creek  and  Boonsborough ;  1855,  Prairie  Val- 
ley; 1856,  Muscle  Fork  and  Mt.  Salem;  1857,  Mt.  Moriah  and 
Pleasant  Hope;  1858,  Bethany;  and  in  1859,  Zion,  Mt.  Yernon, 
Hays'  Eidge  and  Union.  The  association  now  numbered  40 
churches,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  3,184. 

It  was  an  active  missionary  body,  having  expended  for  itiner- 
ant missionary  work  over  $3,000  during  this  period.  The  amount 
of  salary  usually  paid  missionaries  was  from  $20  to  $50  a  month. 

In  1854  the  citizens  of  Huntsville  founded  Mt.  Pleasant  Col- 
lege and  offered  the  control  of  it  to  the  association.  The  prop- 
osition was  accepted,  and  steps  were  at  once  taken  to  secure  a 
charter,  erect  suitable  buildings  and  collect  funds  for  endow- 
ment. This  association  was  now,  without  doubt,  one  of  the 
most  efficient  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  state.  Eoland 
Hughes,  a  leading  member  of  the  association  and  its  moderator 
since  1850,  died  between  the  sessions  of  1854  and  1855. 

Broad  and  comprehensive  views  were  taken  of  educational 
interests  in  the  following  action  at  the  session  of  1856  : 

''■Resolved,  That  this  association  recommend  William  Jewell 
College  as  a  state  institution,  that  should  rise  above  sectional 
and  local  feelings  and  prejudices,  and  be  the  first  object  of  our 
prayers,  energy  and  contributions,  and  that  we  cordially  invite 
the  agent  of  the  board  of  trustees  into  our  midst  to  raise  an  en- 
dowment." 

In  1857  the  American  Tract  Society  manifested  quite  a  dispo- 
tion  to  interfere  with  the  institution  of  slavery  in  the  Southern 
States.  The  news  of  this  event  reached  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Asso- 
ciation through  the  Big  Hatchee  Association  of  United  Baptists 
of  Tennessee,  in  the  same  year,  whereupon  the  Mt.  Pleasant  As- 
sociation adopted  resolutions  as  follows: 

"  Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  all  Christians  and  patriots 
that  they  withdraw  their  patronage  from  the  American  Tract 
Society. 

'*  Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  all  the  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist churches  that,  in  the  future,  they  discountenance  the  efforts 
of  the  colporteurs  of  said  society  in  our  midst,  and  that  they 


190  MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION. 

purchase  books  and  tracts  of  our  own  publication  societies  in  the 
South. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  all  our  sister  associations 
in  the  state  and  throughout  the  South,  to  take  a  similar  position 
with  reference  to  the  American  Tract  Society,  until  that  society 
recedes  from  its  present  attitude  toward  American  slavery." 

Another  important  entry  is  made  in  the  minutes  of  this  year 
as  follows : 

*'  Whereas,  In  the  dispensation  of  Almighty  God,  a  beloved 
brother  and  faithful  minister  has  been  called  from  earth  to  try 
the  realities  of  another  and  invisible  world  :  therefore, 

"^eso?ye(Z,  That  although  we  bow  with  humble  submission  to 
the  will  of  Almighty  God,  we  feel  that  in  the  death  of  Bro.  Ad- 
dison M.  Lewis  his  family  have  lost  an  affectionate  and  kind 
husband  and  indulgent  parent,  the  community  at  large  an  inval- 
uable citizen,  and  the  church  of  Christ  a  faithful,  zealous  and  de- 
voted minister." 

Eev.  Addison  M.  Lewis — was  the  seventh  child  and  youngest 
son  of  Colonel  Zachary  Lewis,  born  at  Bell  Air,  Spottsylvania 
County,  Virginia,  in  September,  1789.  "  The  ancestry  of  Mr. 
Lewis  was  highly  respectable.  Mr.  John  Lewis,  brother  of 
Addison,  thus  refers  to  his  progenitors  :  *  On  the  revocation  of 
the  Edict  of  Nantes,  a  French  Huguenot  lawyer  of  good  fortune, 
Mons.  Louis,  left  his  native  country  and  bought  an  estate  in 
"Wales.  lie  had  three  sons,  all  of  whom  were  lawyers.  One  re- 
mained in  Wales  wnth  his  father,  the  second  went  to  London, 
and  the  eldest  to  Ireland.  After  the  death  of  their  father,  the 
youngest  emigrated  to  Yirginia  and  settled  on  the  Dragon 
Swamp.  He  is  the  "Welsh  Lewis,  from  whom  Addison  is  lineally 
descended.'  "  * 

His  parents  being  Episcopalians,  he  was  brought  up  in  that 
faith  and  became  identified  w^ith  them.  Before  he  reached  the 
age  of  nineteen  years  he  became  powerfully  convicted  of  sin. 
He  saw  the  necessity  of  personal  holiness  as  a  preparation  for 
death  and  eternity.  Euclid  and  other  text-books  were  laid  aside 
and  the  Holy  Bible  took  their  place.  To  everj^thing  he  seemed 
indifferent,  save  his  condition  as  a  sinner.  He  soon  became  a 
walking  skeleton. 

"  Morgan,  a  pious  slave,  and  member  of  the  Baptist  church, 
was  the  best  spiritual  adviser  which  Addison,  his  j'oung  master, 
could  find.   Said  his  brother:  '  Morgan  has  had  more  of  his  com- 

*  Virginia  Baptist  Ministers,  by  Taylor,  p.  474. 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  191 

pany  than  I  have,  although  we  were  very  intimate  before.  Ad- 
dison brings  him  to  the  study,  and  also  goes  to  his  cabin  fre- 
quently.' How  illustrative  of  the  fact  is  this,  that  the  experience 
of  God's  grace  in  the  heart  qualifies  far  better  for  giving  relig- 
ious instruction  to  the  religious  inquirer,  than  all  the  learning 
of  the  schools  !  Under  Morgan's  tuition  Mr.  Lewis  was  led  into 
a  knowledge  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  and  thus  brought  peace- 
fully to  rely  on  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  hope  in  His  name."  * 

He  became  a  Baptist,  having  left  the  church  of  his  childhood, 
and  was  baptized  July  3,  1808.  Ever  after  this  his  chosen  com- 
panions were  found  among  the  Baptists,  and  through  his  whole 
subsequent  life  he  manifested  great  attachment  to  their  distinc- 
tive principles,  because  he  believed  them  scriptural. 

Soon  after  uniting  with  the  Baptists  he  entered  the  ministry, 
and  spent  the  prime  of  a  useful  life  in  Virginia  and  Kentucky. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  fifteen  members  of  the  Baptist  Gen- 
eral Association  of  Virginia.  In  1843  he  emigrated  to  Missouri 
and  spent  the  evening  of  his  ministerial  life  in  this  state,  having 
been  made  the  successor  of  the  late  lamented  Wm.  Duncan  at 
Huntsville. 

On  the  26th  of  August,  1857,  he  died,  it  being  the  68th  year  of 
his  life,  and  the  forty-ninth  of  his  ministry. 

"  In  the  pulpit  Eld.  Lewis  used  the  simplest  form  of  speech 
which  a  learned  man  could  select  from  the  pure  Anglo-Saxon 
dialect.  He  was  a  man  of  exalted  moral  and  Christian  charac- 
ter. In  personal  appearance,  tall  and  commanding;  in  deport- 
ment, grave;  in  sjieech,  conservative;  and  a  gentleman  of  the 
olden  school." 

Eld.  James  Porter — though  not  many  years  a  minister  in  Mt. 
Pleasant  Association,  well  deserves  a  place  in  these  sketches. 
He  was  the  son  of  Hezekiah  and  Nancy  Porter,  born  in  Grayson 
County,  Tennessee,  in  the  year  1809,  and  with  his  parents  emi- 
grated to  Howard  County,  Missouri,  in  1820. 

His  education  was  secured  in  the  common  or  district  schools 
of  his  early  day,  and  did  not  extend  to  the  higher  branches,  but 
was  abundantly  suflJcient  to  qualify  him  for  a  successful  school- 
teacher, the  occupation  of  a  portion  of  his  earlier  life. 

At  the  age  of  19  years  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Walker, 
who  proved  to  be  a  true  and  affectionate  companion  and  a  good 
minister's  wife. 

While  young,  though  married,  he  removed  to  Monroe  County 

*  Virginia  Baptist  Ministers,  by  Taylor,  pp.  475-'6, 


192  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

and  settled  on  the  middle  fork  of  Salt  Eiver,  some  four  miles 
north  of  Madison.  Here  he  lived  until  his  death.  He  was  a 
moral  man  and  concluded  that  he  could  do  much  by  way  of  hid- 
ing the  deformity  of  his  soul,  under  which  impression  he  united 
with  the  Campbellites,  but  for  want  of  fitness  failed  to  be  immers- 
ed. He  used  to  say  that  this  circumstance  in  his  life  had  much  to 
do  in  producing  penitence  and  leading  him  to  the  foot  of  the 
cross  as  a  humble  beggar  for  mercy.  On  the  fourth  Sabbath  in 
September,  1843,  in  the  midst  of  a  large  congregation,  he  arose 
and  told  of  God's  pardoning  favor,  asked  admittance  into  Hick- 
ory G-rove  Church,  Monroe  County,  was  cordially  received  and 
the  following  month  was  baptized  by  Eld.  Benjamin  Terrill,  the 
pastor.  This  church  was  a  small,  new  organization  at  that  time, 
and  Porter's  addition  greatly  encouraged  the  brethren.  From 
the  beginning  he  was  active  in  promoting  the  cause,  and  com- 
menced preaching  in  1854.  He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  by 
Elds.  James  Burton  and  Benjamin  Terrill,  in  March,  1855.  He 
at  once  heartily  entered  upon  his  work  as  a  gospel  minister, 
serving  from  the  commencement  of  his  ministry  the  churches  at 
Union,  Eandolph  County,  and  Oak  Grove,  Monroe  County,  both 
of  which  were  raised  up  under  his  labors.  He  also  was  pastor 
of  Mt.  Salem,  Macon  County,  and  Shiloh,  Eandolph  County,  a 
part  of  his  time. 

His  race  was  short  but  strong.  No  man  had  more  influence  in 
his  field  of  labor  than  he;  and  no  preacher,  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  was  doing  more  to  build  up  the  Baptist  cause  in  the  bounds 
of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association.  Not  long  before  his  death  he  said 
to  one  of  his  sons  :  "  You  are  preparing  to  live ;  I  am  preparing 
to  die."  So  death,  although  it  was  somewhat  sudden,  did  not 
come  upon  him  unawares.  He  died  of  apoplexy — the  third 
stroke— April  21,  1859. 

During  the  war  period  of  1861-'5  regular  meetings  were  held 
by  the  association,  and  although  the  statistics  show  less  of  pros- 
perity than  formerly,  yet  several  hundred  were  baptized  and  ad- 
ded to  the  churches,  despite  the  blighting  influences  of  the  civil 
strife.  In  the  year  1863  an  effort  was  made  tOAvards  a  re-union 
with  that  part  of  the  association  which  violated  the  constitution 
in  1835,  and  thus  caused  a  division  in  the  old  association.  Look- 
ing to  this  end,  Bro.  B.  Anderson  introduced  the  following  pre- 
amble and  resolution,  which  were  adopted  unanimously: 

"Whereas,  Our  Old  School  Baptist  brethren  hold  in  common 
with  us,  to  one  Lord,  one  faith  and  one  baptism;  one  and  the 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  193 

same  experience  and  church  organization ;  and  in  fine,  believe 
in  the  great  leading  doctrines  to  which  we  hold,  therefore, 

^'■Resolved,  That  we  ought  to  labor  in  order  to  a  reunion  with 
these  brethren  ;  that  we  ought  to  pray  earnestly  to  God  for  this 
desired  object." 

How  this  proposition  was  received  by  the  Old  School  Mount 
Pleasant  Association,  we  have  been  unable  to  learn.  We  only 
know  that  the  reunion  has  never  been  eifeeted. 

Something  was  done  by  the  association  each  year  to  promote 
evangelization  j  and  ministerial  education  was  commended  to  the 
churches.  At  the  close  of  this  period  the  association  was  com- 
posed of  41  churches,  containing  a  membership  of  3,432. 

In  later  years  the  association  held  meetings  as  follows:  At 
Mt.  Gilead,  Howard  County,  in  1867 ;  Keytesville,  Chariton  Coun- 
ty, 1868;  Chariton,  Howard  County,  in  1869  ;  Cliffton  Hill,  Ran- 
dolph County,  in  1870 ;  Friendship,  Howard  County,  1871 ;  Hunts- 
ville,  in  1872  ;  Mt.  Zion,  Howard  County,  1873  ;  Salisbury,  1874; 
Hickory  Grove,  Monroe  Coun-ty,  1876 ;  New  Hope,  Chariton 
County,  1877  ;  Walnut  Grove,  Boone  County,  1878;  Sharon,  How- 
ard County,  1879;  Shiloh,  Randolph  County,  1880;  Prairie  Val- 
ley, Chariton  County,  1881.  We  shall  chronicle  only  a  few  events 
of  this  period.  In  1880  12  churches  were  dismissed  to  form  the 
Mt.  Zion  Association  (for  names  of  churches,  see  said  association). 
The  year  following  four  others  were  dismissed  to  unite  with  the 
same  association,  which  left  Mt.  Pleasant  with  only  31  churches 
on  her  list,  and  an  aggregate  membership  of  2,110.  Thus  was 
the  association  reduced  from  her  56  churches  and  4,000  members 
in  1877.  Truly  can  the  Mt.  Pleasant  be  regarded  the  mother 
association  in  northern,  central,  western  and  a  part  of  southern 
Missouri.  Its  territory  is  now  confined  mainly  to  Randolph  and 
Chariton  counties,  with  churches  in  Boone,  Monroe  and  Macon 
counties.  The  plan  of  missions,  in  operation  for  over  thirty  5^ears, 
has  resulted  in  much  good ;  $200  to  |300  have  been  annually 
expended  in  sustaining  itinerants  in  the  bounds  of  the  associa- 
tion. The  minutes  of  1872  chronicle  the  death  of  two  of  the 
most  influential  ministers  in  the  body,  viz. :  Elds.  Thomas  P. 
Fristoe  and  Y.  R.  Pitts:  the  sketch  of  the  former  has  already 
been  given. 

Younger  Rogers  Pitts — was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  at 

Great  Crossings,  Scott  County,  November  8,  1812.     His  parents 

were  Younger  and  Elizabeth  Pitts.   His  father  was  a  member  of 

Great  Crossings  ^^ptist  Church  and  died  when  our  subject  was 

13 


194  MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION. 

a  boy  twelve  years  of  age.  His  mother  was  a  most  remarkable 
woman,  known  throughout  the  central  portion  of  the  state  as  a 
"  mother  in  Israel." 

While  Younger  Pitts  was  yet  in  early  life,  he  came  on  a  visit 
to  Missouri,  and  while  in  the  state  he  was  converted  and  bap- 
tized ;  after  which  event  in  his  life  he  returned  to  his  native  state 
and  attached  himself  to  the  Baptist  church  at  G-reat  Crossings, 
from  which  church,  according  to  the  records,  he  went  as  a  mes- 
senger to  the  Elkhorn  Association  as  early  as  the  year  1840,  and 
was  also  at  that  time  a  licensed  minister.  In  1841  he  was  regu- 
larly set  apart  to  the  gospel  ministry  by  the  following  ministe- 
rial council,  viz. :  J.  D.  Block,  James  M.  Frost,  Howard  Mal- 
colm, Eyland  T.  Dillard,  B.  F.  Kenny,  and  W.  G.  Craig.  Soon 
after  his  ordination  he  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  the 
following  churches  :  Great  Crossings,  Clear  Creek  and  Forks  of 
Elkhorn;  and  so  continued  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  a  la- 
borious, earnest  and  successful  pastor.  Bold  and  fearless  in  the 
"defense  of  the  gospel,"  a  staunch  Baptist  of  the  primitive  mod- 
el, he  was  ready  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances  to  do  his 
whole  duty,  both  as  a  member  and  a  minister  of  the  denomina- 
tion of  his  ancestors.  Besides  his  duties  as  pastor,  he  filled  im- 
portant positions  in  denominational  enterprises  in  his  native 
state.  He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Georgetown  College,  and  also  moderator  of  Elkhorn  Associa- 
tion, one  of  the  three  oldest  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  state, 
as  well  as  the  largest  and  most  influential. 

After  spending  about  twenty  years  of  active  ministerial  life  in 
Kentucky,  he  removed  to  Missouri  in  October,  1860,  and  pur- 
chased and  settled  on  a  fine  farm  in  Howard  County.  "In  this 
state  he  devoted  himself  with  characteristic  earnestness  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  He  was  a  true  friend  to  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions and  to  all  our  educational  enterprises.  To  the  young  men 
preparing  to  preach  the  gospel  he  was  a  sincere  and  substantial 
friend.  For  several  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  William  Jewell  College,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
all  its  interests  with  industry  and  fidelity.  He  had  even  con- 
sented to  devote  all  his  energies  to  the  work  of  raising  a  perma- 
nent endowment  for  the  college,  when  he  was  suddenly  stricken 
down  by  the  hand  of  death."  Minutes  of  Geyieral  Association  of 
Missouri,  1872,  p.  34.) 

Wherever  he  went  he  wielded  an  influence  for  good.  His  pas- 
toral labors  were  mostly  given  to  the  churches  at  Fayette,  Mt. 


MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION.  195 

Moriah  and  Salisbury,  and  temporarily  to  Glasgow  and  Bruns- 
wick. To  every  denominational  work  his  energies,  his  talents 
and  his  means  were  directed.  He  was  a  generous  contributor  to 
William  Jewell  College.  He  filled  a  large  place  in  the  affections 
of  the  denomination,  not  only  in  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association, 
but  throughout  the  state;  and  with  few  exceptions,  he  was  al- 
ways present  at  the  anniversaries  and  contributed  in  no  small 
degree  to  the  success  of  the  meetings. 

Pitts  was  a  man  of  broad  and  expansive  views;  of  a  large  and 
beneficent  heart,  brimful  of  love  to  God  and  his  people ;  of  an 
untiring  zeal,  and  of  an  invincible  courage.  His  body  was  large 
and  well  proportioned  ;  his  deportment  manly  and  dignified  ; 
and  his  personal  appearance  commanding  and  bold.  With  these 
characteristics  he  seldom,  if  ever,  failed  to  interest  and  entertain 
an  audience,  eren  under  the  most  unfavorable  circumstances. 
He  was  a  master  workman  and  rarely  ever  failed  in  what  he  un- 
dertook. 

He  fell  at  his  post — in  line  of  battle — and  his  death  was  as  sud- 
den as  it  was  unexpected.  The  following  account  of  this  event 
was  furnished  the  Central  Baptist,  soon  after  its  occurrence,  by 
Eld.  W.  E.  Eothwell,  now  of  William  Jewell  College: 

"You  have  doubtless  heard  of  the  death  of  Eld.  Y.  R.  Pitts. 
He  died  at  Clinton,  Monday  evening,  October  16,  1871.  He  was 
attacked  Sunday  afternoon  with  sj^mptoms  like  cramp  colic  and 
congestive  chill.  I  was  first  apprised  of  his  sickness  in  the  even- 
ing after  our  delightful  Sunday-school  meeting.  I  found  him  in 
an  agony  of  pain.  Dr.  Britz  and  Dr.  Jennings  were  called  in. 
,  Everything  was  done  that  could  be  for  his  relief  and  comfort. 
Nothing  seemed  at  all  to  arrest  the  disease,  and  no  relief  came 
till  death. 

"He  was  perfectly  rational,  except  in  the  last  hour  perhaps  a 
few  incoherent  utterances.  He  knew  the  danger  of  his  con- 
dition and  often  spoke  of  it.  Monday  evening  Bro.  Warder  said 
to  him : 

"  'Bro.  Pitts,  if  it  is  the  Lord's  will  to  take  you  now,  are  you 
ready  to  go?     Do  you  still  feel  the  Savior  near  you?' 

"  'What,  do  you  think  my  end  is  near  ?  Yes,  perfectly  recon- 
ciled— perfectly  reconciled.' 

"  Brother  Warder  then  asked  him  if  he  had  any  messages  to 
send  his  family — his  dear  wife  and  children.  For  a  moment  he 
seemed  overcome  with  tender  emotion.  I  cannot  say  certainly 
whether  he  said,  '  Tell  them  I  trust  in  the  Lord  and  His  right- 


196  MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 

eousness,  and  not  in  works  which  man  can  do,'  or  '  Tell  them 
to  trust  in  the  Lord  and  His  righteousness,  and  not  in  works 
which  man  can  do.'  It  was  now  his  trust — not  that  he  had 
preached  the  Gospel  forty  years;  not  that  hundreds  had  been 
converted  under  his  ministry ;  not  that  his  zeal  and  energy  and 
counsels  had  so  blessed  the  churches  throughout  nearly  half  a 
century  in  Kentucky  and  Missouri;  but  his  soul  rested  in  this 
last  hour  solely  on  the  Lord  and  His  righteousness. 

"  Father  Pitts'  suiferings  were  intense  and  he  talked  but  little. 
The  last  connected  words  I  remember  hearing  him  utter  were, 
'Now  let  me  rest  a  little.'  He  soon  rested  from  pain  and  toil 
and  care  forevermore.  '  Blessed  are  the  dead  that  die  in  the 
Lord,  yea,  from  henceforth  saith  the  Spirit,  They  do  rest  from 
their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them.' 

"  Some  circumstances  of  his  death  are  very  painful :  that  he 
should  die  away  from  home — from  his  wife  and  children  beloved 
so  well;  that  he  should  be  called  away  so  suddenly.  And  yet 
why  not?  He  was  absent  from  home,  but  it  was  on  the  King's 
business.  Never  were  his  heart  and  his  hands  so  full  of  work 
for  the  blessed  Savior.  He  had  just  cut  himself  off  more  from 
all  temporal  cares  and  consecrated  himself  to  the  work  of  the 
Lord  more  unreservedly  than  ever  perhaps  in  his  life.  He  had 
just  girded  himself  afresh  with  the  whole  armor  of  God.  He 
had  just  accepted  the  financial  agency  of  the  William  Jewell  Col- 
lege, and  had  the  care  of  our  ministerial  students  upon  his  heart. 
He  fell  on  the  field  of  action — fell  in  the  harness.  All  the  breth- 
ren will  remember  how  spiritually  minded,  how  full  of  charity', 
how  fervent  in  spirit  he  was  during  the  meeting  of  the  associa- 
tion. But  I  must  stop.  As  his  spirit  went  up  to  God  I  stood 
with  Bros.  Warder  and  Averj^  and  Jennings  and  others,  M^eeping 
— in  silent  prayer  that  God  would  give  a  double  portion  of  his 
Spirit  to  many  an  Elisha  from  the  school  of  our  prophets,  and 
bless  our  Zion  while  he  chastened. 

"A  funeral  sermon  was  preached  in  Roanoke  on  Wednesday, 
3  P.  M.,  by  Bro.  M.  L.  Laws,  pastor  of  Glasgow  Church,  from 
the  text:  'Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  His 
saints.'  He  was  buried  in  Huntsville  Cemetery,  Thursday,  11 
A.  M.  A  great  congregation  was  present.  Bro.  P.  T.  Gentry 
led  in  prayer,  and  we  committed  the  manly  frame  of  Y.  R.  Pitts 
to  the  earth  in  the  comforting  faith  of  a  glorious  resurrection 
with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

{Note. — The  General  Association  had  only  a  few  days  before. 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION.  197 

closed  its  annual  session,  on  which  Eld.  Pitts  had  been  in  attend- 
ance.  Many  sad  hearts  left  Clinton  on  the  16th  of  October,  1871.) 

Just  two  years  before  his  death,  at  the  close  of  the  General 
Association  at  Columbia,  Bro.  Pitts  was  stricken  with  apoplexy, 
and  many  then  left  his  bedside  expecting  to  see  his  face  no 
more,  but  it  pleased  God  to  raise  him  up  and  give  to  the  church 
militant  two  years  more  of  his  mature  ministerial  life. 

Joshua  Willis  Terrill. — The  parents  of  J.  W.  Terrill  (John 
and  Rebecca  Terrill)  were  natives  of  Virginia,  and  emigrated  to 
the  state  of  Kentucky  in  an  early  day,  settling  in  Boone  County, 
where,  August  21,  1821,  he  was  born.  He  moved  with  his  pa- 
rents and  the  family  to  Howard  County,  Missouri,  in  1835,  and 
settled  near  Roanoke,  where,  except  a  short  time  during  the  war, 
he  has  ever  since  resided.  Under  the  ministry  of  Dr.  A.  P.  Wil- 
liams he  was  led  from  darkness  to  light,  by  whom  also  he  was 
baptized  and  became  a  member  of  the  church  called  Mt.  Ararat, 
in  May,  1839,  and  the  same  year  was  licensed  to  preach.  Four 
years  to  a  month  after  this  he  was  ordained,  and  afterwards  fill- 
ed with  honor  and  success  the  pastoral  office  in  the  following 
churches:  Roanoke,  Silver  Creek,  Thomasville,  New  Hope, 
Pleasant  Grove,  Pleasant  Hope,  Friendship,  Salisbury  and  per- 
haps one  or  two  others.  Of  some  of  said  churches  he  was  pas- 
tor from  twenty  to  twenty-seven  years.  The  name  of  J.  W.  Ter- 
rill will  ever  be  revered  and  loved  by  the  members  of  the  Mt. 
Pleasant  Association,  over  which  he  presided  as  moderator  for 
a  number  of  consecutive  years.  He  was  a  logical,  sound,  gos- 
pel preacher,  few  men  handling  a  subject  better  than  he  ;  and  no 
man  did  more  to  build  up  the  Baptist  interest  in  the  field  of  his 
labors.*  He  was  married  to  Miss  Matilda  A.  Walton,  October  8, 
1840,  who  was  to  him  a  helpmeet  in  all  his  ministerial  life. 

From  youth  he  was  afflicted  with  dyspepsia,  and  much  of  his 
life  with  chronic  bronchitis.  This  last  deepened  into  consump- 
tion, and  on  May  18, 1882,  he  died  at  his  home  in  Howard  County. 

Samuel  Younger  Pitts — is  the  son  of  Jno.  A.  Pitts  and  Sarah 
Rochester  McDowell,  the  former  of'Scott  County,  and  the  latter 
of  Danville,  Ky.  They  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1831,  where, 
in  Randolph  County,  the  subject  of  this  notice  was  born  October 
14,  1833.  The  Christian  mother  dying  in  his  eighth  year  left 
a  deep  religious  impression  on  the  boy;  and  a  lovely  sister,  four 
years  younger,  imparted  to  his  young  life  joy,  shape  and  im- 
pulse.   At  eighteen  years  of  age  he  was  converted  and  the  fol- 

*  Eld.  E.  J.  Mansfield's  MS.  ~~ 


198 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 


lowing  year  was  baptized  by  bis  uncle,  Eev.  Y.  E.  Pitts,  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  Great  Crossings  Baptist  Church,  Kentucky. 
He  spent  several  sessions  at  Howard  High  School,  now  Central 
College,  Fayette,  Mo.,  under  the  instruction  of  President  W.  T. 
Davis,  with  Prof.  J.  J.  Eucker  as  classmate,  with  whom,  in  1852, 
he  entered  Georgetown  College,  Ky.,  taking  the  English  Litera- 
ture Diploma  in  June,  1854. 

While  at  Georgetown  he  became  acquainted  with  Miss  Anna 
M.  Winston,  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  D.  Winston,  of  jSTashville,  Tenn., 
to  whom,  February  28,  1856,  he  was  united  in  the  bonds  of  wed- 
lock. At  the  instance  of  the  Eoanoke  Baptist  Church,  Mo.,  he 
was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  July  3,  1859,  b}:-  Dr.  J.  W. 

Terrill  and  A. 
R.  Macey,  his 
former  Ken- 
tucky pastor. 
Beingthconly 
son  of  an  en- 
terprising and 
thrifty  farmer, 
many  cares 
and  duties 
claimed  the 
time  that 
should  have 
been  given  to 
study  and 
work  for  the 
Master,  thus 
crippling  his 
early  growth, 
and  stinting 
the  fruit  of 
manhood,  for 
which    he    is 

now  attempting  to  atone  by  encouraging  young  ministers  to  a 
thorough  preparation  for,  and  exclusive  devotion  to  their 
calling. 

He  has  served,  in  a  ministry  of  23  j^ears,  seven  churches  as 
pastor;  among  them  Eoanoke  and  Huntsville  3  years  each,  Mt. 
Ararat  5  years,  Mt.  Shiloh  10  years,  and  Cliffton  Hill  22  years ; 
and  has  baptized  257  persons.     In  1872  he  removed  to  Hunts- 


REV.  S.   Y.   PITTS. 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 


199 


ville.  Bro.  Pitts  is  generous,  kind,  hospitable,  and  one  of  the 
most  liberal  pastors  we  have  ever  met;  and  the  fruit  of  his  spirit 
may  be  seen  in  the  life  of  his  people. 

George  W.  Eobey — was  born  May  27,  1838,  in  Marion  Co.,  Mo. 
At  the  age  of  14  years  he  was  converted,  and  three  years  after 
was  baptized  by  Eev.  Nathan  Ayres.  When  18  years  old  he  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  entered  Bethel  College,  Pal- 
myra, where,  after  four  years,  he  graduated  in  1860.  He  was  or- 
dained and  became  pastor  of  Little  Union  Church  in  1859.  From 
1860  to  1867  he  preached  as  pastor  to  the  last  named  church,  and 
also  to  Philadelphia, 
Bethel  and  Emerson 
Churches,  in  Marion 
County ;  and  Newark 
in  Knox  County.  He 
also  labored  as  mis- 
sionary of  Bethel  As- 
sociation, save  one 
year — 1865 — which  he 
spent  in  Indiana, 
preaching  for  two 
country  churches. 

In  1863  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Rebecca 
J .  Kelly,  who  has 
proven  herself  a  true 
helpmeet  in  every 
good  work.  She  is  a 
woman  of  extraordin- 
ary faith,  and  deep, 
earnest  piety.  The  husband  cheerfully  owns  that  whatever  of 
success  has  attended  him,  has  been  largely  due  to  her  earnest 
prayer  and  faithful  co-operation. 

In  the  year  1867  Mr.  Eobey  was  settled  as  pastor  at  Shelbina, 
where  he  continued  for  five  years,  devoting  a  part  of  his  last 
year  as  missionary  of  the  General  Association.  In  1872  he  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  Hamburg,  Iowa.  Here  he  continued  until  the 
spring  of  1875,  when  he  resigned  to  become  associate  editor  of 
the  Baptist  Beacon,  published  at  Pel  la,  Iowa.  In  the  fall  of  this 
year  he  accepted  a  call  to  Bedford,  in  the  same  state,  where  he 
was  remarkably  successful.  He  continued  at  Bedford  until  Oc- 
tober, 1881   when  he  resigned,  returned  to  his  native  state,  and 


KEV.    G.    W.    ROBEY. 


200 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION. 


at  once  settled  at  Moberly,  Here,  during  six  months'  labor  he 
gathered  some  75  members  into  the  church,  quite  a  number  of 
whom  were  young  converts.  Mr.  Robey  has  a  weak  constitution, 
and  is  always  in  feeble  health,  yet  he  has  been  in  labors  quite 
abundant,  and  already  about  1,200  souls  have  been  added  to  the 
churches  under  his  ministry. 

J.  B.  "Weber —  President  of  Mt.  Pleasant  College,  Hunts- 
ville,  was  born  in  Lewis  County,  Mo.,  June  2,  1848.  He  had  the 
advantage  of  excellent  common  schools  in  early  boyhood.  In 
his  13th  year  he  was  converted.  He  graduated  at  La  Grange 
College,  taking  the  complete  classical  course  in  1871.  He  held 
professorships  of  mathematics  and  natural  sciences  two  years  in 
Concord  College,  Kentucky.  After  this  he  took  a  special  course 
in  Washington  and  Lee  University,  Virginia.  He  returned  to 
Missouri,  and  filled  the  chair  of  Latin  and  natural  sciences  in 

La  Grange  Col- 
lege for  two 
years.  On  June 
13,  1876,  he 
married  Miss 
Annie  Pay,  el- 
dest daughter 
of  Eld.  D.  B. 
Ray,  and  spent 
about  5  years 
as  associate 
editor  of  the 
American  Bap- 
tist Flag.  He 
was  ordained  a 
ni  i  n  i  s  t  e  r  in 
May,  1879,  and 
in  June,  1881, 
was  elected 
Pre  si  d  en  t  of 
Mt.  Pleasant 
College,  soon 
after  burned. 

In  the  former  part  of  this  sketch  some  account  was  given  of 
the  five  constituent  churches  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association. 
There  are  others  which  deserve  a  notice  just  here. 
Bee  Branch. — This  church  was  organized  by  Eld.  David  An- 


REV.    J.    B.   WEBER. 


MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION.  201 

derson,  May  13,  1848,  in  a  neighborhood  about  20  miles  north  of 
Keytesville,  Chariton  County.  The  constituent  members  were 
nine  in  number.  Mr.  Anderson  was  chosen  first  pastor  and  con- 
tinued in  this  office  two  or  three  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  N. 
Dille  for  two  years,  and  he  by  J.  S.  Bell  for  about  eight  years. 
During  the  war  the  membership  became  much  scattered,  and 
some  united  with  the  "  sects."  No  meetings  were  held  from 
about  the  middle  of  the  j-ear  1862  until  after  the  close  of  the 
war.  The  house  of  worship — a  log  building  22  feet  square — was 
built  in  1853,  but  in  1870  was  unfit  to  occupy.  The  church  was 
in  a  better  condition  in  1881,  and  numbered  88  members,  with 
P.  M.  Sears  as  pastor. 

Cliffton  Hill.  —  Under  the  name  of  "  Dark's  Prairie,"  23 
members  formed  this  church  October  13,  1859,  having  been  as- 
sisted by  Elds.  N.  Flood  and  J.  W.  Terrill.  It  has  a  house  of 
worship  valued  at  $2,000,  whicVi  was  built  or  re-built  in  1868. 
Rev.  S.  Y.  Pitts  has  been  from  the  beginning  the  pastor,  and  has 
built  up  a  large  church  of  147  members,  contributing  regularly 
to  the  different  benevolent  and  denominational  enterprises.  The 
church  is  located  at  Cliffton,  Eandolph  County,  7  miles  west  of 
Huntsville. 

Friendship. — This  is  one  of  the  pioneer  churches,  and  bears 
date  from  May  9,  1829,  having  been  organized  at  that  time  by 
Elds.  E.  Turner,  Ebenezer  Eogers  and  others.  It  is  in  Howard 
County,  about  6  miles  north  of  Fayette.  Asa  J.  Bartee  served 
the  church  as  pastor  the  first  six  years  of  its  history,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Jesse  Terrill  for  fourteen  years.  The  church  en- 
joyed a  most  wonderful  revival,  commencing  December  25, 1864, 
which  resulted  in  60  accessions.     Present  membership,  92. 

Huntsville. — This  is  the  county  seat  of  Eandolph.  The  Bap- 
tist church  here  was  organized  with  only  8  members,  August  27, 
1837  J  Elds.  Wilhoite,  Fristoe  and  Mansfield  assisting  in  the  or- 
ganization. The  pastors  have  been  William  Duncan  (first  eight 
years),  Addison  Lewis,  Bartlet  Anderson,  G.  Carey,  Wm.  Thomp- 
son, Noah  Flood,  W.  E.  Eothwell,  S.  A.  Beauchamp,  M.  J.  Break- 
er and  S.  Y.  Pitts.  The  most  remarkable  revival  in  the  church 
was  during  the  ministry  of  William  Duncan,  who  was  assisted 
by  the  lamented  A.  P.  Williams.  The  immediate  fruit  of  this 
meeting  was  the  conversion  and  baptism  of  130  souls,  one  entire 
family  of  8  being  among  the  number.  After  the  founding  of 
Mt.  Pleasant  College  the  church  sold  its  house  of  worship  and 
gave  the  proceeds  to  that  institution  for  the  privilege  of  using 


202  MT.    PLEASANT    ASSOCIATION. 

the  college  chapel  for  religious  worship.  The  present  numerical 
strength  of  the  church  is  117.  They  give  to  missions  annually, 
have  a  Sunday-school  and  also  a  juvenile  mission  society. 

Hickory  GtROVe. — On  the  29th  of  August,  1843,  this  church  was 
organized  by  Euphrates  Stringer  and  Benjamin  Terrill,  with  31 
members.  Its  location  is  in  Monroe  County,  not  far  from  Mil- 
ton, about  18  miles  westward  from  Paris,  the  county  seat.  The 
first  pastor  was  Benjamin  Terrill,  and  then  James  Porter,  James 
Burton,  Bartlet  Anderson  and  W.  L.  T.  Evans.  In  1844  the 
church  built  a  log  house  for  worship,  30x60  feet,  which  it  occu- 
pied in  1870,  but  was  at  that  time  making  efforts  to  build  a  bet- 
ter one.  In  1882  the  church  numbered  133  members,  with  M.  F. 
Williams,  brother  of  the  late  Dr.  A.  P.  "Williams,  as  pastor. 

MoBERLY. — This  is  a  railroad  centre  of  some  4,000  inhabitants. 
The  Baptist  church  was  organized  November  15,  1841,  of  18 
members,  and  was  called  Shiloh,  and  was  some  two  and  a  half 
miles  northeast  from  Moberly.  Here  the  church  built  a  log 
house  in  1843,  in  which  it  worshiped  until  1868,  when  it  moved 
to  Moberly  and  built  a  frame  house  on  the  east  side  of  the  rail- 
road, at  a  cost  of  81,100.  The  present  elegant  church  edifice  has 
been  since  built  in  a  central  part  of  the  town,  costing  some 
^10,000  to  $12,000,  on  which  it  is  carrying  a  somewhat  cumber- 
some debt.  For  about  ten  years  after  the  church  was  organized, 
Benjamin  Terrill  was  the  pastor;  after  him  came  Bartlet  An- 
derson, James  Porter,  W.  L.  T.  Evans,  J.  W.  Terrill,  H.  Hatcher, 
A.  J.  Colwell,  under  whose  ministrj^  the  present  house  was  built, 
and  G.  W.  Eobey,  under  whose  ministry  the  church  has  grown 
in  efficiency  and  members,  numbering  nearly  200. 

Mt.  Horeb  —  located  one  mile  west  from  Sturgeon,  Boone 
County,  bears  date  of  March,  1853.  This  church  was  organized 
by  Wm.  Thompson  and  Green  Carey,  with  32  members.  Thomp- 
son served  the  church  as  pastor  a  few  months,  then  W.  R.  Wig- 
ginton  filled  that  office  until  1857.  After  him  came  P.  T.  Gen- 
try, Green  Carey  and  others. 

Mt.  Shiloh — in  Eandolph  County,  some  nine  miles  west  of 
north  from  Huntsville,  was  formed  of  12  members,  by  Bartlet 
Anderson,  May  29,  1852.  The  next  j-ear  it  built  a  small  frame 
house  of  worship  in  Darksville,  a  small  village  at  or  near  where 
the  church  was  formed.  Bartlet  Anderson  was  the  first  pastor. 
D.  Cliffton  was  pastor  in  1882,  the  church  numbering  102  mem- 
bers. 

Mt.  Salem. — This  church  is  about  four  miles  south  of  Hunts- 


MT.    PLEASANT   ASSOCIATION,  203 

ville,  and  was  organized  September  9,  1856,  with  44  members. 
Benjamin  Terrill  was  first  pastor;  after  him  came  F.  M.  Stark, 
James  Burton,  and  D.  ClifFtou  pastor  in  1882,  the  church  num- 
bering 112  members. 

New  Providence. — Elds.  E.  Foley  and  F.  "Wilhoite  organized 
this  church  on  a  constituency  of  15,  August  8th,  1841.  Its  loca- 
tion is  six  miles  northwest  from  Columbia,  in  Boone  County. 
It  belongs  most  likely  to  Bonne  Fcrame  Association. 

Sweet  Spring. — This  was  one  of  the  older  churches  of  the  Mt. 
Pleasant  Association,  having  been  organized  September,  1845. 
It  was  located  some  seven  miles  southeast  of  Huntsville.  Benj. 
Terrill  was  pastor  the  first  fourteen  years,  then  came  J.  R.  Ter- 
rill, after  him  Jesse  Terrill.  Benj.  Terrill  was  again  pastor  un- 
til the  church  dissolved  and  the  members  went  to  Moberly  and 
Renick. 

Salisbury. — This  church  was  organized  January  19,  1867,  and 
was  at  first  located  two  miles  south  of  the  town.  Lewis  EUedge 
was  pastor  one  year,  then  Y.  R.  Pitts  until  his  death.  The  church 
worships  in  a  house  worth  $3,000,  and  numbers  69  members.  S. 
A.  Beaucharap  was  pastor  several  years ;  J.  W.  Terrill  has  filled 
the  same  office. 


PERIOD  THIRD 
1820-1830. 


CHAPTER  I. 
CUIVEE    ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  and  History  t)f — Churcli  Troubles  —  Sudden  Dissolution  of  Antioch 
Church — Siloam  Association,  Its  Origin — Cuivre-Siloam  Association — Extreme 
Calvinism — Thomas  Bowen — froorge  Clay — Ephraim  Davis — Darius  Bainbridge 
— Thomas  .1.  AN' right. 

rr^HE  formation  of  Ciiivre  Association  occurred  in  1822.  It 
JL  was  composed  of  eight  churches  former!}^  belonging  to  the 
Missouri  Association,  and  situated  north  of  the  Missouri  Eiver, 
in  the  counties  of  St.  Charles,  Warren  and  Lincoln.  Of  the  first 
six  years  of  its  history  we  know  no  more  than  is  given  above; 
aud  are  even  doubtful  as  to  the  correctness  of  one  item  there 
given,  which  is,  that  there  were  eight  constituent  churches.  We 
give  it,  however,  as  we  find  it  in  the  only  record  we  liave  of  the 
fact. 

We  have  access  to  the  minutes  of  this  old  community  from 
1828  to  1838.  The  session  in  1828  was  held  at  Friendship  Church, 
in  what  is  now  Warren  Countj',  in  October.  The  introductory 
sermon  was  preached  by  Eld.  Darius  Bainbridge,  who  was  after- 
wards chosen  moderator,  Geo.  W.  Zimmerman  becoming  clerk. 
From  the  minutes  of  that  year  we  extract  the  following  summary  : 

C/wrehes. — Friendship,  Cuivre,  McCoy's  Creek,  Little  Bethel, 
Sulphur  Lick,  Troy,  Prpvidence,  Antioch  and  Stout  Settlement. 

Ministers. — G-eo.  Clay,  David  Hubbard  and  Darius  Bainbridge. 

Licenfinics. — Thomas  Bowen,  David  Clark   and  Wm.  Skinner. 

Three  baptisms  were  reported  and  a  total  membership  of  225. 
The  following  ministers  were  present  as  correspondents :  Thos. 
R.  Musick,  Lewis  Williams,  Wm.  Coats,  Jabez  Ham  and  B. 
Wren.  In  accordance  with  the  custom  of  that  day,  three  minis- 
ters, Lewis  Williams,  Jabez  Ham  and  William  Coats,  Avere  se- 
lected to  preach  on  Sunday,  all  of  whom  preached  regular  ser- 
mons. One  regular  sermon  at  a  sitting,  and  that  a  somewhat 
brief  one,  is  all  that  the  people  of  this  age  care  to  hear.  What  a 
difTcrence  fifty  years  ago  concerning  such  matters! 


CriVRE    ASSOCIATION.  205 

Thismaiiifestl}'  results  fi'ointwo  causes  which  we  now  mention  : 

1st.  Meetings  for  preaching  arc  much  more  frequent  now  than 
then. 

2d.  There  is  really  less  of  spiritual  mindedness  and  more  of 
worldly  conformity  now  than  then. 

This  association  adopted  the  very  common  custom  of  that  day 
of  holding  yearly  meetings.  From  the  minutes  of  1828  we  learn 
that  the  appellation  used  by  it  was  simply  The  Cuivre  Baptist 
Association. 

For  the  next  ten  years,  reaching  up  to  1838,  regular  meetings 
were  held  as  follows  :  In  1829  at  Cuivre  Church,  Lincoln  Co.;  in 
1830  at  Stout's  Settlement,  in  Lincoln  Co.;  in  1831  at  Sulphur 
Lick,  same  Co.;  in  1832  at  McCoy's  Creek,  St.  Charles  Co.;  in 
1833  at  Little  Bethel,  Warren  Co.;  in  1834  at  Bryant's  Creek, 
Lincoln  Co.;  in  1835  at  Macedonia,  Montgomery  Co.;  in  1836  at 
Troy,  Lincoln  Co.;  in  1837  at  Little  Bethel,  Warren  Co.;  and 
in  1838  at  Salem,  same  Co.  At  no  time  up  to  this  period  did  this 
association  seem  to  be  an  efficient  body.  No  more  than  ninety 
baptisms  were  reported  by  all  the  churches  during  the  entire 
ten  years,  and  the  largest  membership  reached  at  any  time  was 
304,  which  was  in  1833,  in  which  year  there  were  forty-six  bap- 
tisms, and  letters  and  messengers  received  from  ten  of  the  twelve 
churches  composing  the  bodj'.  In  1834  the  association  agreed 
to  unite  with  the  Salt  Eiver  Association  in  "setting  apart  the 
first  Sunday  in  the  following  January,  as  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer  for  a  revival  of  G-od's  work  upon  the  hearts  of  poor  sin- 
ners, and  that  He  also  will  raise  up  laborers,  and  send  them  into 
his  harvest."  This  does  indeed  prove  that  there  were  a  few 
names  in  old  Cuivre  that  had  not  forgotten  their  first  love. 

An  incident  occurred  in  connection  with  the  discijiline  of  a 
small  church  called  Antioch,  located  not  far  from  AVarrenton, 
Warren  County,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Cuivre  Association  in  1836, 
which  really  did  not  terminate  until  the  following  year,  and 
which  we  think  ought  to  be  related  for  the  benefit  of  the  church- 
es now.     The  facts  are  briefly  as  follows  : 

At  the  session  of  1836,  held  with  the  Troy  Church,  Bro.  Thos. 
J.  Wright  informed  the  association  that  there  were  rumors  afloat 
in  the  world  that  some  of  the  members  of  the  said  Antioch 
Church  had  suffered  fiddling  and  dancing  in  their  houses,  and 
countenanced  horse-racing.  Bro.  Preston,  the  messenger,  when 
appealed  to  for  information,  said  that  he  was  not  authorized  to 
give  any  information   other  than  that  contained  in  the  letter. 


206  ruiVRE    ASSOCIATION. 

The  association  then  aj)pointed  Brethren  Elton,  Nethcrton  and 
John  M.  Falconer  a  committee  to  visit  said  church,  inquire  into 
her  situation  and  report  to  next  association.  The  committee 
visited  Antioch  Church  and  inquired  of  them  if  they  countenan- 
ced dancing  and  horse-racing,  and  they  answered  no.  The  com- 
mittee then  retired  to  consult,  and  after  a  short  time  returned, 
and  through  the  chairman  began  an  address  to  the  brethren  of 
Antioch  Church,  whereupon  they  were  informed  that  there  was 
no  such  church  in  existence — that  it  had  dissolved  while  the  com- 
mittee was  out.  This,  of  course,  was  a  quick  way  to  dispose  of 
the  matter,  but  was  it  right  ? 

Some  of  the  members  were  guilty  of  the  things  alleged  by 
Madam  Eumor,  and  the  rest  did  not  have  the  courage  to  rebuke 
them.  The  fate  of  Antioch  Church  has  been  the  fate  of  many 
others  which  countenanced,  or  even  permitted,  disorder,  with- 
out a  protest.  A  church  is  a  place  of  purity,  and  the  members 
are  required  to  keep  themselves  unspotted  from  the  world. 

In  1838  the  Cuivrc  Association  was  reduced  to  7  churches  and 
202  members.  The  names  are  as  follows :  McCoy's  Creek,  Lit- 
tle Bethel,  Sulphur  Lick,  Sand  Eun  (formerly  Troy),  Bryant's 
Creek,  Macedonia  and  Salem. 

Ministers. — Eobert  Gilmore  and  Thomas  Bowen. 

Licentiates. — A.  L.  Knapp  and  Joseph  Nicholls. 

Sulphur  Lick  Church  entertained  the  association  in  1839.  The 
feeling  in  opposition  to  missions  showed  itself  in  proceedings  un- 
friendly to  those  engaged  in  promoting  this  enterprise,  and  in 
consequence  two  churches  withdrew,  viz.:  Salem  and  Sulphur 
Lick,  the  former  of  which  united  with  Bonne  Femme  Associa- 
tion and  the  latter  with  Salt  Eiver  Association.  About  this  time 
also  some  trouble  occurred  in  the  lastnamed  association  relative 
to  the  subject  of  missions  and  three  or  four  churches  which  were 
opposed  to  the  enterprise  withdrew  and  soon  after  formed  a  new 
association  called  Siloam.  These  churches  were  located  in  the 
counties  of  Pike  and  Lincoln,  and  called  Spencer's  Creek,  Beth- 
lehem, Union  and  a  j^art  of  Siloam. 

The  Cuivre  Association  was  now  reduced  to  five  or  six  church- 
es, and  after  the  Siloam  Association  had  existed  for  two  orthree 
years,  or  about  1842  or  '43,  the  two  bodies  met  together  and 
consolidated  under  the  cognomen  of  "  Cuivre-Siloam  Eegular 
Baptist  Association." 

This  association  refused  co-operation  and  fellowship  with  all 
associations  that  promoted  missions,  Bible  societieSj  or  Sunday- 


CUIVRE    ASSOCIATION.  207 

schoolis.  By  it,  all  societies  for  the  dissemination  of  gospel  truth 
were  called  "  men-made  institutions."  It  took  the  ground  that 
because  there  was  no  direct  Bible  authority  for  such  societies, 
they  were,  therefore,  wrong;  although  there  is  as  much  author- 
ity in  the  Scriptures  for  such  societies  as  there  is  for  Baptist  as- 
sociations. 

We  have  scattering  minutes  of  the  Cuivre-Siloam  Association 
for  the  last  twenty -five  years. 

Judging  from  the  statistical  table,  it  has  scarcely  held  its  own 
in  numbers  during  this  period.  In  fact  it  is  not  so  large  now  as 
it  was  then.  Very  little  business  is  transacted  in  its  sessions,  ex- 
cept such  as  is  needful  to  keep  up  its  annual  meetings,  and  con- 
tinue correspondence  with  several  sister  communities.  Of  these 
we  may  mention  the  Two  Eiver  Association,  the  Salem,  and  the 
Mt.  Pleasant  (Old  School)  Association. 

The  minutes  of  1850  give  the  following  summary : 

Churches. — Mt.  Pleasant,  Bethlehem,  Little  Bethel,  Sand  Run, 
Siloam,  Bryant's  Creek,  Spencer's  Creek,  Pleasant  Hill,  Mt.  Zion, 
Macedonia,  Sugar  Creek  and  Union. 

Mmisters. — Thos.  J.  Wright,  "Wm,  Davis,  Thos.  Bowen,  Eichard 
Owings,  M.  Moore  and  Ephraim  Davis. 

Licentiates. — T.  P.  Rogers. 

Baptisms  7 ;  total  membership  352. 

In  doctrine,  the  majority  of  this  association  may  be  put  down 
as  extreme  Calvinists ;  in  practice  they  are  a  unit  in  opposition 
to  missions.  While  truth  compels  us  to  record  these  facts,  we 
wish  also  to  say  that  the  so-called  "  Old  School  Baptists"  are 
generally  experimental  Christians.  They  are  as  a  rule  sound  on 
"experimental  religion,"  although  in  the  grossest  error  concern- 
ing the  "mission  of  the  churches  of  Christ."  This  assertion  can 
certainly  be  demonstrated,  but  this  is  not  the  place  to  do  so. 

We  have  for  years  been  thoroughly  convinced  that  their  errors 
on  the  subject  of  missions  (the  subject  that  really  split  the  de- 
nomination), grow  out  of  an  unscriptural  application  of  what  is 
commonly  called  the  "  doctrines  of  Calvinism."  For  years  after 
the  anti-missionary  churches  separated  themselves  from  the  great 
body  of  the  denomination,  the  majorityof  their  ministers  became 
extremely  controversial  in  their  manner  of  preaching,  seldom 
failing  to  select  a  theme  which  would  lead  them  to  the  discussion 
of  the  doctrines  of  election  and  predestination,  and  they  were 
not  unfrequently  somewhat  bitter  in  their  denunciations  of  their 
missionary  brethren.     But  a  new  order  of  things  is  gradually 


208  CUIVRE    ASSOCIATION. 

growing  amongst  them.  Some  of  their  ministers  hold  protract- 
ed meetings — a  thing  much  abused  by  them  twenty-five  years 
ago — and  earnestly  exhort  sinners  to  repent  and  turn  to  G-od. 
Under  this  condition  of  things  some  of  their  churches  have  of 
late  been  on  the  increase. 

This  feeble  community  was  reduced  at  one  time  (1867)  to  only 
186  members  ;  but  since  her  ministers  have  changed  their  man- 
ner of  preaching,  as  indicated  in  the  last  paragraph,  she  has 
been  on  rising  ground.  Her  living  ministers  are  Elds.Wm.  Dav- 
is, P.  L.  Branstetter,  T.  P.  Eogers  and  Charles  Holcomb.  Her 
churches  are  eight  in  number  situated  in  the  counties  of  Lincoln, 
Pike  and  Montgomer3^ 

Thomas  Bowen. — This  servant  of  Christ  was  one  of  the  few 
men  who,  born  in  the  18th,  passed  into  the  last  quarter  of  the 
19th  century.  He  was  a  native  of  Warren  County,  Kentucky, 
born  in  December,  1797,  and  when  about  17  years  old  he  emi- 
grated to  Missouri,  where  he  spent  the  residue  of  his  life.  He 
commenced  preaching  the  gospel  when  about  30  years  of  age 
and  was  for  more  than  fifty  years  a  minister  among  the  people 
commonly  called  Old  School  Baptists.  Many  people  now  live  in 
eastern  Missouri,  Christians  as  well  as  good  citizens,  who  say 
that  "  Father  Bowen  was  the  first  preacher  we  ever  heard." 
He  was  known  among  his  neighbors  as  a  good  man,  the  record 
of  his  life  being  that  of  a  Christian  of  spotless  character.  By  the 
continued  and  universal  testimony  of  his  long  life  he  proved 
the  genuineness  of  the  gospel  which  he  preached  to  his  fellow 
men.  But  his  life  work  is  now  done  and  he  sleeps  with  the 
sainted  dead.     He  died  November  10,  1878,  nearly  81  years  old. 

George  Clay — another  pioneer  preacher  of  eastern  Missouri, 
was  born  in  the  state  of  Kentucky.  We  find  his  name  for  the 
first  time  in  the  minutes  of  Cuivre  Association,  in  1828,  when  he 
appeared  as  a  messenger  from  Friendship  Baptist  Church,  War- 
ren County,  and  was  also  at  that  time  an  ordained  minister  of 
the  gospel.  He  was  an  able  exponent  of  Bible  doctrines  as  un- 
derstood by  the  Baptists.  As  a  preacher,  his  style  was  plain, 
clear  and  forcible. 

We  never  saw  him  in  the  pulpit  but  once.  On  that  occasion 
his  subject  was  "Bible  baptism."  He  handled  the  Scriptures 
bearing  on  the  subject  as  a  "  master  workman  " — one  fully  com- 
petent to  "  rightly  divide  the  word  of  truth."  We  know  neither 
the  time  nor  circumstances  of  his  death,  but  think  he  has  now 
been  dead  for  some  years. 


CUIVRE    ASSOCIATION.  209 

Ephraim  Davis — emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1834  or  1835,  and 
was  for  sixteen  years  a  minister  in  Cuivre  and  Cuivre-Siloam 
Association.  He  was  from  the  state  of  Kentucky,  and  settled  in 
Lincoln  County,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  present  town  of  New 
Hope.  In  May,  1835,  he  became  pastor  of  Union  (now  New  Hope) 
Baptist  Church,  and  continued  such  until  his  death.  He  was 
strongly  Calvinistic  in  his  doctrines,  a  good  man  and  much  be- 
loved by  the  church.  His  preaching  was  better  calculated  to 
feed  the  flock  than  to  call  sinners  to  repentanc*?.  Under  his  min- 
istry the  church  increased  very  slowly,  and  his  entire  sixteen 
years'  pastorate  was  without  compensation  save  a  few  presents. 

Under  his  ministry  the  Union  Church,  in  1840,  declared  that 
she  "would  not  hold  correspondence  Avith  any  society  or  body 
of  professed  Christians  who  hold  to  and  practice  the  present  be- 
nevolent institutions  of  the  day,"  and  further  "that  nothing  in 
said  declaration  should  be  construed  to  prohibit  any  member  from 
giving  to  any  preacher  sent  out  according  to  the  order  of  the 
United  Bajitists."  In  July,  1841,  the  church  withdrew  from  the 
Salt  Eiver  Association  of  United  Baptists  and  in  two  years  there- 
after united  with  the  Cuivre-Siloam  Association  of  so-called  Eeg- 
ular  Baptists.  The  result  of  these  unwise,  and,  to  us,  strange 
proceedings,  was  a  divided  church  at  the  close  of  Eld.  Davis' 
pastorate.     He  died  in  October,  1851. 

Darius  Bainbridge — was  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  son  of  Eev. 
Absalom  Bainbridge,  M.  D.  He  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled 
in  St.  Charles  County,  about  1822.  He  was  married  in  Kentucky 
to  Miss  Mary  "Wright,  sister  of  Eld.  Thomas  J.  Wright. 

Darius  Bainbridge  commenced  preaching  as  early  as  1824,  la- 
bored in  Missouri  twelve  years,  moved  to  Wisconsin,  thence 
back  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Clay  County  in  1847,  where  he 
spent  the  remnant  of  his  days.  He  was  chosen  moderator  of 
Cuivre  Association  in  1828  and  was  re-elected  for  eight  consecu- 
tive years. 

In  his  preaching  he  was  not  considered  quite  so  "  hard  "  as 
some  of  his  brethren  of  the  same  school.  The  following  incident 
is  related  of  him  :  On  one  occasion,  while  preaching,  he  became 
very  earnest  and  commenced  exhorting  sinners  to  repent.  Pres- 
ently he  suddenly  stopped  and  said,  "Brethren,  I  feel  like  dning 
what  I  ought  not  to  do."  But  why  not  exhort  sinners?  Those 
who  call  themselves  ''Old  School  Baptists"  can  best  answer  this 
question.  Opposition  to  what  was  then  called  "  the  effort  sys- 
tem" was  the  prolific  parent  of  niany  j-esolutions  and  prejudices 
14 


2J0  CUIVRE    ASSOCIATION. 

■which  produced  discord  among,  and  retarded  the  progress  of, 
the  Baptists. 

Eld.  Bainbridge  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  and  died  in  Clay 
County,  Missouri,  about  the  year  1862.  He  raised  a  family  of 
ten  children,  three  sons  and  seven  daughters,  and  was  married 
but  once. 

Thoaias  Jefferson  "Wright — a  Baptist  minister  of  more  than 
ordinary  preaching  ability,  and  for  years  the  moderator  of  Cui- 
vre-Siloam  Association,  was  born  in  Clark  County,  Kentucky, 
March  8,  1803;  he  was  married  in  1820,  and  moved  to  Missouri 
in  1830.  In  the  split  on  missions,  he  identified  himself  with  those 
who  opposed  what  he  called  the  "men-made"  institutions  of 
the  day.  His  preaching  partook  greatly  of  a  controversial  char- 
acter. Seemingly  under  the  impression  that  all  denominations 
had  departed  from  the  true  faith,  he  seldom  preached  without 
attempting  to  disprove  the  supposed  false  system  of  somebod}^. 
He  was  well  posted  in  the  arguments  both  of  his  own  people 
and  others,  and  was  considered  an  able  advocate  of  the  doctrines 
of  his  own  denomination.  He  was  moderator  of  his  association 
the  year  he  died.  The  following  lines  to  his  memory  are  from 
the  minutes  of  1868  : 

"Brother  Wright  for  many  years  preached  the  gospel  among 
us,  and  was  bold  in  confronting  heresy,  and  in  him  the  church 
had  a  defense  though  the  enemy  should  come  like  a  flood.  But 
he  has  gone  to  rest,  he  has  finished  the  work  the  Master  assign- 
ed him.  He  h«ld  up  the  ensign  of  our  Savior  triumphantly  to 
the  end.  He  passed,  as  we  confidently  believe,  from  the  militant 
to  the  triumphant  kingdom  of  God,  on  the  2d  of  September, 
1867.  Let  us  cherish  his  memory,  ever  remembering  that  we, 
too,  are  subject  at  any  time  to  the  Master's  call." 


CHAPTER  II. 


SALT  EIVEE  ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  of  the  First  Churches  in  the  District,  Kamsay's  Creek,  Peno,  and  Stout's 
Settlement  (New  Hope) — Biographical  Sketches  of  Davis  Biggs — Jesse  Sitton — 
Bethuel  Kiggs — Jeremiah  Vardeman,  His  Eventful  Life — The  Dancing  School,  &c. 
— Vardeman's  Settlement  in  ^Missouri. 

THE  Salt  Eiver  Association  is  now  a  large  and  influential 
community  of  Baptists,  composed  of  37  churches,  located 
in  the  counties  of  Ralls,  Pike,  Audrain  and  Lincoln.  The  fol- 
lowing record  is  from  the  minutes  of  the  first  meeting  : 

"Minutes  of  a  conference  of  Baptist  brethren,  begun  and  held 
at  the  Baptist  church  on  Peno,  Pike  County,  on  the  23d,  24th 
and  25th  of  August,  1823. 

"Met  agreeably  to  appointment.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Bro.  Jeremiah  Taylor  from  1  Chronicles  12  ;  32. 

"Letters  from  6  churches  were  read  and  messengers  enrolled." 

The  names  of  the  churches  were  Ramsay's  Creek,  Stout's  Set- 
tlement, New  London,  Bethlehem,  Bear  Creek  and  Peno,  the 
aggregate  membership  of  which  was  95.  Davis  Biggs  was  cho- 
sen moderator,  and  Wm.  Carson  clerk.  The  ministers  were  Da- 
vis Biggs,  Jesse  Sitton  and  Leroy  Jackson.  Articles  of  faith 
were  adopted,  very  nearly  agreeing  with  those  usually  set  forth 
by  the  General  Union  of  Baptists,  or  "  United  Baptists." 

The  fifth  item  of  business  on  Monday  is,  that  "  This  associa- 
tion be  called  the  '  Salt  River  Association  of  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri.' " 

The  following  from  the  constitution  is  of  interest : 

"Art.  5th.  No  query  shall  be  received  which  has  not  been  du- 
ly considered  in  the  church  who  sent  it,  and  on  which  satisfac- 
tion cannot  there  be  had." 

"  Art.  6th.  The  association  shall  endeavor  to  provide  for  the 
general  union  of  the  churches,  and  to  preserve  a  union  among 
them,  give  them  advice  in  matters  of  difficulty,  inquire  why 
churches  fail  in  representation,  but  shall  not  enter  into  or  con- 
tinue a  correspondence  with  any  church,  body,  or  board  of  peo- 


212  SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

l^le,  without  the  consent  of  each  church  in  the  association,  sister 
associations  excepted/' 

"Art.  7th.  Two-thirds  of  the  association  concurring  therein 
may  withdraw  from  any  church  in  the  union  that  is  heterodox 
in  principle  or  disorderly  in  practice.  But  no  member  shall  be 
questioned  for  believing  in  or  promulgating  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, or  a  general  provision  in  Christ  for  all  men." 

Eamsay's  Creek  Church.  —  The  first  church  formed  in  the 
bounds  of  Salt  Eiver  Association  w^as  the  Ramsay's  Creek  Bap- 
tist Church,  in  a  settlement  of  the  same  name,  in  the  southeast- 
ern part  of  Pike  County.  Eld.  John  M.  Peck  visited  and  preach- 
ed to  this  church  in  July,  1818.  (^Western  Watchman^  Yol.Ylll, 
No.  43.)  He  says  that  in  1816 — in  the  fall  of  that  year — the 
Ramsay's  Creek  Settlement  was  commenced,  and  the  church 
above  named  was  situated  in  this  settlement;  hence  it  must  have 
been  organized  between  the  fall  of  1816  and  the  summer  of  1818, 
the  time  of  Peck's  visit.  Major  "Watts  and  John  McCune  were 
two  of  the  leading  men  in  the  settlement.  McCune  was  a  Bap- 
tist. The  first  pastor  of  Ramsay's  Creek  Church  was  a  Mr.  Rud- 
dle (pronounced  Riddle).  Mr.  Ruddle  was  taken  prisoner  by 
the  Indians  on  their  attack  ou  Ruddle  Station  in  Kentucky;  he 
was  carried  away  to  the  northwest  and  adopted  into  the  tribe; 
had  liis  cars  split  and  all  the  "white  blood  washed  out"  of  him. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  the  chief  and  adopted  their  customs. 
After  the  laj^se  of  many  years  he  heard  of  his  relatives  in  Ken- 
tuck}',  and  with  his  Indian  wife  found  his  way  back  to  his  native 
state.  His  wife  soon  died,  and  he  professed  religion,  learned  his 
native  language  (which  he  had  about  forgotten  while  among  the 
Indians)  and  began  preaching.  When  Eld.  Peck  visited  Ram- 
say's Creek  Church  in  1818,  Eld.  Ruddle  was  then  pastor,  but 
subsequently  removed  into  Adams  County,  Illinois,  and  after- 
wards to  Pike  County,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age. 

Ramsay's  Creek  Church  still  exists.  It  worships  in  a  substan- 
tial brick  edifice,  some  six  miles  from  Clarksville.  The  earliest 
known  church  records  were  made  in  1823,  which  show  that  in 
1835  Eld.  Ephraim  Davis  was  elected  pastor,  who  was  succeeded 
in  the  same  office  by  Eld.  A.  D.  Landrum  in  1838.  Eld.  Albert 
G.  Mitchell,  the  present  pastor,  succeeded  Eld.  Landrum  in  1850, 
which  gives  him  a  thirty-two  years'  pastorate. 

Peno  Baptist  Church.  —  Another  constituent  of  Salt  River 
Association  was  Peno  Baptist  Church,  organized  at  the  house  of 
.John  McCune  on  Big  Peno  Creek  about  eight  miles  northwest 


SALT    RTVER    ASSOCIATION.  213 

of  Bowling  Green,  Pike  County,  December  25,  1819.  Eld,  Le- 
roy  Jackson  officiated  in  the  constitution.  Constituent  members  : 
Leroy  Jackson,  Polly  Jackson,  Joseph  Trotter,  Polly  Trotter, 
John  McCune,  Polly  McCune,  Thomas  Hedges,  William  Biggs, 
Betsey  Biggs,  Bfetsey  Shannon,  Susan  Doyle,  Wm.  McCoy  and 
John  Carr — in  all  thirteen. 

Until  1833  Peno  Church  held  its  meetings  alternately  at  John 
McCune's  and  a  school-house  near  by,  on  Big  Peno  Creek,  and 
at  Samuel  Lewellen's  on  Little  Peno,  some  four  miles  distant 
from  McCune's. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  1833,  Peno  Church  was  divided  and 
the  membership  on  Little  Peno  Creek,  thirty  in  all,  were  formed 
into  a  separate  organization  by  the  name  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Church, 
by  Elds.  J.  Vardeman  and  Davis  Biggs.  This  church  still  exists 
and  worships  in  a  comfortable  brick  church  edifice  about  three 
miles  south  of  Frankford.  From  1823  to  1833  Peno  Church  was  ex- 
ceedingly prosperous,  and  greatly  increased  in  numerical  strength 
both  by  letter  and  baptism.  About  this  time  emigrants  were 
flocking  to  this  section  of  the  state,  mostly  from  Kentucky,  many 
of  whom  were  Baptists.  In  1839  the  church  enjoyed  a  gracious 
revival  of  religion.  Among  the  converts  were  numbe-red  Hon. 
A.  P.  Miller,  long  the  clerk  of  Salt  Eiver  Association;  also  Wm. 
Penix  and  many  of  the  Biggs  family,  the  Shannons  and  the  Mc- 
Cunes.  The  successive  pastors  of  Peno  were  Elds.  Leroy  Jack- 
son, Davis  Biggs  and  A.  D.  Landrum.  The  church  never  had  a 
house  of  worship  properly  so-called,  the  two  she  had  had  being 
built  of  logs  and  used  for  the  double  purpose  of  school-house 
and  meeting-house.  In  1852  the  church  dissolved,  gave  letters 
to  her  members,  the  majority  of  whom  met  and  formed  the  Sii- 
gar  Creek  Church  in  the  same  year. 

Stout's  Settlement  (now  New  Hope)  Baptist  Church,  Lin- 
coln County — another  of  the  constituents  of  Salt  Eiver  Associ- 
ation, was  organized  June  16,  1821,  by  Elds.  Bethuel  Eiggs  and 
Jesse  Sitton,  the  latter  of  whom  is  supposed  to  have  been  the 
pastor  until  1828,  when  he  was  dismissed  by  letter  and  left  the 
state.  Eld.  David  Hubbard  succeeded  him  and  continued  pastor 
some  two  or  three  years. 

In  February,  1830,  a  serious  difficulty  was  brought  into  the 
church,  growing  out  of  the  marriage  of  a  young  sister  to  a  man 
whc  had  a  living  wife.  On  an  investigation,  the  sister  was  ac- 
quitted. The  minority  was  dissatisfied  with  the  decision  of  the 
majority,  and  asked  that  a  council  be  called,  which  was  granted. 


214  SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

Sulphur  Lick,  Troy  and  Little  Bethel  Churches  sent  each  three 
members,  who  sat  as  a  council,  and  after  hearing  the  ckse,  advis- 
ed that  the  sister  be  excluded,  and  the  majority  refusing  to  do 
so,  the  minority  withdrew  from  the  church  in  June,  1830,  and 
formed  the  Bryant's  Creek  Church  in  the  same  neighborhood. 
In  August,  18.31,  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  from  Stout's 
Settlement  to  that  of  Union,  and  about  the  year  1836  she  built  a 
log  meeting-house  46x20  feet,  about  two  miles  north  of  New 
Hope.  Eld.  Ephraim  Davis  became  pastor  in  May,  1835.  Dur- 
ing this  pastorate  the  church  adopted  a  resolution  refusing  cor- 
respondence with  any  "  society  of  Christians  who  hold  to  the 
present  benevolent  institutions  of  the  daj'."  Eld.  Davis,  who 
was  a  good  man  and  much  beloved  by  the  church,  died  in  Octo- 
ber, 1851,  and  left  the  church  much  divided  on  doctrine  and  the 
subject  of  missions.  Finally,  in  1852,  a  majority  called  Eld.  A. 
G.  Mitchell  as  pastor.  Being  dissatisfied  with  this  action,  the 
minority  withdrew — some  getting  letters  and  some  not — most  of 
whom  united  with  Bryant's  Creek  Church  (anti-mission).  Soon 
after  this  the  church  rescinded  all  her  acts  and  resolutions  in  op- 
position to  missions,  and  under  the  ministry  of  Eld.  Mitchell 
gradually  grew  in  numerical  and  moral  strength  ;  and  in  1857 
the  place  of  meeting  was  moved  to  New  Hope,  the  church  having 
built  a  commodious  frame  house  in  that  town,  40x60  feet,  which 
she  now  occupies.  By  resolution,  the  name  was  changed  from 
Union  to  New  Hope  in  July,  1867.  This  is  now  one  of  the  strong- 
er churches  in  the  association  (not  so  strong  probably  as  it  has 
been)  and  wields  an  influence  for  good  in  the  community.  (From 
B.  N.  Basket's  MS.) 

The  Salt  River  Association  held  its  second  meeting  at  Bear 
Creek  Church,  Ralls  County,  in  October,  1824. 

The  third  meeting  of  the  association  was  held  at  Ramsay's 
Creek  Church,  Pike  County,  commencing  September  30th,  and 
ending  October  3, 1825.  Eld.  Davis  Biggs  preached  the  opening 
sermon,  and  was  also  chosen  moderator.  Wm.  Sitton  was  clerk. 
Elds.  Bethuel  Riggs  and  D.  Bainbridge  were  present  as  corres- 
ponding messengers  from  Cuivre  Association,  and  were  selected 
to  preach  on  Sunday-.  On  Sunday,  Davis  Biggs  administered 
the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  **  Agreed  to  hold  the  next 
association  at  Salem,  and  set  apart  Saturday  and  Sunday  for  di- 
vine service  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  elements  to  be  prepared 
by  the  church  where  the  association  is  held."  The  association 
adopted  the  custom  of  holding  ''  union  "  or  "  yearly  "  meetings 


SALT    RIVEIi    ASSOCIATION.  215 

— three  of  which  were  provided  for  during  the  year.  Summary  : 
8  churches,  25  baptisms,  and  total  membership  184. 

In  1826,  Siloara  was  the  place  of  meeting.  One  new  church, 
South  Eiver,  was  received.  In  1827  the  association  met  at  Bethel 
Church,  Marion  County.  Daniel  Moss,  Jeremiah  Taylor  and 
Mordecai  Boulware  have  been  added  to  the  list  of  ministers  since 
the  first  meeting.  Salt  Eiver  and  Quincy  Churches — last  from 
Illinois — were  added  this  year.     Total  membership,  225. 

The  sixth  meeting  was  held  in  1828  at  Mt.  Pleasant.  Corres- 
pondence by  letters  and  messengers  was  held  with  Salem,  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Cuivre  and  Missouri  Associations.  Nineteen  baptisms. 
Elds.D.  Hubbard,  E.  Turner  and  James  Suggett  were  appointed, 
and  preached  on  Sunday. 

The  meeting  in  1829  was  held  at  Eamsay's  Creek.  The  custom 
now  prevailing  was  to  meet  on  Friday  and  close  on  Monday. 
Saturday  and  Sunday  were  spent  in  preaching  and  other  acts  of 
divine  worship.     Would  that  such  a  custom  yet  prevailed  ! 

Eli  Merrill  appears  now  as  a  minister  of  the  association. 
South  Eiver  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1830.  The  churches 
seem  to  be  enjoying  a  steady  growth.  Membership,  343.  In  1831 
there  were  no  items  of  interest,  excepting  the  adoption  of  the 
following  resolutions  offered  by  Bro.  Davis  Biggs  : 

"  1.  That  the  messengers  of  this  association  do  request  all  the 
members  of  their  respective  churches  to  engage  in  solemn  prayer 
to  God  for  a  revival  of  religion  among  us,  between  sunset  and 
dark  of  each  day. 

"2.  Set  apart  the  first  day  of  January  next,  as  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer,  and  all  the  members  of  the  churches  composing  this 
body  be  requested  to   observe  that  day  as  such." 

One  new  church  was  also  received  this  year,  viz. :  Bethlehem, 
Marion  County. 

In  the  year  1832,  the  meeting  was  held  at  Bear  Creek,  Marion 
County.  Salem  was  added  to  the  list  of  churches,  and  John  H. 
Keach  and  Jer.  Yardeman  to  the  list  of  ministers. 

"  Concurred  with  Cuivre  Association  in  setting  apart  the  first 
of  January,  1833,  as  a  day  of  fasting,  humiliation  and  prayer,  that 
God  avert  the  awful  pestilence  in  the  country,  stop  the  progress 
of  error,  and  revive  his  work  among  us." 

In  1833  they  met  at  Peno.  God  had  manifested  his  power, 
doubtless,  in  answer  to  prayer.  Many  souls  were  added  unto  the 
Lord.  The  ministers  of  Christ  were  active  in  itinerant  labors. 
They  preached  the  gospel  from  neighborhood  to  neighborhood, 


216  SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

in  the  cabins  of  the  settlers,  under  the  trees  of  the  forest,  and  in 
the  rude  houses  of  worship  which  here  and  there  began  to  be  seen 
in  the  country.  As  a  part  of  the  visible  results  296  baptisms  were 
reported  to  the  association  this  year,  and  eight  new  churches 
were  added  to  the  list,  viz. :  Palmyra,  Mt.  Pleasant,  North  Fork 
and  Union,  of  Marion  County;  and  JS'oix  Creek,  Gwin's  Creek, 
Little  Union  and  Union,  of  Pike  County.  Total  membership  of 
the  association,  874. 

At  the  session  of  1834  (held  at  Salt  Eiver,  Ealls  County)  there 
was  evidence  of  a  continued  state  of  prosperity  throughout  al- 
most the  entire  bounds  of  the  association.  Two  hundred  bap- 
tisms were  reported.  David  Hubbard  preached  the  introductory 
sermon.  Six  new  churches  were  admitted  to  membership.  The 
association  was  now  grown  to  a  large  and  influential  body,  with 
its  borders  extending  northward  into  Lewis,  and  westward  into 
Monroe  County.  Fourteen  churches  were  dismissed  to  form  a 
new  association.  These  were  situated  mostly  in  Lewis,  Marion 
and  Monroe  Counties. 

From  the  minutes  we  gain  the  following  summary  of 

Churches. — Bear  Creek,  Bethlehem,  Ramsay's  Creek,  Siloam, 
Bethel,  Providence,  South  River,  Salt  River,  vSpencer's  Creek, 
Paris,  Salem,  Palmyra,  Mt.  Pleasant,  North  Fork,  Union,  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  Noix  Creek,  Gwin's  Creek,  Little  T'nion,  Union  Pike 
County,  Indian  Creek,  Mt.  Moriah,  Elk  Fork,  Wyaconda,  Mt. 
Pisgah  and  Gilead;  the  total  membership  of  which  was  1,143. 

Ministers. — Davis  Biggs,  Jer.  Taylor,  Christy  Gentry,  E.  Wil- 
liams,,Ed.  Turner,  Archibald  Patterson,  Jer.  Yardeman,  David 
Hubbard,  W.  McQuie  and  J.  M.  Lillard. 

Licentiates. — C.  L.  Turner,  J.  Keach,  J.  Lear,  T.  P.  Park,  Noah 
Flood,  T.  E.  Hatcher  and  J.  F.  Hedges. 

Davis  Biggs — one  of  the  fathers,  and  the  first  moderator  of 
Salt  River  Association,  was  born  in  Camden  County,  North  Car- 
olina, March  8,  1763.  His  father,  John  Biggs,  who  emigrated' 
from  England  many  years  before  the  revolutionary  war,  was  of 
Welsh  extraction.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1776,  on  ac- 
count of  which,  and  during  his  absence,  the  British  and  tories 
stripped  him  of  almost  everything  he  could  call  his  own,  save 
his  land. 

When  Davis  Biggs  was  but  a  boy  his  father  died,  not  a  great 
while  after  which  event  he  determined  to  try  a  seafaring  life,  to 
commence  which  he  embarked  on  the  Black  Ship,  which  was  go- 
ing out  on  a  trip  to  the  Wqst  Indies  after  a  cargo  of  salt.     In 


SALT   RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  217 

these  days  the  seas  were  infested  with  pirates,  who  captured 
many  a  merchant  vessel  and  tilled  their  coffers  with  the  rich 
treasures  on  board.  The  Black  Ship  was  a  medium  sized  vessel 
of  six  guns.  They  had  a  pleasant  sail  out,  and  without  difficulty 
secured  their  cargo  of  salt  and  started  home.  On  the  way  thoy 
had  a  desperate  encounter  with  two  privateers,  and  after  several 
hours'  battle  succeeded  in  driving  back  the  pirates,  and  were  no 
more  molested.  Once  more  at  home  our  young  seaman  conclu- 
ded he  had  had  enough  of  a  sailor's  life,  and  determined  to  spend 
the  remainder  of  his  minority  at  the  old  homestead,  under  the 
care  and  training  of  a  fond  and  loving  mother.  He  had  three 
brothers — Eobert,  the  eldest,  and  John  and  Imoriah.  The  last 
named  became  a  Baptist  preacher,  but  was  cut  down  in  the  prime 
of  life  in  his  native  state,  North  Carolina. 

After  his  return  home  young  Biggs,  in  company  with  his  broth- 
ers, occupied  his  time  in  cultivating  the  old  farm.  Notwithstand- 
ing these  were  war  times,  and  but  little  attention  paid  to  school 
interests,  he  managed  to  secure  quite  a  respectable  English  ed- 
ucation— far  ahead  of  the  generality  of  his  day.  At  the  age  of 
18  years  he  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Morris,  daughter  of  Jesse 
Morris,  of  Camden  County,  North  Carolina,  by  whom  was  born 
to  him  two  sons,  William  and  Morris,  and  two  daughters.  Wil- 
liam Biggs  succeeded  his  father  as  moderator  of  Salt  Eiver  As- 
sociation, and  we  think  occupied  that  position  until  his  death. 

When  about  20  years  of  age,  Davis  Biggs  began  exhorting  and 
preaching.  In  1797  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in  the  Ports- 
mouth Baptist  Church,  Virginia,  not  long  after  which  he  moved 
to  that  state,  and  settled  in  Norfolk  County.  He  did  much 
preaching  in  this  and  adjoining  counties  during  his  thirteen 
years'  stay  in  Virginia.  He  M^as  accustomed  every  fall  to  make 
preaching  excursions  to  the  "  Upper  Country,"  and  spend  sever- 
al weeks  at  a  time.  In  this  way  he  rendered  efficient  aid  in  build- 
ing up  the  Baptist  interest.  In  1810  he  sold  his  possessions  in 
Virginia,  and  moved  to  Kentucky  and  settled  in  Bourbon  Coun- 
ty. He  was  now  in  his  prime,  being  forty-seven  years  of  age. 
He  traveled  and  preached  all  over  that  part  of  the  state.  He 
was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Georgetown  seven  years, 
and  of  Silas  Creek,  in  which  he  held  membership  ten  years,  and 
supplied  the  pulpits  of  the  Bethlehem  and  Dry  Eun  Churches  a 
part  of  the  time  while  he  lived  in  the  state. 

But  emigration  advanced  westward,  and  with  it  came  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  bringing  with  him  the  everlasting  gospel,  the 


218  SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

divinely  appointed  instrumentality  of  Christian  civilization.  In 
September,  1820,  he,  together  with  his  family,  landed  on  Peno 
Creek,  Pike  County,  Missouri,  where  he  made  his  permanent 
dwelling  place. 

Davis  Biggs  was  about  five  feet  and  ten  inches  in  height,  weigh- 
ing from  150  to  155  pounds.  He  had  a  round  face,  blue  eyes  and 
brown  hair.  He  was  quick  tempered,  and  used  often  to  say  that 
his  temper  was  his  besetting  sin.  His  body  was  of  that  build 
suited  to  great  endurance  and  a  frontier  life. 

He  aided  much  in  building  up  the  Baptist  cause  in  Northeast 
Missouri.  The  field  next  to  his  own  house  was  first  looked  after. 
The  churches  of  Peno  Creek,  Eamsay's  Creek  and  Mt.  Pisgah 
reaped  the  fruits  of  his  labor,  in  a  majority,  if  not  all,  of  which 
he  labored  as  pastor.  At  the  6rganization  of  Salt  Eiver  Associ- 
ation he  was  chosen  moderator,  which  position  he  held  for  sev- 
eral successive  years. 

Father  Biggs  had  quite  an  intelligent  look,  and  was  indeed  an 
intelligent  man.  As  a  preacher,  he  was  considerably  above  medi- 
ocrity. Besides  preaching  to  the  churches  of  which  he  was  pas- 
tor he  would  travel  extensively,  confirming  the  churches  in  the 
faith.  In  his  preaching  excursions  he  would  often  proceed  south 
as  far  as  the  Missouri  River.  As  preachers  were  scarce  in  his 
earlier  day  in  Missouri,  much  devolved  upon  the  few  who  were 
here.  Elder  Biggs  seemed  always  willing  to  bear  his  part.  Be- 
ing a  man  of  quick  impulses,  and  devoted  to  a  pure  and  holy  life, 
he  used  often  to  find  it  necessary  to  reprove  blasphemers  and 
wicked  and  worldly  men  ;  in  fact,  he  faithfully  exposed  sin 
wherever  he  saw  it.  He  aimed  literally  and  faithfully  to  follow 
the  instructions  of  his  Master — "Reprove,  rebuke,"  &c.  This 
brought  down  upon  his  head  the  opposition  of  many  who  had 
darling  sins,  and  there  were  many  of  this  class  in  those  pioneer 
days.  But  none  of  these  things  moved  him.  Such  was  the  heat- 
ed opposition  to  him  at  times,  that  it  amounted  to  persecution, 
but  still  Davis  Biggs  wavered  not.  He  was  as  firm  as  they  were 
hostile.  Had  the  pioneer  band  failed  to  lift  up  a  warning  voice 
and  show  the  people  their  sins  in  this  countrj^  fifty  or  sixty  years 
ago,  what  would  have  been  the  state  of  society  now?  Tongue 
nor  pen  could  have  described  it. 

Of  the  descendants  of  Elder  Biggs,  there  are  a  number  of  high- 
ly respectable  families  in  Pike  County  and  other  parts  of  the 
state,  the  most  of  whom  are  Baptists,  and  some  of  whom  have 
occupied  quite  honorable  positions  in  official  life.    Elder  James 


SALT   RIVER  ASSOCIATION.  219 

D.  Biggs,  the  popular  and  much  loved  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  Kirkwood,  Mo.,  is  a  great  grandson  of  his.  For  sev- 
eral of  the  last  years  of  Father  Biggs'  life,  he  was  unable  to 
preach  on  account  of  affliction,  and  on  the  first  day  of  August, 
1845,  he  died,  triumphing  in  the  cross,  at  his  home  some  six  miles 
nearly  west  of  Louisiana,  Pike  County,  being  upwards  of  82 
years  of  age. 

Jesse  Sitton. — This  honored  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Salt  Eiver  Association.  We  have  nothing 
pertaining  to  his  nativity.  He  came  to  Missouri  as  early  as  1821 
and  united  by  letter  with  the  Stout's  Settlement  Baptist  Church, 
being  a  minister  at  that  time.  He  was  pastor  of  this  church  from 
1821  until  1828.  when  he  was  dismissed  by  letter  and  moved  from 
the  state. 

The  name  of  Bethuel  Riggs  appears  among  the  older  ministers 
of  this  association,  and  deserves  some  notice  here. 

Bethuel  Riggs  —  a  pioneer  preacher  of  Missouri,  was  born 
about  1760  in  the  state  or  colony  of  New  Jersey.  Not  much  is 
now  known  of  his  very  early  life,  he  having  spent  a  little  more 
than  half  his  life  out  of  Missouri.  At  the  age  of  17  years,  while  but 
a  youth,  young  Riggs  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Amer- 
ican revolution,  and  for  the  services  rendered  therein  he  after- 
wards received  a  pension.  He  married  in  his  earlier  life.  His 
wife  was  Nancy  Lee,  sister  of  a  celebrated  Baptist  preacher  by  the 
name  of  James  Lee,  who  used  to  preach  under  the  trees  with  his 
gun  standing  by  his  side,  apprehending  an  attack  from  Indians. 

At  the  age  of  18  years  Bethuel  Riggs  was  converted  to  Christ 
and  became  a  Baptist,  and  soon  after  moved  to  North  Carolina, 
and  subsequently  to  Georgia,  where  he  lived  some  years,  and 
here  he  not  only  began  his  ministry  but  traveled  and  preached 
somewhat  extensively.  Long  before  that  state  was  densely  pop- 
ulated he  traveled  from  settlement  to  settlement  and  preached 
the  everlasting  and  blessed  gospel  to  poor  sinners,  warning  them 
with  tears  in  his  eyes  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  "While 
still  a  comparatively  young  man,  he,  in  company  with  a  largo 
colony,  came  across  the  Indian  country  to  Kentucky.  This  trip 
was  made  during  the  earlier  Indian  wars.  While  crossing  the 
mountains  and  the  unsettled  portions  of  country  intervening  be- 
tween the  states,  the  emigrants  were  in  great  peril.  But  they 
used  every  precaution  and  were  watchful  and  vigilant,  and  final- 
ly reached  Kentucky  in  safety.  Mr.  Riggs  settled  in  that  part 
of  Kentucky  opposite  Cincinnati. 


220  SALT    RIVER  ASSOCIATION. 

While  living  in  this  j^lace  a  somewhat  rare  incident  occurred 
in  his  life.  There  were  some  restrictions  in  the  territorial  laws 
concerning  marriage.  One  day  a  couple  came  to  his  house  wish- 
ing to  be  married.  Owing  to  the  above  named  restrictions  they 
could  not  be  married  in  the  territory.  An  expedient  was  thought 
of,  which  was  to  get  into  their  canoes  and  go  out  into  the  river. 
And  this  they  did,  and  when  about  midway  in  the  Ohio  River 
Eld,  Eiggs  married  them,  and  they  went  on  their  way  happy. 

In  the  year  1809  he  came  to  Missouri  and  first  settled  on  Dar- 
denne  Creek,  in  St.  Charles  County,  where  he  lived  some  eight 
years.  He  then  moved  higher  up  the  country  and  settled  about 
five  or  six  miles  nearly  north  of  Troy,  the  county  seat  of  Lin- 
coln County,  by  a  celebrated  sulphur  spring  and  lick,  called 
Sulphur  Lick.  This  spring  possessed  some  excellent  medical 
qualities,  and  afterwards  gave  name  to  a  church  which  was  or- 
ganized at  his  house  in  1823,  of  which  he  was  a  constituent  mem- 
ber, and  was  also  pastor  several  successive  years.  But  Elder 
Higgs  was  of  a  traveling  disj^osition  and  hence  did  not  confine 
himself  to  one  place  long  at  a  time.  He  spent  much  of  his  time 
in  itinerating.  He  preached  over  large  portions  of  Warren,  St. 
Charles,  Lincoln,  Montgomery  and  Pike  Counties.  Subsequent- 
ly he  moved  to  Monroe  County,  where  he  lived  for  awhile  preach- 
ing in  the  settlements  in  the  Salt  River  countr^^  He  then  mov- 
ed to  Illinois,  thence  to  Ohio,  and  back  again  to  Missouri,  where 
he  died  and  was  buried  by  the  side  of  his  faithful  wife,  the  com- 
panion both  of  his  youth  and  his  old  age. 

Jeremiah  Vardeman. — This  distinguished  minister  was  one  of 
a  class  somewhat  rare  in  the  annals  of  the  church.  He  possess- 
ed the  peculiar  talent  of  bringing  the  leading  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel home  to  the  consciences  of  his  hearers.  His  illustrations 
were  singularly  vivid,  his  language  strong,  simple  and  well  suit- 
ed to  convey  clear  thoughts  to  everj^  class,  even  the  most  illiter- 
ate; while  the  deep  fountains  of  feeling  gushed  forth  from  his 
own  heart  and  poured  like  a  shower  of  rain  over  the  minds  of 
his  hearers.  In  deep  emotions,  vivid  conceptions  of  gospel  truth, 
and  the  power  of  exciting  sympathy,  he  resembled  Whitefield. 

There  were  occasions,  when  in  an  unpremeditated  exhortation 
he  seemed  to  touch  every  chord  of  the  soul,  and  by  the  outpour- 
ings of  gospel  admonitions  in  a  simple  and  affectionate  style 
would  strike  the  consciences  of  all  around  him.  There  was  not 
the  least  affectation  in  the  style  and  manner  of  his  preaching. 
He  had  never  studied  the  arts  of  the  rhetorician,  and  despised 


SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 


221 


all  trick  and  artifice  in  moving  the  passions.  In  allusion  to  the 
practice  among  frontier  people  of  winnowing  grain  in  a  primi- 
tive fashion,  he  spoke  of  the  labored  efforts  of  some  preachers 
in  getting  up  excitement,  as  "  making  wind  with  a  blanket."  (J. 
M.  Peck  in  Western  Watchman,  Vol.  YII.) 

Jeremiah  Vardeman  was  the  youngest  of  twelve  children,  a 
descendant  of  Swedish  and  Welsh  ancestors,  and  traits  of  char- 
acter peculiar  to  each  nation  were  conspicuous  in  him.  He  was 
born  about  twelve  miles  above  old  Fort  Chiswell  in  what  is  now 
AVythe  Count}',  Yir- 
ginia,  July  8,  1775. 
His  grandfather,  John 
Vardeman,  Sr.,  had 
emigrated  to  America 
from  Sweden  and  set- 
tled in  South  Carolina 
early  in  the  18th  cent- 
ury, when  his  father, 
John  Vardeman,  Jun., 
was  seven  years  old. 
Here  the  younger 
John  Vardeman  grew 
to  manhood,  married 
Elizabeth  Morgan,  a 
native  of  Wales,  and 
soon  after  removed  to 
and  settled  in  Bedford 
County,  Virginia,  not 
far  from  the  celebrated  peaks  of  Otter.  The  elder  John  Varde- 
man was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church  in  his  native  coun- 
try, but  united  with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  South 
Carolina.     He  died  at  the  extreme  age  of  126  years. 

John  Vardeman  and  his  wife,  the  father  and  mother  of  Jere- 
miah, professed  religion  and  united  with  the  Baptists  while  liv- 
ing in  Bedford  County,  Va.;  in  1767  removed  to  the  settle- 
ments on  New  River;  and  in  1779  moved  to  the  wilds  of  Ken- 
tucky and  settled  near  Crab  Orchard. 

Jeremiah,  the  youngest  son  being  old  enough,  took  part  in  the 
Indian  wars,  and  frequently  served  as  a  scout.  During  a  great 
revival  of  religion  in  Kentucky  which  commenced  in  1792,  he 
was  converted  and  made  a  public  profession  of  religion.  He  had 
strong  impressions  to  preach,  but  having  little  education  he  re- 


REV.  JEREMIAH   VARDEMAN. 


222  SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

sisted  the  impressions,  and  they  finally  wore  off.  Note  what  fol- 
lowed. 

Young  Vardeman  had  a  natural  fondness  for  social  pleasures 
and  hilarity  ,  seeing  which,  some  of  his  worldly  associates  used 
all  their  influence  to  entice  him  into  sin.  He  was  induced  to  attend 
a  neighborhood  dancing  party ;  only  once,  he  cogitated,  and  then 
he  would  be  more  strict.  Here  he  found  persons  of  respecta- 
bility who  treated  the  young  church  member  with  marked  atten- 
tion. His  next  downward  step  was  to  attend  a  dancing  school 
ill  the  neighborhood  of  Crab  Orchard  "only  as  a  spectator." 
Here  amidst  the  whirl  of  excitement  and  gayety  he  was  in- 
duced to  sign  his  name  to  the  list  of  pupils  to  the  school.  He 
now  gave  himself  wholly  up  to  worldly  amusements,  though 
oftentimes,  as  he  testified  afterwards,  scourged  by  the  lashings 
of  conscience.  Before  that  fatal  night  he  had  never  attended 
even  a  country  frolic.  Trained  as  he  had  been  under  the  uni- 
versally prevailing  idea  that  balls,  dancing  and  sports  of  all 
kinds  were  a  violation  of  the  Christian  profession,  he  very  nat- 
ural!}^ regarded  his  conduct  as  a  forfeiture  of  his  Christian  char- 
acter; and  left  the  church  without  explanation,  to  the  deep  mor- 
tification of  his  parents  and  two  brothers,  who  were  members  of 
the  same  church. 

"  Being  a  man  of  strong  impulses  and  great  energy  of  charac- 
ter, he  engaged  with  his  whole  soul  in  whatever  he  undertook, 
lie  became  the  leader  of  the  young  people  in  every  species  of 
amusement.  None  could  sing  and  play  on  the  violin  so  en- 
chantingly — none  so  full  of  hilarity  as  Jeremiah  Vardeman."  * 
With  one  exception  his  religious  friends  gave  him  up,  under  the 
impression  that  he  would  proceed,  step  by  step,  the  downward 
course.  That  exception  was  his  pious  mother,  who  would  some- 
times say  :  "  I  know  Jerry  will  be  reclaimed :  God  is  faithful, 
and  I  feel  assured  that  he  is  a  prayer  hearing  Grod." 

Under  the  ministry  of  an  unlettered  Baptist  preacher  by  the 
name  of  Thomas  Hansford,  after  spending  three  years  of  his  life 
in  the  manner  above  described,  Vardeman  was  most  powerfully 
convicted  of  his  backslidings,  and  for  two  or  three  days  he  had 
great  distress  of  soul.  He  finally  found  comfort  and  solemnly 
vowed  to  the  Lord  that  he  would  forsake  all  vain  amusements 
and  devote  himself  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

The  people  of  Pulaski  County  at  that  time,  for  the  most  part, 
lived  in  log  cabins,  scattered  through  the  forests,  with  few  wag- 

*  Peck's  Memoir  of  J.  Vardeman,  in  Western  Watchman,  Vol.  VII. 


SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  228 

on  roads,  but  only  "bridle  paths"  leading  from  cabin  to  cabin. 
In  these  cabins  Mr.  Yardeman  began  to  hold  week-night  meet- 
ings. Gr-reat  interest  was  at  once  awakened,  and  quite  a  number 
were  converted. 

"The  church  of  which  he  had  been  a  member  restored  him  to 
fellowship,  and  gave  him  a  license  in  the  old  Baptist  form;  a 
certificate  merely  stating  that  he  had  "  a  gift"  of  usefulness  and 
had  libertj^  to  use  it  wherever  Providence  opened  a  door.  He 
now  gave  out  appointments  and  preached  several  times  in  quick 
succession.  All  classes  came  out  to  hear  him,  and  in  a  short 
time  upwards  of  twenty  of  his  former  associates  in  Lincoln 
County,  and  members  of  the  dancing  school  that  had  led  him 
astray,  became  humble  and  obedient  disciples  of  Christ."  (West- 
ern Watchman,  Yol.  YII.) 

His  ordination  occurred  about  the  year  1801,  soon  after  which 
he  found  himself  called  to  the  monthly  supply  of  four  churches. 
He  was  poor  in  this  world's  goods,  but  by  the  favor  of  Divine 
Providence  and  the  aid  of  his  brethren  he  was  soon  advanced  in 
the  ministry  to  a  sphere  of  great  usefulness.  From  the  first 
Eld.  Yardeman  was  eminently  successful  in  exhortation.  On 
the  first  Sabbath  next  succeeding  his  restoration  he  attended  a 
meeting  where  he  was  expected  to  speak.  A  crowd  of  people 
had  assembled.  After  some  older  men  had  spoken  he  arose,  and 
with  tears  gushing  from  his  eyes,  gave  an  exhortation  mingled 
with  confessions  of  his  own  backslidings,  and  entreated  his 
young  associates  to  forsake  the  sinful  amusements  into  which  he 
himself  had  led  them.  The  effect  was  wonderful :  "  Young  and 
old  pressed  forward  and  offered  him  their  hands,  and  with  audi- 
ble voices  exclaimed:  '  Oh,  Mr.  Yardeman,  pray  for  mej'  and 
one  said,  '  Do  pray  for  me,  Mr.  Yardeman,  for  I'm  a  heap  bigger 
sinner  than  you  ever  was.'  "     (^Annals  Am.  Pulpit,  p.  422.) 

Mr.  Yardeman  had  never  before  attempted  to  praj^  in  j^ublic, 
but  remembering  his  vow  unto  the  Lord  when  he  obtained  re- 
lief, he  fell  upon  his  knees  and  began  to  pray  in  behalf  of  the 
crowds  around  him  begging  for  mercy.  It  was  soon  after  this 
event  that  Mr.  Yardeman  visited  his  old  church  in  Lincoln  Coun- 
ty, and  was  admitted  back  to  membership  as  related  in  a  preced- 
ing paragraph. 

Prom  the  time  of  his  restoration,  Eld.  Yardeman  spent  an  ex- 
tensively useful  career  in  the  Baj^tist  ministry  in  Kentucky,  and 
was  one  of  the  most  popular  preachers  in  the  state,  which  se- 
cured for  him  large  congregations  wherever  he  went.  He  preach- 


224  SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

ed  at  David's  Fork,  Lexington,  Bardstown,  Louisville,  and  as 
far  off  as  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

In  1830,  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  and  "pitched  his  habitation 
on  the  border  of  a  beautiful  and  fertile  prairie  near  Salt  Eiver 
in  Ealls  County.  Here  he  soon  had  comfortable  houses  for  his 
large  family  and  numerous  dependents,  and  200  acres  of  virgin 
soil  under  cultivation."  Nor  was  he  neglectful  of  the  moral 
wilderness  around  him.  Without  a  stipulated  salary,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  collect  together  the  scattered  sheep  of  Christ's  flock 
and  gather  them  into  folds,  and  several  churches  grew  up  under 
his  immediate  labors.  His  influence  was  not  confined  to  Salt 
River  Association.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  bringing  the 
denomination  of  the  state  into  active  co-operation  in  benevolent 
eff'orts,  and  was  the  first  moderator  of  the  "  Central  Society." 

He  had  a  giant  frame  and  vigorous  constitution,  yet  he  con- 
tinued his  ministerial  labors  without  relaxation.  For  nearly 
two  years  before  his  death  he  became  unable  to  stand  while 
preaching,  and  sat  in  an  arm-chair  while  he  addressed  the  peo- 
ple with  deep  pathos.  Only  two  weeks  before  his  final  depart- 
ure, in  company  with  another  minister,  he  visited  the  Sulphur 
Springs  at  Elk  Lick,  which  appeared  to  afford  him  benefit.  Be- 
fore they  left,  they  constituted  a  church,  a  measure  not  contem- 
plated in  the  visit.  There  was  a  revival,  and  notwithstanding 
his  weakness  Eld.  Vardeman  baptized  five  converts;  the  last 
service  of  the  kind  he  ever  performed.  He  had  then  baptized 
more  Christian  professors  than  any  man  in  the  United  Statet^. 
As  he  kept  no  registry  of  these  and  other  labors,  the  accurate 
number  cannot  be  ascertained,  probably  not  less  than  8,000  con- 
verts. 

On  the  Lord's  day  before  his  death  he  attended  the  appoint- 
ment of  another  preacher  in  the  church  in  his  immediate  neigh- 
borhood. He  was  free  from  pain,  his  appetite  good,  and  his 
mind  clear  and  calm  in  view  of  death.  After  the  first  sermon, 
he  spoke  with  usual  effect  half  an  hour  or  more  from  Heb.  2  ;  3  : 
"How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?"  The 
following  week  he  grew  worse,  though  little  alarm  was  felt  by 
him  or  his  family  about  his  speedy  dissolution.  But  on  Satur- 
day morning.  May  28,  1842,  he  called  his  family  around  him, 
gave  some  directions,  bade  them  farewell,  and  sank  in  death  like 
a  child  falling  asleep — all  within  fifteen  minutes — in  the  67th 
year  of  his  age."     (J.  M.  Peck  in  Western  Watchman,  Yol.  VII.) 

"  In  doctrine  he  was  moderately  Calvinistic.  His  views  of  the 


SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 


225 


doctrine  of  the  atonement  corresponded  with  those  of  Andrew  Ful- 
ler, in  his  Gospel  Worthy  of  all  Acceptation.  He  delighted  to  defend 
the  essential  divinity  of  the  Son  of  God — the  trinity  of  persons  in 
the  Godhead — God's  sovereignty  and  man's  free  agency  and  ac- 
countability— the  vicarious  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ  on  the 
cross,  with  all  other  leading  doctrines  of  the  gospel  held  by  the 
denomination  to  which  he  belonged.  His  success  in  the  ministry 
of  the  gospel  was  perhaps 
unequalled  by  that  of  any 
other  minister  west  of 
the  Alleghany  Mountains. 
This  unusual  success  must 
be  attributed,  in  a  great 
measure  u  n  d  er  God , 
to  the  sympathy  of 
his  own  heart  with  the 
unconverted.  'Knowing 
the  terror  of  the  Lord ' 
himself,  he  felt  deeply 
for  the  poor  sinner  al- 
ready condemned.  He 
threw  his  soul  into  his 
sermons,  while  he  would 
plead  with  and  for  them, 
as  though  he  could  take 
no  denial.  The  earnestness  of  his  manner  was  calculated  to 
convince  the  sinner  that  the  preacher  felt,  and  felt  deeply  for 
him.  When  he  perceived  that  his  preaching  had  enlisted  the 
feelings  of  the  unconverted,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  proposing  to 
pray  with  and  for  them."  (J.  E.  Welch  in  Western  Watchman, Yol. 
VII.) 

Mr.  Vardeman  was  married  three  times.  Two  sons  by  his  first 
wife  have  long  lived  in  Missouri,  Jeremiah  B.  Vardeman  and 
Eev.  W.  H.  Vardeman.     Both  professed  religion  in  youth. 


JEREMIAH  B.  VARDEMAX. 


35 


CHAPTER  III. 


SALT  EIYEK  ASSOCIATION. 

(Concluded.) 
Controversy  on  Missions,  and  its  Eesults — Division  of  tlie  Association — Prosperity  of 
the  Churches — List  of  Associational  ^Moderators — Sketches  of  BowUng  Green,  First 
Louisiana,  and  Other  Churches — John  H.  Duncan — Robert  Gihnore — David  Hub- 
Ijard — Anecdote  of  Hubbard — A.  D.  Landrum ;  How  He  Baptized  a  Man  Private- 
ly—.J.  H.  Keach— AV.  F.  Luck— J.  D.  Biggs— W.  J.  Patrick. 

DUEINGr  the  first  eleven  years  of  its  existence  the  Salt  Eiver 
Association  made  very  gratifying  progress  in  the  dissem- 
mination  of  Baptist  principles  and  the  formation  of  Baptist 
churches,  until  its  boundaries  included  the  counties  of  Pike,  Ealls, 
Marion,  Lewis  and  Monroe.  In  1834  it  dismissed  the  following 
churches,  viz. :  Bethel,  Little  Union,  Palmyra,  Bear  Creek,  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  Salt  Eiver,  Providence,  South  Eiver,  Wyaconda,  Gil- 
ead,  Indian  Creek,  North  Fork,  Paris  and  Elk  Fork.  These 
churches,  situated  in  the  counties  of  Marion,  Lewis  and  Monroe, 
in  pursuance  of  an  act  of  the  mother  association,  met  the  follow- 
ing October  at  Bethel  meeting-house,  Marion  County,  and  form- 
ed the  "Bethel  Association,"  of  which  an  account  will  be  given 
in  due  time.  This  event  reduced  the  number  of  churches  in  the 
Salt  Eiver  Association  to  13. 

From  1835  to  1840  the  sessions  were  regularly  held,  and  har- 
mony prevailed  until  1839.  In  1840  a  division  took  place  on  the 
subject  of  Missions,  concerning  which  event  we  have  gathered 
the  following  facts  from  the  records  and  from  eye-witnesses: 

The  fifteenth  anniversary  of  the  association  was  held  at  Siloam 
Church,  Pike  County,  September  7-9,  1838.  Quite  a  number  of 
brethren  were  present  who  felt  that  the  time  had  come  for  the 
churches  to  do  something  in  the  way  of  sustaining  an  itinerant 
missionarj^  to  labor  among  the  destitute  in  the  bounds  of  the 
association.  They  consulted  about  the  matter,  and  finding  that 
some  were  opposed  to  bringing  the  question  into  the  association 
in  any  shape,  and  wishing  to  avoid  trouble  and  confusion,  a  meet- 
ing was  held  at  the  church  house  on  Saturday  after  the  adjourn- 
ment of  the  body,  and  a  missionary  board  or  society  was  formed. 
Eld.  Thomas  T.  Johnson  was  its  president;  ^30  were  raised  and 


SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION.  227 

Eld.  Jacob  Bower  was  employed  as  a  missionary  at  $10  per 
month.  Although  the  friends  of  missions  kept  this  matter  en- 
tirely out  of  the  association,  yet  the  opposition  was  not  satisfied. 

The  next  session  (1839)  was  held  at  Eamsay's  Creek.  No  ac- 
tion was  taken  on  the  subject  of  missions,  but  there  Avas  a  mani- 
fest lack  of  harmony.  During  the  introductory  exercises,  the 
Bro.  who  was  preaching  (Eld.  "William  Davis)  said  :  "  Paul  was 
a  Roman;"  whereupon  Eld.  Jer.  Vardeman  spoke  up  and  said, 
"No,  no,  brother;  Paul  was  a  'Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews;'  "  and 
here  the  fight  began.  Eld.  Vardeman  was  the  advocate  of  mis- 
sions. Eld.  Davis  was  in  the  lead  of  the  opposition;  still  no  ac- 
tion was  taken  in  the  association.  Soon  after  this  meeting  of  the 
association,  the  Bethlehem  Church  published  a  circular  against 
the  missionaries,  urging  those  opposed  to  missions  to  "come  out 
of  Babylon."  A  copy  of  this  circular  was  sent  to  every  church 
in  the  association,  and  thus  the  controversy  waxed  hotter  and 
hotter. 

In  1840  the  association  met  at  Spencer's  Creek  Church,  in  Pike 
County.  When  the  messengers  arrived,  they  ascertained  that 
three  churches,  including  the  one  with  which  they  had  met,  had 
separated  themselves  from  the  association.  In  view  of  this  pro- 
cedure, the  following  admonitory  resolution  was  adopted: 

"  That  we  consider  the  secession  of  Spencer's  Creek,  Bethle- 
hem and  Union  churches  a  palpable  violation  of  their  covenant 
engagements  with  Salt  River  Association,  and  we  do  affection- 
ately advise  and  admonish  these  brethren  to  reconsider  the 
course  they  have  taken  and  return  again  to  the  bosom  of  the  as- 
sociation." This  admonition  did  not  prevent  the  schism.  Noth- 
ing in  reason  would  conciliate  the  brethren  who  were  opposed  to 
missions.  The  three  churches  above  named  and  a  minority  of 
Siloam,  separated  themselves  from  the  mother  body,  and  formed 
soon  after  a  small  association  called  Siloam  an  account  of  which 
was  given  in  a  preceding  chapter. 

During  this  period — 1835-'40 — several  names  were  added  to 
the  corps  of  ministers.  We  note  the  following:  T.  T.  Johnson, 
Amos  Beck,  A.  D.  Landrum,  Wm.  Davis  and  E.  Davis. 

The  first  formal  action  we  find  in  her  records  on  the  subject 
of  missions  was  at  her  session  at  Spencer's  Creek  in  1840,  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  the  churches  composing  this 
association  the  propriety  of  obtaining  and  sustaining  a  preacher 
whose  labors  are  approved  by  the  churches,  to  labor  in  the 


228  SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

bounds  of  this  association  in  destitute  places,  and  report  to  the 
next  association." 

In  1841  they  met  at  Salem,  Ealls  County.  Sulphur  Lick  Church, 
from  Cuivre  Association,  and  Bethel  Church,  of  Kails  County, 
were  admitted  this  year.  They  dropped  correspondence  with 
Cuivre  Association  (anti-mission),  and  opened  correspondence 
with  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association.  Eld.  Lewis  Duncan  was 
added  to  the  list  of  ministers.  The  churches  now  began  to  en- 
joy greatly  increased  prosperity  and  96  baptisms  were  reported. 
Peace  and  harmony  prevailed  throughout  the  bounds  of  the  as- 
sociation. 

Mount  Pleasant  Church  entertained  the  association  in  1842, 
when  the  following  resolution  was  adopted  : 

"That  this  association  approve  of  the  object  and  principles  of 
operation  of  the  General  Association  of  Baptists  of  Missouri." 

Every  year  brought  accessions  to  the  ministry.  This  year  the 
names  of  Eobert  Gilmore,  Ira  Bailey  and  L.  C.  Musick  were 
added. 

The  anniversary  of  1843,  held  at  Sulphur  Lick,  Lincoln  Coun- 
ty, was  gladdened  by  the  glorious  intelligence  of  an  old  fash- 
ioned revival  of  religion  among  the  churches.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  baptisms  during  the  year  was  213;  total  membership  had 
again  increased  to  nearly  1,000,  having  more  than  doubled  in  the 
last  three  years.  Four  new  churches  were  received,  viz. :  Saver- 
ton,  Ealls  County;  New  Salem,  Lincoln  County;  Mt.  Hope, 
St.  Charles  County ;  and  Camp  Creek,  Warren  County. 

Noix  Creek  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1844,  and  Mt.  Pisgah 
in  1845.  In  1844  J.  H.  Duncan  and  W.  H.  Vardeman  were  added 
to  the  list  of  ministers.  The  latter  was  a  licentiate.  Troy  and 
New  Hope  Churches,  both  of  Lincoln  County,  were  received  this 
year.  New  churches  were  added  every  year.  In  1845  Martins- 
burg  Church,  Illinois;  Zion  Church,  of  Montgomery  County, 
late  from  Bonne  Femme  Association  ;  Bethlehem  West  Cuivre, 
Lincoln  County,  and  West  Cuivre,  Audrain  County,  were  re- 
ceived. This  year,  at  the  request  of  Salem  and  Mount  Pisgah 
Churches,  an  executive  committee  on  missions  was  appointed, 
consisting  of  Brethren  Wm.  Waddell,  H.  G.  Edwards  and  Geo. 
W.  Peay.  Said  committee  were  instructed  to  procure  a  minister 
or  ministers  to  ride  and  preach  in  the  bounds  of  the  association, 
for  such  time  as  funds  might  be  procured  for  such  purpose. 

The  minutes  of  the  session  of  1846  are  printed  on  one  side  of 
a  large  sheet,  similar  to  a  small  newspaper.     The  meeting  thi,s 


SALT   RIVER  ASSOCIATION.  229 

year  was  held  at  Kamsay's  Creek  Church,  and  lasted  four  days. 
Elds.  A,  D.  Landrum  and  David  Hubbard  traveled  as  evangelists 
about  100  days,  at  75  cents  per  day;  58  were  added  to  the  church- 
es by  baptism,  and  30  by  letter.  The  association  now  numbered 
1,088. 

Zion  Church,  Montgomery  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting 
in  1847.  Wm.  Biggs  had  died  during  the  year,  concerning  which 
event  appropriate  resolutions  were  adopted.  The  table  exhibits 
but  little  prosperity  during  the  year.  Only  7  baptisms  reported. 
Contributions  amounted  to  $17.  Decided  action  was  taken  con- 
cerning missions.  Last  year  the  question  had  been  submitted  to 
the  churches,  a  large  majority  of  whom  had  expressed  their  ap- 
probation of  the  action  of  the  association.  With  reference  to 
this  approval,  the  body 

^^ Resolved.,  That  with  a  view  of  carrying  out  the  wishes  of  said 
majority,  and  with  no  view  whatever  of  trespassing  upon  the 
rights  of  the  minorit}',  the  association  now  proceed  to  select  a 
minister,  or  ministers,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  give  at  least  two 
Sabbaths  in  a  month  to  the  work,  and  labor  mainly  with  the  weak 
churches  and  in  destitute  settlements  so  long  as  funds  may  be 
procured  for  that  purpose." 

The  collection  on  the  Sabbath  for  mission  purposes,  in  cash 
and  pledges,  was  $46.75. 

For  the  remainder  of  this  decade,  up  to  1855,  the  association 
held  regular  sessions,  as  follows :  in  1848,  at  Bethel  Church, 
Ealls  County  ;  in  1849,  at  Noix  Creek,  Pike  County  ;  in  1850, 
Mt.  Pleasant,  Pike  County j  in  1851,  Eamsay's  Creek;  in  1852, 
at  Salem,  Ealls  County  ;  in  1853,  at  Mt.  Pisgah,  Pike  County  ; 
in  1854,  at  Mill  Creek  Church,  Lincoln  County  ;  and  in  1855,  at 
Sugar  Creek  Church,  Pike  County. 

In  1853,  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Louisiana,  Cottonwood 
Church,  Lincoln  County,  and  Mt.  Pleasant  Montgomery  Coun- 
ty, were  admitted  into  the  association. 

From  1856  to  1865,  the  association  held  regular  sessions  as  fol- 
lows: Adiel  Church,  1856;  Martinsburg,  111.,  1857;  Providence, 
in  1858 ;  Union,  in  1859 ;  Buffalo  Knob,  in  1860 ;  Louisiana,  in 
1861 ;  West  Cuivre,  in  1862  ;  Mt.  Pisgah,  in  1863  ;  N"ew  Salem, 
in  1864 ;  Noix  Creek  in  1865. 

During  the  35th  session,  in  1858,  a  "Ministerial  Education  So- 
ciety" for  the  association,  was  organized,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  raise  funds  for  the  education  of  young  men  preparing  for 
the  ministry.     The  giving  of  two  dollars  constituted  the  giver 


230  SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

an  annual  member.  The  following  is  a  list  of  ministers  :  Steph- 
en  Fish,  J.  T.  Williams,  J.  F.  Smith,  J.  J.  Gipson,  J,  F.  Hedges, 
A.  P.  Eogers,  J.  M.  Johnson,  T.  T.  Johnson,  J,  H.  Keach,  L.  C. 
Musick,  J.  N.  Griffin,  A.  G.  Mitchell,W.  F.  Luck,W.W.  Mitchell, 
C.  B.  Lewis  and  E.  Autery. 

At  the  session  of  1859,  Bro.  Jno.  T.  Williams  preached  the  in- 
troductory sermon.  A.  G.  Mitchell  was  re-elected  moderator. 
The  churches  were  advised  "  not  to  receive  members  from  pedo- 
baptist  or  Campbellite  societies,  without  baptizing  them."  This 
advice  is  in  perfect  agreement  with  the  great  body  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination  of  the  United  States.  For  the  information  of 
many,  we  give  the  following  on  this  subject,  from  Rev.  David 
Benedict,  the  Baptist  historian.     He  says  : 

"  I  have  ascertained  by  my  extensive  correspondence,  that  by 
far  the  greater  part  of  our  denomination  both  re-baptize  and  re- 
ordain  all  who  join  them,  from  whatever  churches  they  come." 
(^History  of  the  Baptists,  p.  944.) 

Early  in  the  year  1861,  the  booming  of  cannon  was  heard  in 
our  peaceful  and  happy  country.  It  was  the  beginning  of  four 
years  of  civil  war.  Many  hearts  were  wrung  with  anguish  at 
the  news  from  the  bloody  battle-fields,  and  many  a  sad  story  was 
told  concerning  the  mangled  bodies  of  fond  fathers  and  loving 
brothers  and  sons  who  fell,  fighting  like  true  soldiers.  During 
these  troublesome  times  no  interests  suffered  more  than  the  cause 
'  of  a  pure  faith.  Seven  of  the  twenty-four  churches  failed  this 
year  to  send  letters  or  messengers.  Still  the  table  shows  that 
at  least  one-half  of  the  churches  had  a  good  degree  of  prosper- 
ity.    There  were  128  baptisms. 

In  1862  only  twelve  churches  sent  letters;  the  meeting  was  at 
West  Cuivre  Church,  far  away  from  the  great  body  of  the  mem- 
bership of  the  association.     There  were  only  23  baptisms. 

The  minutes  of  1863  show  that  messengers  from  almost  all  the 
churches  were  present.  Officers  of  last  year  were  re-elected.  Elds. 
J.  S.  Green,  Eobert  Kaylor,  and  Bro.  Jas.  McPike  were  present 
from  Bethel  Association,  and  Brethren  L.  S.  Moore,  J.  Motley 
and  M.  E.  Motley  from  Bear  Creek  Association  as  corresponding 
messengers.  Dover  Church,  Pike  County,  was  received  into  the 
association  this  year.  The  membership  had  grown  to  2,500,  and 
spread  over  a  tract  of  country  from  Salt  River  on  the  north,  to 
Cuivre  River  on  the  south  and  southeast,  a  distance  of  about 
eighty  miles. 

In  1865,  the  association  met  at  Noix  Creek  Church.     It  was  in 


SAiit   RlVKR    ASSOCIATION.  23l 

September.  This  was  the  month,  on  the  fourth  day  of  which 
the  "Test  Oath"  took  effect,  and  consequently  there  seems  to  have 
been  but  little  preaching  during  the  session.  From  the  minutes 
no  arrangement  appears  to  have  been  made  for  preaching  on  the 
Lord's  day,  and  no  one  is  reported  as  having  preached  on  that 
day.  Elders  Eussel  Holnian,  agent  of  domestic  and  Indian  mis- 
sions of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  and  J  T.Westover  of 
the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  were  invited  to  seats, 
and  presented  the  claims  of  their  societies  to  the  association,  and 
over  $200  were  contributed  in  response  to  Bro.  Holman's  appeal. 
Over  200  baptisms  were  reported. 

In  1866,  the  association  met  at  Dover,  Pike  County. 

Sessions  of  the  association  were  held  as  follows  from  1866:  At 
Dover,  Pike  County,  Sept.  7-8, 1866;  Eamsay's  Creek,  Sept.  13- 
14,1867;  Salem,  Ealls  County,  Sept.  11-12,  1868;  Providence, 
Pike  County,  Sept.  10-11,  1869;  Sugar  Creek,  Pike  County, 
Sept.  9-11,  1870;  Mill  Creek,  Lincoln  County,  Sept.  8-10,  1871; 
Louisiana,  Sept.  13-15,  1872;  Bethel,  Ealls  County,  Sept.  12-14, 
1873;  Mt.  Pleasant,  Pike  County,  Sept.  11-13,  1874;  New  Hope, 
Lincoln  County,  Sept.,  1875;  Dover,  Pike  County,  Sept.  8-9, 
1876 ;  Star  Hope,  Lincoln  County,  Sept.  7-8,  1877 ;  West  Cuivre, 
Audrain  County,  Sept.  13-14,  1878  ;  Spencerburg,  Pike  County, 
Sept.  12-13,  1879;  Yandalia,  Audrain  County,  Sept.  7-9,  1880; 
New  Salem,  Lincoln  County,  Sept.  6-8,  1881.  During  this  peri- 
od there  was  an  average  of  138  baptisms  annually.  In  1866  the 
association  numbered  22  churches  and  1,968  members.  In  1881 
it  numbered  37  churches  and  3,176  members.  The  churches 
seem  to  have  had  the  greatest  prosperity  in  1870  when  they  re- 
ported 290  baptisms. 

Ministers  in  1881. — J.  D.  Biggs  (since  moved  to  Kirk  wood),  P. 
M.  Birkhead,  J.  B.  English,  S.  G.  Grivens,  E.  Jennings,  M.  P. 
Matheny  (since  moved  out  of  the  bounds),  A.  Gr.  Mitchell,  D.  W. 
Morgan,  W.  J.  Patrick,  A.  P.  Eodgers,  G.  B.  Smith,  W.  M.  Tip- 
ton, J.  Eeld  and  M.  S.  "Whiteside. 

Action  was  taken  as  follows  on  the  "  Missouri  Test  Oath," 
which  came  up  at  the  request  of  Mt.  Pisgah  Church  through  her 
letter: 

"  Tour  committee  recommend  the  association  to  appoint  a 
committee  of  five  members  (in  case  it  should  be  necessary)  to 
memorialize  the  next  legislature  to  repeal  or  abolish  the  '  Test 
Oath,'  or  at  least  so  much  as  relates  to  our  ministers,  many  of 
whom  are  debarred  from  prosecuting  their  duties,  duties  which 


232  SALT   RIVER  ASSOCIATION. 

they  dare  not  disregard,  and  which  the  state  should  vouchsafe 
security  to  as  a  sacred  duty,  on  account  of  the  commission  they 
hold  from  Jesus  Christ  Himself  to  '  Preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature.'  " 

Moderators  of  Salt  River  Association. — Eld.  Davis  Biggs,  6  years; 
Eld.  Jer.  Taylor,  1  year;  Eld.  Wm.  Fuqua,  1  year;  Wm.  Biggs, 
15  years;  Eld.  A.  D.  Landrum,  11  years;  Eld.  A.  Gr.  Mitchell, 
10  years;  Eld.  J.  M.  Johnson,  1  year;  Eld.  M.  M.  Modisett,  2 
years  ;  Hon.  John  D.  Biggs,  4 years;  Hon.  A.  P.  Miller,  4  years; 
Eld.  John  T.  Williams,  1  year,  and  Eld.  W.  J.  Patrick,  4  years. 
Bro.  Miller  was  for  17  years  clerk  of  the  association. 

The  following  churches  number  upwards  of  75  members  : 

Bowling  Green — was  organized  June,  1854,  by  Elds.  Wm.  Hur- 
ley and  T.  T.  Johnson,  with  19  members.  The  pastors  have  been 
Elds.  Wm.  Hurley,  M.  M.  Modisett,  L.  C.  Musick,  J.  T.  Williams, 
W.  F.  Luck,  J.  F.  Smith,  J.  W.  Haines,  A.  P.  Eodgers,  W.  H. 
Burnham  and  J.  D.  Biggs.     Total  present  membership,  86. 

Dover  Church — was  organized  September,  1862,  with  11  mem- 
bers. The  ministers  officiating  were  Elds.  A.  G.  Mitchell,  M. 
M.  Modisett  and  J.  B.  Fuller.  M.  M.  Modisett  was  first  pastor; 
his  successors  have  been  Eld.  A.  G.  Mitchell  and  J.  F.  Cook. 
Present  membership,  86. 

Louisiana  First  Baptist  Church — was  organized  March  26, 
1853,  by  Eld.  A.  D.  Landrum,  with  36  members.  Eld.  J.  F.  Smith 
was  firstpastor;  his  successors  were  M.  M.  Modisett,  J.  T.Williams, 
H.  M.  King,  J.  B.  Fuller,  A.  F.  Eandall,  E.  Gibson,  J.  D.  Biggs, 
J.  T.  Williams  and  W.  M.  Tipton.     Present  membership,  145. 

Mill  Creek — was  organized  in  1851.  In  1882  the  church  num- 
bered 87  members,  with  W.  J.  Patrick  as  pastor. 

Mt.  Pisgah — was  organized  December,  1833,  by  Elds.  Davis 
Biggs,  Moses  Fuqua  and  Walter  McQuie,  with  18  members.  Eld. 
T.  T.  Johnson  was  the  first  pastor;  his  successors  were  W.  Mc- 
Quie, J.  F.  Smith,  J.  T.  Williams,  W.  W.  Mitchell,  A.  P.  Eodgers, 
M.  M.  Modisett  and  W.  J.  Patrick.     Present  membership,  140. 

Mount  Pleasant — was  organized  February,  1833,  by  Elds. 
Jer.  Vardeman  and  Davis  Biggs,  with  30  members.  Eld.  Jer. 
Yardeman  was  the  first  pastor;  Eld.  S.  G.  Givens  was  pastor  in 
1882,  the  church  numbering  74  members. 

New  Hope. — (Sketch  of  this  church  in  former  chapter,  under 
head  of  Stout's  Settlement.) 

Xew  Salem — was  organized  in  1843.  In  1882  the  church  num- 
bered 161  membei's  with  J.  Eeid  as  pastor. 


SALT    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  233 

Noix  Creek. — This  church  was  organized  in  1830.  J.  Reid  was 
pastor  in  1882,  the  church  numbering  221  members. 

Ramsay's  Creek. — (Sketch  of  this  church  in  a  former  chapter.) 

Star  Hope — was  organized  at  Reid's  School-house,  May,  1867, 
with  9  members,  by  Eld.  W.  F,  Luck.  The  first  pastor  was  Eld. 
M.  S.  Whiteside;  Eld.  W.  H.  Burnham  was  his  successor.  Total 
present  members,  126. 

Salem. — This  church  bears  the  date  of  1832.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  215. 

Sugar  Creek — was  organized  May  1,  1852,  by  Elds.  A.  D. 
Landrum,  J.  M.  Johnson  and  T.  T.  Johnson,  with  9  members. 
The  pastors  have  been :  Elds.  J.  M,  Johnson,  M.  M.  Modisett,  Gr. 
W.  Foster,  J.  F.  Cook  and  J.  D.  Biggs.  The  total  present  mem- 
bership is  98. 

West  Cuivre — was  organized  in  1845,  by  Elds.  W.  H.  Yarde- 
man  and  J.  G-.  Sweeney,  with  11  members.  Eld.  W.  H.  Varde- 
man  was  first  pastor ;  he  was  succeeded  by  Elds.  J.  N.  Griffin, 
Wm.  Jesse,  B.  B.  Black,  L.  C.  Musiek,  J.  F.  Smith,  R.  S.  Duncan, 
J.  T.  Wheeler,  W.  R.  Wiggington  and  J.  D.  Robinett.  Present 
membership,  211.  This  church  has  preaching  three  Sundays  in 
the  month. 

John  H.  Duncan — was  born  in  Culpepper  County,  Ya.,  about 
the  first  of  July,  1803.  He  grew  up  in  his  native  state  and  mov- 
ed to  Missouri  when  a  young  man.  He  had  a  good  English 
education,  and  while  he  preached  but  little,  spent  most  of  his  life 
in  the  school-room  as  a  teacher.  He  lived  and  died  a  single 
man,  and  never  manifested  any  special  fondness  for  the  society 
of  the  gentler  sex.  His  preaching  was  methodical  and  partook 
somewhat  of  the  controversial. 

About  the  middle  of  December,  1851,  he  died,  and  was  buried 
on  the  farm  of  his  brother,  Eld.  Lewis  Duncan. 

Robert  Gilmore — for  some  years  a  member  of,  and  minister  in 
Salt  River  Association,  was  the  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Gil- 
more.  He  was  born  in  1792,  in  the  state  of  Yirginia,  and  subse- 
quently moved  to  the  state  of  Kentucky,  where  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Hansford  in  1818.  Eight  children  were  the  issue 
of  said  marriage. 

In  1819  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  St.  Charles 
County,  where  he  remained  for  a  brief  period,  and  then  moved 
to  Lincoln  County  and  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  Old  Sul- 
phur Lick  Church. 

Not  long  after  his  settlement  in  Lincoln  County,  he  professed 


234  SALT    RIVER   ASSOCIATION 

religion  and  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  hav- 
ing been  baptized  by  the  old  pioneer,  Eld.  Bethuel  Riggs. 

We  first  find  the  name  of  Eobert  G-ilmore  as  a  licensed  minis- 
ter in  the  minutes  of  Cuivre  Association  in  1830.  He  was  or- 
dained about  the  year  1841. 

He  was  a  most  excellent  man,  had  only  a  limited  education, 
and  was  a  real  old  fashioned  preacher  of  the  gospel.  He  was 
for  a  time  identified  with  the  opposers  of  missions,  but  after- 
wards obtaining  clearer  views  on  this  subject,  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Salt  Hiver  Association  and  so  remained  until  his  re- 
moval from  the  state.  His  labors  in  the  ministry  were  confined 
chiefly  to  Lincoln  and  Montgomery  Counties. 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  equipped  for  a  long  journey.  Eld.  Gil- 
more,  with  his  own  family  and  many  others  from  his  adopted 
state,  started  across  the  western  plains  for  California.  The 
cholera  broke  out  among  the  emigrants  and  many  were  made  its 
victims.  Eld.  Grilmore,  his  faithful  wife  and  one  son  were  among 
the  suff'erers.  He  died  at  the  head  of  Sweet  Water  on  the  25th  of 
June,  1849.  He  died  as  he  had  lived,  a  faithful,  devout  Christ- 
ian. In  his  last  moments  he  was  very  quiet,  and  with  calmness 
and  composure  he  sweetly  "slept  with  his  fathers." 

A  name  remembered  with  much  pleasure  by  a  large  circle  of 
admirers  in  the  Salt  River  Association  is  that  of 

David  Hubbard. — He  was  born  in  the  year  1796  in  the  state  of 
Kentucky,  near  where  the  celebrated  Daniel  Boone  first  settled. 
His  father,  Charles  Hubbard,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  after 
spending  several  years  in  Kentucky  he  moved  to  and  settled  in 
St.  Louis  County,  Missouri,  in  1809,  when  David  was  a  small 
boy.  Charles  Hubbard  was  an  influential  Baptist,  and  while  he 
lived  in  St.  Louis  County  filled  the  office  of  deacon  in  the  old 
Fee  Fee  Baptist  Church. 

David  Hubbard  grew  up  in  the  territory  of  Missouri,  in  an  age 
when  schools  were  almost  unknown  so  far  west.  He  therefore 
secured  few  advantages  from  this  source;  but  possessing  a 
strong,  active  mind,  he  made  the  best  use  of  his  limited  oppor- 
tunities. He,  however,  never  secured  what  would  be  now  call- 
ed a  good  common  English  education. 

At  about  the  age  of  23  jj^ears  he  professed  conversion  and  was 
baptized  by  Eld.  Charles  Collard  while  he  was  a  resident  of 
Gasconade  County.  Soon  after  this  event  of  his  life  he  moved  to 
Warren  County,  and  about  this  time — 1821  or  '22 — he  commenc- 
ed preaching  j  and  was  ordained  by  the  Little  Bethel  Church  in 


SALT    RIVER   ASSOCIATION.  235 

1824.  He  spent  three  or  four  years  in  Warren  County,  moved 
thence  to  Lincoln  County,  and  settled  some  ten  or  twelve  miles 
west  from  the  county  seat,  Troy.  In  1829  he  moved  higher  up 
in  the  county  and  lived  some  ten  or  twelve  years  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  New  Hope;  thence  he  moved  to  Pike  County,  Ill- 
inois ;  where   he  lived  until  he  moved  to  Oregon  in  1853  or  '54. 

David  Hubbard  was  popular  in  the  pulpit  and  out  of  the  pul- 
pit. Wherever  his  name  was  known  in  Eastern  Missouri  he 
could  get  a  congregation,  week-day  or  Sunday.  As  a  pastor  he 
labored  industriously.  In  this  capacity  he  labored  with  the  Sul- 
phur Lick,  Bryant's  Creek  and  Union  Churches,  all  in  Lincoln 
County,  and  with  the  former  of  these  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  was  almost  all  the  time  pastor  of  four  churches. 

The  following  somewhat  amusing  anecdote  showing  that  the 
best  of  preachers  sometimes  make  a  partial  failure,  and  also 
how  ministers  occasionally  enjoy  a  joke  at  each  other's  expense, 
is  yet  told  and  very  much  enjoyed  by  Bro.  Hubbard's  most  de- 
voted admirers  : 

During  the  sitting  of  the  Salt  River  Association  at  Sulph- 
ur Lick  in  1843,  on  an  afternoon  several  ministers  were  spend- 
ing a  social  hour  at  the  house  of  Bro.  William  Moore,  near  by 
the  church  house.  The  conversation  was  upon  the  sermon  preach- 
ed in  the  forenoon,  which  merited  some  severe  criticisms.  Bro. 
Hubbard  raised  up  and  said,  "Brethren,  if  I  can  ever  out- 
preach  myself  it  is  when  I  have  to  follow  a  bungler."  At  night 
a  visiting  brother  from  a  sister  association  was  put  up  to  preach. 
It  was  undecided  as  to  who  should  follow  him.  His  sermon 
was  somewhat  muddy  and  mixed.  Bro.  A.  D.  Landrum  who 
was  sitting  near  Bro.  Hubbard  in  the  pulpit,  whispered  in 
his  ear,  <'Now  is  your  time.  Brother  Hubbard."  The  visiting 
brother  finished  his  sermon  and  Brother  Hubbard  rose  to  follow 
him.  He  took  a  text,  talked  awhile,  but  all  was  dark.  He 
took  another  text,  but  utterly  failed  of  any  liberty  on  it,  and 
sat  down  finally,  having  said  but  little.  This  was  a  good  lesson 
to  Bro.  H.,  and  will  become  such  to  any  other  who  will  properly 
use  it. 

Eld.  David  Hubbard  was  twice  married  ;  first  to  Miss  Hannah 
Morrow,  of  G-asconadc  County,  Missouri,  of  whom  were  born  to 
him  ten  children.  His  second  marriage,  in  1842  or  '43,  was  with 
Miss  Mary  L.  Thurman  of  Lincoln  County,  by  whom  he  had 
eleven  children. 

In  1853  or  '54  he  moved  to  the  state  of  Oregon.    Calmly  rely- 


236  SAL*   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

ing  by  a  living  faith  on  the  merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he 
breathed  his  last  at  his  home  in  Oregon,  June  14,  1868.  "  Blessed 
are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord.  .  .  .  that  they  may  rest 
from  their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them." 

Abner  D.  Landrum — was  for  fifteen  years  an  active  minister 
in  the  Salt  Eiver  Association.  He  was  a  preacher  in  Kentucky 
before  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1838.  He  was  most  likely  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  must  have  been  born  not  far  from  the 
beginning  of  the  present  century.  From  1838  to  1850  he  filled 
the  office  of  pastor  in  the  Eamsay's  Creek  Church.  At  her  ses- 
sion in  1845  he  was  elected  moderator  of  Salt  River  Association, 
and  was  continued  in  this  office  until  the  close  of  the  session  of 
1856,  save  one  year  (1846).  He  presided  with  ease  and  dignity. 
In  the  pulpit  Eld.  Landrum  was  dignified,  graceful  and  easy. 
As  a  preacher  he  was  earnest,  practical,  persuasive,  rather  than 
profound. 

As  to  his  early  advantages  for  intellectual  culture  we  know 
nothing,  but  feel  justified  in  saying  that  his  education  was  liber- 
al for  his  day.  He  aided  in  organizing  the  following  churches  : 
Salt  River,  Sugar  Creek,  and  First  Baptist,  Louisiana.  In  1838 
he  became  pastor  of  Pcno  Church,  and  so  continued  until  its  dis- 
solution in  1852. 

The  following  somewhat  diverting  incident  occurred  in  his 
ministry : 

On  one  occasion  he  was  visited  by  a  good  Methodist  brother 
who  had  become  dissatisfied  with  his  baptism,  but  not  with  the 
Methodist  church.     He  said, 

"  Brother  Landrum,  I  want  you  to  immerse  me  at  night,  and 
then  not  say  anything  about  it,  as  I  wish  to  remain  a  Meth- 
odist, and  it  may  make  some  trouble  if  the  church  finds  it  out." 
"I  cannot  do  that,"  said  Mr.  Landrum. 

The  man  was  verj^  earnest  and  insisted  that  Bro.  L.  should  im- 
merse him  under  the  foregoing  restrictions.  Finally  Bro.  Lan- 
drum agreed  that  he  would  immerse  the  brother  and  say  nothing 
of  it  unless  some  one  should  ask  about  it.  They  met  on  the 
appointed  evening  a  little  after  nightfall,  at  a  pond  or  pool  of 
water  not  far  from  Bro.  Landrum's  house,  and  the  baptism  was 
administered.  From  the  pond  to  the  house  the  elder  proceed- 
ed, and  with  dripping  clothes  walked  into  the  presence  of  his 
family  and  some  neighbors  who  were  present  spending  the  eve- 
ning. Of  course  every  one  was  astounded  and  amazed,  and 
"  Bro.  Landrum  !  what  is  the  matter;  what  have  you  been  do- 


SALT   RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 


237 


ing?"  immediately  fell  upon  his  ear.     This  was  what  he  wanted 

to  hear,  and  he  promptly  replied  : 

"  I  have  been  out  to  the  pond  to  baptize  Bro.  C." 

The  news  of  the  baptism  spread  rapidly  and  soon  the  entire 

neighborhood  knew  of  it. 


THE  SKCRET  NIGHT  BAPTISM; — "WOULD   NOT  TELL  UNLESS   HE  WAS  ASKED." 

At  the  next  quarterly  conference  Bro.  0.  was  called  to  ac- 
count for  having  ignored  the  teachings  of  his  church,  having 
sought  immersion  after  having  been  sprinkled,  thus  denying 
that  sprinkling  is  authorized  in  the  Bible.  Bro.  C.  could  not 
deny  the  charge,  and  finally  arose  and  said  :  "  Brethren,  I  hope 
you  will  forgive  me  this  time,  for  if  you  will,  I  promise  you  I 
will  never  be  baptized  again."  Bro.  C,  we  suppose,  felt  that  he 
must  surely  be  right  now,  and  had  no  need  of  trying  any  other 
mode  of  baptism,  for  he  had  both. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1856,  or  early  in  1857,  Eld.  Lan- 
drum  moved  to  Henry  County,  since  which  time  we  have  learn- 
ed but  little  of  him.  We  have  an  impression  that  he  died  during 
the  war.     If  now  living,  he  must  be  quite  old. 

John  Hawkins  Keach. — This  most  excellent  man  and  useful 
minister  of  the  gospel  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  at  his  home  in  Ealls 


238  SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

County,  Missouri,  January  11,  1878.     He  died  of  rheumatism, 
followed  by  congestion  of  the  lungs. 

"  Father  Keach  was  born  in  Prince  William  County,  Virginia, 
March  29, 1807.  When  he  was  eight  years  old  his  father  removed 
to  Mason  Co.,  Ky.  They  spent  six  or  eight  years  in  Mason, 
Fleming  and  Nicholas  Counties,  and  then  settled  in  Jessamine 
County,  near  Nicholasville.  It  was  here  he  was  first  awakened; 
under  the  preaching  of  Elder  Edmund  Waller  he  found  himself 
a  lost  sinner.  A  great  revival  was  in  jDrogress  at  Mt.  Pleasant 
Church,  when  he  was  converted  and  joined  the  Baptist  church 
in  the  fall  of  1826,  His  was  a  powerful  conversion,  such  as  con- 
strained that  eminent  divine,  Rev.  Edmund  Waller,  to  prophesy 
that  yoiing  Keach  would  be  called  to  preach  the  gospel. 

In  1831  the  fomily  emigrated  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Marion 
County,  north  of  the  Fabius,  young  John  having  come  out  and 
raised  a  crop  the  year  before.  Soon  after  landing  here  he  lost 
his  father,  and  he  had  to  plod  the  world  alone.  March  29,  1831, 
he  x;nited  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Lake,  who  survived  him. 
In  1841  he  was  ordained  a  Baptist  minister.  Elds.  Haycraft, 
Lillard,  Shumate  and  Taylor  officiating.  All  his  time  was  taken 
up  preaching  the  gospel  to  various  churches. 

In  1848  the  Baptist  G-eneral  Association  of  Missouri  appointed 
him  an  agent  to  raise  funds  for  the  endowment  of  William  Jew- 
ell College.  He  traveled  over  Northeast  Missouri  for  this  object 
during  the  years  1848,  1849  and  part  of  1850. 

He  raised  several  thousand  dollars,  and  all  his  life  he  remain- 
ed a  warm  friend  of  liberal  and  popular  education."  (M.  W. 
Wood  in  Central  Baptist,  January,  1878.) 

Eld.  James  F.  Smith  says:  "  Bro.  Keach  was  a  Bible  student 
from  the  time  of  his  conversion  to  the  commencement  of  his  min- 
istry ;  hence  he  was  a  good  preacher  from  the  beginning.  His 
address  was  cool  and  deliberate — never  much  excited,  but  very 
earnest.  His  preaching  was  eminently  useful,  being  full  of  in- 
struction and  matured  thought,  and  was  highly  appreciated  by 
inquirers  after  truth.  He  was  a  doctrinal  preacher,  but  seldom 
failed  to  make  a  practical  application  of  the  subject.  Many  have 
claimed  him  as  their  spiritual  father.  He  was  one  of  the  best 
pastors  in  Northeast  Missouri,  and  long  filled  this  office  in  the 
Salem  and  Bethel  Churches,  Ralls  County." 

Bro.  Keach  was  a  devoted  friend  and  promoter  of  missions, 
both  home  and  foreign,  and  especially  the  latter,  in  which  he 
took  great  interest. 


SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION.  239 

The  following  brief  description  of  his  triumphant  death  is  from 
the  pen  of  his  son-in-law,  Bro.  M.  W.  Wood: 

"  The  antithisis  of  suffering  here,  and  glory  yonder,  seemed 
ever  present  to  his  mind.  Bro.  J.  F.  Smith,  who  had  known 
Father  Keach  for  more  than  half  a  century,  and  who  began  the 
ministry  with  him,  called  to  see  him  a  few  days  before  his  death 
and  remained  to  comfort  him.  They  conversed  much  indeed 
upon  the  comforts  and  consolations  which  the  religion  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  affords  the  Christian,  both  in  life  and  in  death. 
A  question  was  put  to  the  dying  man  (who  remained  perfectly 
conscious  to  the  moment  of  dissolution),  as  to  how  the  valley 
and  shadow  of  death  appeared  to  him  from  his  near  approach  ? 
'  Bro.  Smith,'  said  Father  Keach,  '  the  way  is  a  dark  and  shad- 
owy vale,  but  the  light  on  the  other  shore  is  so  bright  and  efful- 
gent, it  dispels  the  darkness  and  the  gloom.  Jesus  is  there — 
Jesus,  the  light,  the  truth,  the  way.' 

"But  when  the  members  of  the  family  and  tried  friends  were 
called  around  the  bedside  to  receive  the  parting  word,  and  take 
the  hand  in  the  final  good-bye,  the  scene  was  far  too  affecting  to 
be  described.  It  was  a  happy,  a  glorious  occasion  to  confirm  the 
truth  of  victory  in  death  to  a  house  full  of  witnesses.  There 
were  no  dry  eyes,  no  vacant  looks — no  mistaking  the  grand  and 
triumphant  victory  over  death,  hell  and  the  grave  on  this  occa- 
sion. All  could  see  'he  had  faith  in  God.'  "  {Central  Baptist, 
Jan.  31, 1878.) 

One  more  standard-bearer  remains  to  be  noticed  in  these 
sketches — the  invincible  and  venerable 

William  Francis  Luck. — This  earnest  and  aged  Baptist  min- 
ister has  not  been  long  dead.  He  was  born  November  27,  1801, 
in  Campbell  County,  Virginia.  His  grandfather  Luck  was  a  na- 
tive Scotchman  and  his  grandmother  Luck  was  of  English  pa- 
rentage. 

Young  Luck  grew  up  with  but  little  help  from  the  schools,  for 
there  were  few  such  institutions  in  his  early  day. 

His  mother  was  a  devout  Baptist;  his  father  was  an  irreligious 
man,  and  died  when  he  was  a  small  boy  of  only  eight  summers. 
Left  fatherless,  he  grew  up  into  a  wild  and  somewhat  reckless 
young  man. 

He  was  married  September  2, 1824,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  McGann, 
of  his  native  county,  and  early  in  1827,  with  his  young  wife  emi- 
grated to  Tennessee  and  settled  in  Wilson  County.  He  was  con- 
verted at  a  Baptist  camp-meeting  in  the  fall  of  1830,  and  united 


240  SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

with  the  Pleasant  Valley  Church  of  Separate  Baptists.  Soon 
after  his  conversion  he  commenced  preaching  and  received  or- 
dination in  July,  1833,  at  the  hands  of  Elds.  John  Whitlock  and 
Elisha  Bell. 

The  union  of  the  two  Concord  Associations  of  Tennessee  in 
1842,  identified  him  with  the  "  United  Baptists  "  after  that  date. 

He  spent  upwards  of  twenty-five  years  in  the  ministry  in 
Tennessee,  a  larger  portion  of  which  time  he  was  in  the  pas- 
torate. 

He  removed  to  Missouri  in  1857  and  settled  in  the  bounds  of 
the  Salt  Eiver  Association,  in  Lincoln  County,  and  was  soon 
industriously  engaged  in  preaching  the  gospel. 

He  labored  both  as  an  evangelist  and  a  pastor.  As  an  evan- 
gelist he  was  quite  successful,  and  was  much  beloved  as  a  pastor. 
Soon  after  he  came  to  the  state  he  was  called  to  be  pastor  at 
New  Salem  Church — near  his  home — and  so  continued,  with  one 
or  two  short  intermissions,  until  his  death.  He  also  labored  as 
pastor  in  the  following  churches  :  New  Hope,  Sulphur  Lick  and 
Fairview,  in  Lincoln  County ;  and  Bowling  Green  and  Indian 
Creek,  in  Pike  County. 

During  the  war  between  the  states,  Eld.  Luck  was  made  a  po- 
litical prisoner,  and  lay  in  Gratiot  Street  prison,  St.  Louis,  for 
about  nine  months.  Here  he  continued  his  ministry,  preaching 
almost  every  Sabbath.  He  was  finally  released,  having  learned 
of  no  charge  against  him,  save  that  he  was  a  Southern  man. 

But  the  end  must  come.  After  a  ministry  of  about  forty-sev- 
en years  William  F.  Luck  died  December  26,  1878,  of  softening 
of  the  brain,  resulting  from  an  attack  of  hyperaemia  about  a 
year  and  a  half  before. 

James  D.  Biogs — was  born  in  Ealls  County,  Missouri,  October 
17, 1843.  He  was  baptized  in  March,  1858  -,  and  licensed  to  prerach 
in  1866.  He  was  educated  at  Georgetown  College,  Kentucky, 
where  he  graduated  in  June,  1869,  and  was  ordained  in  the  same 
month.  In  August  of  that  year  he  married  Miss  Lucy  Hatch  of 
Georgetown,  Ky.,  and  the  month  following,  with  her  entered  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  Greenville,  S.  C.  He 
accepted  the  care  of  the  chiirch  atMillersburg,  Bourbon  County, 
Ky.,  in  July,  1870,  where  he  remained  for  two  years;  thence  he 
returned  to  his  native  state,  and,  in  answer  to  a  call  from  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  Louisiana,  he  settled  as  pastor  inthatcity 
July,  1872.  During  his  pastoral  period  here,  in  April,  1873,  he 
was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  Louisiana  Baptist  (now  Mc- 


SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 


241 


Cune)  College,  which  position  he  held  two  years.  He  resigned 
the  pastorate  of  the 
church  and  the  pres- 
idency of  the  college 
at  Louisiana,  to  ac- 
cept the  care  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church 
at  Springfield,  Mo., 
and  continued  there 
from  1875  to  1878, 
when  he  was  forced 
to  resign  on  account 
of  injuries  received 
in  a  railroad  dis- 
aster. From  Spring- 
field he  went  to 
Ealls  County,  and 
after  resting  and  re- 
cuperating preached 
to  several  churches 
in  Ralls  and  Pike 
Counties  until  the 
first  of  December, 
1881,  when  he  was  called  to  the  Baptist  church  at  Kirkwood, 
Missouri. 

J.  T>.  Biggs  is  a  great-grandson  of  Davis  Biggs,  one  of  the  pio- 
neer preachers  of  Northeastern  Missouri ;  and  the  founder  and 
the  first  moderator  of  the  Salt  River  Association. 

Wiley  J.  Patrick — son  of  Wiley  J.  and  Margaret  S.  Patrick, 
was  horn  in  Macon  County,  Missouri,  January  3,  1840.  His  fath- 
er was  reared  in  Kentucky  and  his  mother  in  Baltimore.  When 
quite  a  child  his  parents  moved  with  him  to  Hannibal.  Seven 
years  of  his  boyhood  were  spent  in  Illinois  among  strangers, 
and  from  the  age  of  fourteen  to  twenty-one  in  Monroe  County, 
laboring  on  a  farm  in  the  summer,  and  going  to  school  some  in 
the  winter.     Two  years  of  his  early  life  he  taught  school. 

On  the  18th  of  May,  1862,  he  professed  conversion  in  his  pri- 
vate room,  and  on  the  following  day  united  with  the  Salem 
Church,  Monroe  County,  having  been  baptized  by  Rev.  A,  C. 
Goodrich.  Here  he  was  afterwards  ordained  and  first  became 
pastor.  The  next  autumn  he  preached  his  first  sermon  at  Long- 
Branch  Church.  The  period  from  this  until  June,  1864,  was  spent 
16 


REV.  JAMES  D.  BIGGS. 


242 


SALT   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 


for  the  most  part  in  going  to  school,  the  last  year  at  William 

Jewell  College.  He 
then  spent  a  year  as 
missionary  of  Bethel 
Association.  In 
1865-'6  he  was  in  a 
series  of  revivals  in 
Little  Bonne  Femme 
Association,  and  in 
the  latter  year  locat- 
ed as  pastor  of  New 
Salem,  Nashville 
and  other  churches. 
At  Eoanoke  in  this 
year  he  was  elected 
corresponding  sec- 
retary of  the  Gener- 
al Association. 

In  1868  he  remov- 
ed to  Jefferson  City, 
the  capital  of  the 
state,  having  become 
pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in 
that  civy.  Here  he  preached  until  the  spring  of  1870,  when,  accept- 
ing a  call,  he  moved  to  Fulton.  In  1872,  ho  was  again  missionary  of 
Bethel  Association  and  became  pastor  of  Union  and  Providence 
Churches.  In  January,  1873,  he  was  elected  chaplain  of  the  Mis- 
souri Senate,  and  in  1874  became  one  of  the  owners  and  editors 
of  the  Central  Baptist.  He  was  missionary  of  Salt  Eiver  Associ- 
ation in  1876,  and  entered  the  pastorate  of  Mill  Creek,  Curry- 
ville,  Salem  and  Mt.  Pisgah  Churches ;  and  in  the  time  has  been 
pastor  of  Indian  Creek,  New  Hope  and  Spencersburg.  He  is  the 
moderator  of  Salt  River  Association,  a  trustee  of  William  Jew- 
ell College  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of  State  Missions. 

Mr.  Patrick  was  indicted  by  the  grand  jurj'-  of  Monroe  Coun- 
ty in  1865,  for  preaching  without  having  taken  the  Test  Oath. 
He  has  been  twice  married  :  in  1866  to  Miss  Lizzie  A.  Withers, 
the  issue  of  which  was  one  daughter  and  one  son  j  in  1875,  to 
Miss  Amanda  E.  Ustick,  now  the  mother  of  two  daughters. 

Mr.  Patrick  is  scarcely  yet  in  his  jirime,  and  ranks  among  the 
able  men  of  the  denomination. 


REV.  WILEY  J.  PATRICK. 


CHAPTER  IT. 


CONCOED  ASSOCIATION. 

Cooper  County  ;  First  Baptists  Therein — Formation  of  the  Association — History  of 
Big  Bottom,  Big  Lick,  and  Other  Churches — Luke  Williams — Eevival  at  the 
Dance — John  B.  Longan — The  Lawyer  Outwitted — Controversy  on  Missions — His- 
toric Import  of  the  Term  "  United  Baptists  " — Peter  Woods, 

COOPER  County,  situated  in  the  central  part  of  the  state, 
was  settled  in  1812.  A  few  Baptists  were  among  the  first 
settlers.  Immediately  after  the  close  of  the  Indian  war  in  1815, 
other  Baptist  families  moved  into  this  region.  The  number  was 
still  further  increased  the  following  year,  and  in  1817,  as  we 
have  already  shown,  the  Concord  Church  was  organized  in  the 
settlement  south  of  Boonville,  the  first  church  south  of  the  riv- 
er west  of  St.  Louis  County. 

In  accordance  with  a  resolution  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  Asso- 
ciation, and  of  churches  dismissed  from  that  body,  the  Concord 
Association  was  formed  on  Saturday  before  the  third  Sunday 
in  October,  1823,  at  Mt.  Nebo  Church,  in  Cooper  County.   « 

The  constituent  churches  were  eight  in  number,  situated  south 
of  the  Missouri  Eiver,  and  east  of  a  line  running  south  from  said 
river  so  as  to  include  the  church  in  Big  Bottom.  Their  names 
were  Concord,  Big  Bottom,  Pisgah,  Mt.  Nebo,  Double  Spring, 
Big  Lick,  Union  and  Mt.  Pleasant.  The  aggregate  membership 
was  335.  Peter  Woods  was  chosen  moderator,  and  Jordan  O'Bry- 
an  clerk,  after  an  introductory  sermon  by  Ebenezer  Rogers.  Be- 
fore us  lie  the  minutes  of  the  first  meeting,  in  which  we  recog- 
nize the  names  of  the  following  ministers  :  Luke  "Williams,  J.  B. 
Longan,  David  Allee,  Peter  Woods  and  Jacob  Chism.  The  ap- 
pellation of  this  body  was,  "  The  Concord  Association  of  Bap- 
tists." Correspondence  was  opened  up  with  the  Mount  Pleas- 
ant Association  of  United  Baptists,  and  also  provided  for  with 
Pishing  River  Association  as  soon  as  organized. 

The  custom  of  holding  Union  or  Yearly  Meetings  in  diifer- 
ent  sections  of  the  associational  field,  was  adopted,  following 
the  example  of  the  older  associational  communities. 


244  CONCORD   ASSOCIATION. 

Forty-one  baptisms  and  359  members  were  reported  at  the 
session  of  1824,  held  at  Big  Lick,  Cooper  County. 

Jordan  O'Bryan,  of  Mt.  Nebo  Church,  appears  as  the  author 
of  the  circular  letter  published  in  the  minutes  of  this  year.  It 
contained  an  able  and  scriptural  argument  on  the  support  of  the 
gospel  ministry.  Bro.  O'Bryan  was  a  layman  of  remarkable 
devotion  and  purit}^  of  life.  He  was  for  some  years  a  member 
of  the  legislature  from  Cooper  County,  and  was  one  of  the  few 
who  came  out  unsoiled  by  the  corrupt  influence  of  politics. 

Eld.  Luke  Williams  died  only  a  short  time  before  the  meeting 
of  this  session,  whereupon  the  following  was  passed  by  the  body : 

"  The  Concord  Association  do  recommend  to  all  the  churches 
in  its  bounds,  to  draw  up  subscription  papers,  and  request  their 
members  to  subscribe  thereto  what  money  they  are  willing  to 
give,  which  money  shall  be  deposited  in  the  hands  of  William 
Savage,  for  the  purpose  of  paying  the  remaining  balance  due  on 
the  land  on  which  the  widow  of  Eld.  Luke  Williams,  deceased, 
lives.  If  there  should  be  more  money  subscribed  and  paid  into 
the  hands  of  Bro.  Savage,  he  shall  appropriate  it  to  the  use  of 
the  family." 

The  association  unanimously  agreed  to  the  following : 

"  That  we  set  apart  the  first  Saturday  in  October  for  prayer 
and  fasting,  in  union  with  our  brethren  in  Kentucky,  praying 
that  the  Lord  would  revive  his  work  throughout  the  inhabited 
world,  and  that  a  great  reformation  may  take  place." 

These  views  were  in  perfect  concord  with  the  evangelical  spirit 
of  the  denomination  in  all  ages. 

In  1825,  the  association  held  its  session  with  Good  Hope',  for- 
merly Big  Bottom,  Church.  Jacob  Chism  preached  the  intro- 
ductory sermon,  and  was  afterwards  elected  moderator;  clerk 
same  as  at  first  meeting.  One  new  church,  called  Liberty,  was 
received. 

The  following  action  was  taken  on  the  subject  of  "alien  bap- 
tism": 

"Agreed  that  this  association  do  advise  the  diff'erent  church- 
es in  her  bounds  not  to  receive  any  members  into  their  fellowship 
who  have  been  baptized  by  preachers  or  ministers  out  of  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  General  Union  of  Baptists,  on  account  of  their 
heretical  opinions,  unless  they  are  rebaptized  by  some  regularly 
ordained  minister  in  the  Baptist  Union." 

At  the  third  annual  meeting  at  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  in  Cooper 
County,  in  1826,  one  new  church,  Zoar,  was  received.     The  asso- 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  245 

ciation  mourns  over  the  death  of  one  of  her  pious,  able  and  wor- 
thy ministers,  Eld.  Peter  Woods,  pastor  of  Mt.  ISTebo  Church. 

The  minutes  of  this  year  show  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — Concord,  Pisgah,  Good  Hope  (formerly  Big  Bot- 
tom), Mt.  Nebo,  Double  Springs,  Big  Lick,  Union,  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Liberty  and  Zoar. 

Ministers. — Kemp  Scott,  John  B.  Longan,  David  Allee  William 
Jennings  and  Peyton  Nowlin. 

Big  Bottom  Church, — one  of  the  constituents  of  Concord  As- 
sociation, was  organized  on  the  fourth  Saturday  in  August,  1818, 
in  the  celebrated  Missouri  Eiver  Bottom  of  the  same  name,  in 
the  "G-reat  Bend"  in  Saline  County,  opposite  the  town  of  G-las- 
gow,  Howard  County.  The  records  furnish  no  clue  to  its  con- 
stituent members.  Wm.  Lillard  was  the  first  clerk.  In  May, 
1820,  "  the  church  requested  Bro.  Peyton  !N"owlin  to  attend  their 
monthly  meetings  ;  he  agreed  to  do  so."  This  is  the  first  record 
of  a  pastor.  Until  1825  the  church  held  its  meetings  from  house 
to  house,  sometimes  in  the  town  of  Jefferson.  In  April  of  that 
year  it  moved  into  its  new  meeting-house,  and  changed  its  name 
to  "  Good  Hope,"  the  name  it  now  bears.  This  body,  from  the 
list  of  members  in  the  old  church  book,  now  before  us,  has  done 
a  noble  work  in  its  field  of  labor.  In  1829  its  membership  was* 
84.  The  following  is  its  succession  of  pastors:  Elds.  Peyton 
Nowlin,  Kemp  Scott,  Thomas  Ptiggs,  Abner  Gwinn,  W.  M.  Bell, 
J.  D.  Murphy,  A.  P.  Williams,  and  again  W.  M.  Bell.  It  is  now 
a  large  and  influential  body  in  the  Saline  Association,  contribu- 
ting statedly  to  home  and  foreign  missions. 

Big  Lick  Church,  Cooper  County,  —  another  of  the  pioneer 
churches  of  the  state,  and  a  constituent  of  Concord  Association, 
was  organized  the  24th  of  August,  1822,  under  an  arbor  near 
Judge  Ogden's  Spring,  about  one  mile  north  of  where  the  church 
house  was  afterwards  built.  Elds.  Jno.  B.  Longan  and  Jacob 
Chism  composed  the  council.  Its  original  members  were  16. 
Eld.  J.  B.  Longan  was  pastor  from  1822  to  1845 ;  Eld.  Tyree  C. 
Harris  from  1845  to  1851 ;  following  him  was  Eev.  Eobt.  H.  Har- 
ris, fifteen  years  ;  Eld.  B.  G.  Tutt,  one  year;  Eld.  J.  B.  Box,  one 
year;  Eld.  J.  D.  Murphy,  four  or  more  years;  and  Eld.  J.  S. 
Palmer  was  his  successor.  Two  extensive  revivals  were  enjoyed 
by  this  church  :  the  first  in  1838  under  the  labors  of  the  late  A. 
P.  Williams,  the  other  in  1847  during  the  pastorate  of  T.  C.  Har- 
ris, when  the  church  reached  its  maximum,  numbering  about  350 
members. 


246  CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 

Liberty, — another  of  the  early  churches,  was  formed  prior  to 
1825  by  Brethren  Longan  and  Woods,  located  in  what  is  now 
Moniteau  County.  Its  pastors  have  been  T.  Y.  Grreer,  Chancy, 
Duncan,  Akens,  J.  K.  Godbey  and  Wm.  Wood. 

Of  the  remaining  churches  bearing  date  prior  to  1825  we  have 
no  sketches. 

Elder  Luke  Williams. — Standing  at  the  head  of  the  list  of 
ministers  in  the  first  meeting  of  the  Concord  Association  is  the 
name  of  Luke  Williams,  a  very  popular  and  useful  preacher  of 
his  day.  He  was  born  August  5,  1776,  in  the  colony  of  Virgin- 
ia. His  father  was  James  Williams,  whose  wife  was  Martha 
Murrell,  sister  to  Elders  Thomas  and  Eichard  Murrell,  two 
Baptist  ministers  of  olden  times.  His  mother  having  died  when 
he  was  a  boy,  Luke  was  bound  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  McGrloh- 
lin,  to  learn  blacksmithing,  where  he  remained  a  little  over  one 
year,  and  learned  the  use  of  tools  very  readily  and  was  delighted 
with  the  business.  His  master  was  a  fine  smith,  and  was  gener- 
ally kind  when  sober,  but  unfortunately  he  would  indulge  in  the 
use  of  intoxicating  drinks  to  a  great  excess,  and  when  drunk  he 
was  very  tyrannical,  not  only  to  his  apprentices,  but  to  his  own 
family  also.  On  one  of  these  drunken  occasions  he  promised 
Luke  a  severe  flogging  next  morning,  and  made  him  pull  off  his 
pantaloons  and  put  them  under  the  head  of  his  bed.  In  the 
night  Luke  opened  the  door  of  the  old  man's  room,  crept  softly 
up  to  his  bed,  and  finding  his  pantaloons  he  jerked  them  and 
made  for  the  door,  with  the  old  man  after  him.  The  boy  shut 
the  door  as  he  ran  out  and  thus  checked  the  speed  of  his  pursu- 
er. The  race  led  through  a  piece  of  newly  cleared  land  ;  and 
soon  the  old  man  ran  against  a  large  stump  and  fell  sprawling  to 
the  ground,  and  commenced  hallooing  at  the  top  of  his  voice — 
"  Oh,  Lord !  oh.  Lord!"  while  young  Williams  continued  his 
flight,  shouting,  "  Thank  God  !  thank  God  !  " 

At  this  time  his  father  lived  about  150  miles  from  there,  but 
after  overcoming  many  difiiculties,  Luke  finally  reached  home  in 
safety.  Like  a  wise  man  his  father  took  him  back  to  McGloh- 
lin's,  had  the  terms  of  the  contract  rescinded,  and  returned 
home  with  his  boy.  After  this  the  father  and  son  spent  much 
of  their  time  in  hunting  in  the  early  settlements  of  Kentucky, 
during  which  they  had  some  hair-breadth  escapes  from  the  In- 
dians. 

On  the  9th  of  July,  1799,  Luke  Williams  was  married  to  Miss 
Polly  Shropshire,  a  lady  two  months  his  senior.  They  were  both 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  247 

at  that  time  very  fond  of  the  dance.  Williams  was  also  a  good 
fiddler.  On  one  occasion,  some  three  years  after  their  mar- 
riage, while  the  wife  was  on  the  floor  dancing,  she  was  pung- 
ently  convicted  of  sin.  She  at  once  betook  herself  to  prayer; 
and  had  no  rest  day  or  night  till  she  felt  the  preciousness  of 
G-od's  pardoning  grace,  soon  after  which  she  became  a  Baptist. 
She  was  a  bright  light  in  the  church  until  she  died  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  66  years. 

Shortly  after  the  conversion  of  his  wife,  Mr.  Williams  was 
brought  under  conviction,  and  soon  after  found  peace  in  believ- 
ing in  Christ,  and  became  a  church  member  with  his  beloved 
wife.  The  plan  of  salvation  seemed  so  jslain  to  him  that  he  at 
once  began  to  have  a  desire  to  preach  Christ  crucified  to  a  per- 
ishing world.  The  church  of  which  he  and  his  wife  were  now 
members  was  in  Powell's  Yalley,  but  the  name  is  not  now  re- 
membered by  the  family. 

In  the  year  1804,  he  and  famil}'-  moved  to  and  formed  a  settle- 
ment on  the  Clear  Fork  of  Cumberland  Eiver,  there  being  no 
settlement  nearer  than  twenty-five  miles.  About  four  or  five 
families  composed  the  new  settlement.  The  county  filled  up 
rapidly  with  new  comers,  and  the  people  built  a  log  house  which 
served  the  purpose  of  a  house  of  worship  and  school-house.  It 
was  not  far  from  this  time  that  he  was  called  to  ordination,  Eld. 
Elijah  Foley  being  one  of  the  officiating  presbytery.  In  the 
fall  of  1815,  he  started  with  his  famly  for  Missouri,  stopped  one 
year  in  Illinois,  rented  a  farm,  made  a  crop,  sold  out,  bought  a 
few  head  of  cattle,  and  in  the  fall  of  1816  continued  his  journey 
west  and  settled  a  new  place,  establishing  his  home  in  Cooper 
County,  five  miles  west  of  where  Boonville  now  stands.  Here 
he  built  him  a  log  cabin,  cleared  a  small  farm,  planted  corn,  &c., 
spending  his  Sabbaths  and  many  week  nights  preaching  the 
gospel  to  the  pioneer  settlers.  He  did  not  confine  himself  to  his 
own  neighborhood,  but  traveled  and  preached  over  most  of  the 
settled  portion  of  what  is  noAV  the  state  of  Missouri.  This  he 
did  without  fee  or  reward,  pecuniarily,  because,  in  fact,  the  peo- 
ple had  nothing  to  remunerate  him  with,  Missouri  at  that  time 
being  no  more  than  a  wild  territorj^.  For  a  while  he  was  the 
only  ordained  Baptist  minister  in  the  "Upper  Country,"  south  of 
the  Missouri  Eiver.  He  often  stayed  out  on  preaching  tours 
without  a  dollar  in  his  pocket,  for  the  reason  that  he  had  no 
money.  He  used  to  say  he  needed  no  money  to  travel  among 
his  brethren  and  friends.     This  was  nearly  sixty  years  ago,  and 


248  CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 

times  have  very  much  chauged,  so  much  so  that  should  a  man 
go  without  money  in  his  purse  now,  he  would  most  likely  be 
compelled  to  borrow  before  he  reached  home,  as  has  been  the 
case  with  the  author. 

On  arising  one  Sunday  morning,  preparatory  to  starting  to  his 
appointment,  he  learned  that  there  was  neither  bread  nor  meat 
in  the  house.  The  children  were  crying  for  bread.  The  poor 
man's  heart  sank  within  him.  What  could  he  do  ?  No  manna 
fell  from  heaven  on  the  Lord's  day  to  supply  his  family.  Game 
was  plentiful  and  could  be  had  during  the  week — but  none  had 
been  laid  by  for  this  occasion.  While  meditating  on  this  condi- 
tion of  things  around  him,  a  well  fatted  buck  leaped  into  the 
garden  enclosure,  as  if  to  say,  "  j'ou  can  feed  your  crying  chil- 
dren with  my  flesh  if  you  wish."  The  pastor  took  down  his 
trusty  rifle,  killed  and  dressed  the  game,  and  his  good  wife  pre- 
pared it  for  the  family.  But  he  went  to  the  place  of  worship  with 
a  sad  heart,  feeling  that  perhaps  he  had  done  wrong.  How  could 
he  proclaim  the  terrors  of  God's  law  to  others,  while  he  was 
guilty  of  violating  the  Sabbath  ?  Such  were  the  thoughts  press- 
ing in  upon  his  mind.  With  tears  in  his  eyes  he  related  to  the 
congregation  all  the  events  of  the  morning,  and  requested  the 
church  to  decide  whether  he  had  done  right  or  wrong.  With 
unanimous  voice  it  was  decided  he  had  done  right  in  killing  the 
deer  on  the  Sabbath,  under  the  circumstances;  after  which  he 
dried  up  his  tears  and  proceeded  with  the  worship  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. 

While  the  foregoing  will  serve  to  illustrate  his  conscientious- 
ness, the  following,  related  by  Eld.  Benjamin  Bowler  of  Cooper 
County,  will  show  something  of  his  decision  of  character,  and 
his  readiness  in  turning  everything  to  good  account. 

On  one  occasion  as  he  was  journeying  homeward  with  his 
wagon  and  team,  he  applied  for  lodgings  at  a  neat,  respectable 
looking  farm  house  by  the  road  side.  The  family  consisted  of  a 
mother  and  son,  respectable,  well-dressed  peoj»lo.  After  pro- 
viding for  his  horse,  Eld.  Williams  returned  to  the  house  and 
took  his  seat  near  the  door  with  his  wagon  whip  laid  across  his 
lap.  After  awhile  quite  a  number  of  well-dressed  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen began  to  assemble  at  the  house,  and  from  every  indica- 
tion he  soon  began  to  think  that  there  was  going  to  be  a  dance, 
and  this  opinion  was  confirmed  when  the  young  man  of  the  house 
went  to  a  trunk,  took  therefrom  a  violin,  and  began  to  tune  it  up. 
Eld.  Williams  did  not  belong  to  the  dancing  Baptists,  and  he 


COiSfCORD    ASSOCIATION.  249 

asked  permission  of  the  lady  and  hei*  son  to  talk  about  thirty 
minutes  before  the  dancing  began.  Permission  being  readily 
granted,  he  took  out  his  hymn  book  and  Bible,  and  opened  the 
services.  After  talking  about  thirty  minutes  he  invited  peni- 
tents to  join  him  in  prayer,  whereupon  every  one  present  ac- 
cepted the  invitation.  There  was  no  dancing  in  the  house  that 
night,  and  subsequently  he  organized  a  Baptist  church  in  the 
neighborhood,  which  manifestly  had  its  beginning  at  the  pro- 
posed dance. 

When  Mr.  Williams  was  married,  he  could  barely  spell  a  little 
in  two  syllables.  Fortunately  for  him  his  wife  had  a  liberal  ed- 
ucation, and  proposed  to  him  that  if  he  would  devote  his  spare 
moments,  wet  days,  etc.,  to  study,  she  would  at  least  teach  him 
to  read  and  write.  Being  an  apt  scholar,  and  having  so  good  a 
teacher,  he  soon  became  a  good  reader  and  quite  a  fair  penman ; 
and  continued  until  he  had  a  good  practical  knowledge  of  arith- 
metic and  grammar.  Thus  did  he  prepare  himself  for  his  subse- 
quent life  work. 

Many  of  the  facts  in  this  sketch  have  been  furnished  us  by  El- 
der Williams'  oldest  son,  James  Williams,  of  Scio,  Oregon.  In 
reference  to  their  life  in  Missouri  the  same  informant  says : 

"  Father  used  to  tan  his  leather  in  a  trough  and  made  our  shoes 
himself.  Mother  and  the  girls  spun  and  wove  our  clothing,  and 
'we  raised  our  cotton  and  picked  all  the  seed  by  hand.  Many 
have  been  the  nights  after  I  came  in  tired  and  weary  from  plow- 
ing all  day,  that  I  have  been  soothed  to  sleep  by  the  sweet  hum 
of  the  spinning  wheel.  In  addition  to  the  cloth  made,  father 
killed  a  good  many  deer,  and  we  dressed  their  hides  and  made 
clothing  of  them.  I  have  often  seen  my  father  get  up  before  an 
audience  to  preach  with  his  leather  hunting  shirt  on." 

Thus  did  our  pioneer  fathers  live.  How  much  do  we  owe  them 
for  their  efforts  and  privations  to  plant  the  gospel  in  our  land, 
and  not  only  so,  but  much  gratitude  is  due  those  faithful  women, 
the  wives  of  those  men  of  Grod,  who  stood  by  them  in  the  midst 
of  peril  and  want  and  on  whom  so  many  cares  devolved  while 
the  husband  and  father  was  absent  in  the  gospel  field. 

Eld.  Williams  was  a  faithful  expounder  of  the  truth  as  it  is 
taught  in  the  Scriptures.  His  preaching  was  better  calculated 
to  inform  the  judgment  than  to  excite  the  passions. 

In  the  latter  part  of  his  ministry  Elders  J.  B.  Longan,  Jacob 
Chism  and  Peter  Woods  were  his  contemporaries  and  co-labor- 
ers.   He  and  Eld.  Woods  had  an  agreement  that  whoever  was 


250  CONCORD  ASSOCIATION. 

the  survivor  was  to  attend  and  preach  the  funeral  sermon  of  the 
other. 

When  but  little  past  the  prime  of  life,  he  died  September  5 
1824,  and  was  buried  near  where  he  lived  in  Cooper  County. 

In  accordance  with  the  agreement  Elder  Woods  preached  at 
his  funeral,  from  2  Tim.  4 ;  7.  8  to  a  large  congregation  of  peo- 
ple. 

Elder  John  B.  Longan. — The  following  sketch  of  this  servant 
of  Christ  and  pioneer  preacher  of  Missouri  is  from  the  pen  of 
P.  H.  Steenbergen,  of  Callaway  County. 

^' John  B.  Longan  was  born  in  Virginia  The  exact  date  and 
place  of  his  birth  I  cannot  now  remember.  In  early  life  he  was 
fearfully  wicked,  and  being  a  man  of  extraordinary  physical 
powers,  and  of  Irish  descent,  when  excited  was  a  great  terror  to 
most  men.  In  early  life,  ere  his  footsteps  had  become  too  fa- 
miliar with  the  paths  of  sin,  he  was  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his 
lost  condition  under  the  preaching  of  that  distinguished  Virgin- 
ia revivalist,  Eobert  Stogdon.  He  soon  after  professed  to  find  a 
Savior,  "just  such  an  one,"  as  he  often  afterwards  said,  "as 
could  save  such  a  sinner  as  he  was."  He  very  soon  joined  the 
chiirch,  and  was  baptized  by  that  great  preacher,  Jeremiah 
Vardeman.  Like  Saul  of  Tarsus,  he  was  soon  found  earnestly 
engaged  in  building  up  that  cause  which  he  had  once  tried  to 
tear  down.  He  had  a  scanty  education  ;  but  as  Grod  called  illit- 
erate fishermen,  so  he  called  John  B.  Longan  to  that  holy  call- 
ing. In  his  early  ministry  he  moved  to  Kentucky  and  settled  in 
Barren  County  with  a  few  Baptists,  mostly  from  his  native  state. 
These  formed  a  church  called  Mount  Pleasant,  in  the  midst  of  a 
strong  Methodist  neighborhood,  which  had  the  preaching  of  Pe- 
ter Cartwright  and  Zachariah  Quesenberry.  The  little  church 
planted  by  Longan  soon  began  to  grow  and  flourish.  The  Lord 
blessed  his  labors  abundantly.  Soon  a  controversj"  arose  on  the 
subject  of  baptism,  but  he  was  immovable  as  the  rocks  of  Gibral- 
tar on  the  subject  of  believers'  baptism.  His  faithfulness  and 
courage  soon  wiped  out  the  last  vestige  of  sprinkling  from  the 
whole  neighborhood.  He  was  soon  afterwards  elected  modera- 
tor of  the  Green  Eiver  Association  and  presided  over  that  body 
until  he  moved  to  Missouri,  which  was,  I  think,  about  the  year 
1816,  and  settled  for  a  short  time  at  Old  Chariton,  Howard  Coun- 
ty. He  afterwards  settled  in  Cooper  County,  soon  after  it  was 
divided  into  what  is  now  Cole  and  Cooper.  He  lived  in  that  part 
denominated  Cole,  where  he  labored  with  great  success.     A  few 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  251 

Baptist  churches  formed  themselves  into  an  association  known 
as  the  Concord  Association.  He  was  chosen  moderator,  and  pre- 
sided as  such  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  attend. 

About  the  year  1834  the  Central  Society  was  formed,  now  call- 
ed the  General  Association,  over  which  he  presided  as  moderator 
for  many  years.  Here  we  must  relate  a  circumstance  which  illus- 
trates his  peculiar  Irish  wit :  In  the  election  of  candidates  for  the 
division  of  Cooper  County  to  form  the  new  county  of  Cole,  the 
aspirants  were  a  young  lawyer  and  a  farmer.  He  took  a  deep 
interest  for  the  farmer,  though  never  known  to  meddle  with  pol- 
itics. On  the  first  day  of  the  election  he  went  to  a  precinct,  and 
the  next  day  to  Boonville ;  he  was  soon  surrounded  by  a  crowd, 
inquiring  how  the  election  was  going.  He  said  he  was  fearful 
the  lawyer  would  be  elected.  A  young  lawyer  standing  by  wish- 
ed to  know  what  objection  he  had  to  lawyers.  He  remarked  that 
he  doubted  their  honesty.  The  lawyer  remarked  that  he  did  not 
know  why  a  lawyer  could  not  be  as  honest  as  a  farmer.  The  old 
father's  reply  was,  ''Neither  do  I,  but  show  me  an  honest  law- 
yer and  I  will  show  you  a  white  crow."  Some  time  after,  father 
Longan  was  called  into  court  as  a  witness.  This  same  lawyer 
was  employed.  As  soon  as  he  was  sworn,  the  lawyer  looked  at 
him,  saying,  "  You  are  a  preacher,  are  you  not,  sir?"  ''  I  pro- 
fess to  be,  sir."  "Well,  we  shall  expect  to  hear  the  truth  from 
you,  sir."  "I  expect  to  tell  the  truth,  sir."  "Well,  sir,  is  not 
Mr.  M.  very  fond  of  his  tea?"  "I  do  not  know,  sir.  I  know 
he  is  very  fond  of  his  coffee."  "  You  understand  what  I  mean, 
sir."  "I  understand  what  yon  say,  sir."  "Is  he  not  fond  of 
ardent  spirits  ?  "  "  Oh,  if  that  is  what  you  call  tea,  he  is."  This 
being  a  little  tough  on  the  young  lawyer,  created  a  burst  of 
laughter  throughout  the  court,  to  his  great  confusion,  and  he 
said,  "  You  may  stand  back,  sir."  The  lawyer  on  the  other  side 
slyly  remarked,  "Another  white  crow  for  you."  These  two  cir- 
cumstances were  the  foundation  of  the  greatest  intimacy  be- 
tween the  preacher  and  the  lawyer,  till  death  separated  them. 
I  have  often  heard  the  lawyer  remark  in  after  years  that  he 
believed  old  Father  Longan  was  the  best  and  truest  man  the 
world  ever  knew. 

On  another  occasion  he  was  in  company  with  a  preacher  who 
held  to  the  doctrine  of  holy  perfection  in  this  life.  Father  L. 
of  course  argued  that  this  was  impossible.  When  they  retired 
to  their  room  the  old  father  took  great  pains  to  fold  up  his 
clothes  and  put  them  under  the  head  of  his  bed.     Bro.  K.  Scott, 


252  CONCORD  ASSOCIATION, 

who  was  present,  said,  "  Bro,  Longan,  what  do  you  mean  ?"  His 
reply  was,  "  I  am  afraid  this  perfect  man  will  steal  my  clothes 
before  day."  The  young  man  said,  "  Father  Longan,  do  you 
think  I  would  steal  ?"  "  I  hope  not,  my  son,  but  if  it  were  not 
for  the  restraining  grace  of  God,  with  all  your  perfection,  you 
would."  This  young  preacher  became  one  of  Father  Longan's 
warmest  friends  and  greatest  admirers. 

Father  Longan  was  Calvinistic  in  his  views,  but  by  no  means 
an  extremist.  Salvation  by  the  sovereign  grace  of  God,  Christ 
and  Him  crucified,  repentance,  faith  and  experimental  religion, 
were  his  great  themes.  His  true  greatness  consisted  in  the  sim- 
plicity of  his  preaching.  He  was  a  student  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  had  no  taste  for  idle  speculation.  He  was  a  man  of  deep- 
toned,  earnest  zeal  and  piety,  devoted  to  his  calling,  a  strict  dis- 
ciplinarian, perfectly  versed  in  Baptist  usage,  impartial  in  all 
his  decisions,  strictly  honest  and  upright  in  all  his  dealings  with 
his  fellow  men,  an  affectionate  husband,  a  kind  father,  an  oblig- 
ing neighbor.  All  denominations  loved  him;  the  world  loved 
him;  in  fact,  it  was  only  to  know  him  to  love  and  admire  him. 

In  February,  1827,  two  members,  John  Briscoe  and  Charles 
Woods,  were  called  to  an  account  in  Nebo  Church  for  carrying 
on  the  traflSc  in  negroes  for  purposes  of  speculation.  Two  min- 
isters (Jacob  Chism  and  William  Jennings,  the  former  of  whom 
had  sold  a  negro  woman  to  Briscoe  and  Woods)  undertook  to 
screen  them. 

The  difficulty  soon  got  into  the  association  and  resulted  in  a 
heated  controversy  on  the  subject  of  missions.  Chism  and  Jen- 
nings were  alone,  as  to  the  ministry,  in  their  opposition  to  mis- 
sions. They  violently  opposed  the  publication  of  the  circular 
letter  written  by  Eld.  Kemjs  Scott  in  defense  and  explanation  of 
the  missionary  enterprise,  at  the  session  of  1827.  As  a  peace 
measure  the  association  gave  the  following  advice,  in  lieu  of  the 
publication  of  the  circular  letter,  viz.:  "We  recommend  that  the 
cause  of  missions  be  not  made  a  bar  to  fellowship,  and  that  the 
subject  be  not  stirred  in  any  church  any  more,  nor  be  brought 
into  the  association  hereafter,  and  that  each  individual  be  left  to 
think  and  act  in  the  matter  as  he  please,  as  we  think  they  have 
an  undoubted  right."  This  advice  enraged  the  opposition,  and 
to  the  association  in  1828,  met  at  Double  Spring,  in  Cole  County, 
through  the  influence  of  Chism,  the  Bethlehem  Church  sent  the 
following  declaration: 

"  The  United  Baptist  church  of  Christ,  called  Bethlehem,  re- 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  253 

quest  the  association  to  undo  what  she  did  in  last  association,  in 
saying  that  the  mission  cause  should  not  be  a  bar  of  fellowship ; 
for  we  would  remind  the  association  of  the  ground  on  which  the 
constitution  of  all  United  Baptist  Associations  stand,  that  there 
is  no  toleration  given  for  any  of  the  hired  money-begging  mis- 
sionaries to  come  in  among  us,  nor  hired  priests,  nor  any  of  the 
societies  that  stand  in  connection  with  them ;  therefore,  they  are 
not  among  us  constitutionally,  and  according  to  strict  discipline 
they  are  not  of  us.  We  therefore  join  with  our  sister  associa- 
tions, the  Kehukee  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  Buttehatchy  of 
Alabama  and  Mississippi,  which  have  declared  an  unfellowship 
with  all  the  money-begging,  hired,  pompous  missionaries,  and 
hireling  priests,  with  all  the  societies  that  stand  in  connection 
with  them,  such  as  auxiliaries,  tract  societies,  Bible  societies, 
theological  seminaries,  Sunday-school  union,  and  rag  society, 
etc.  We  therefore  pray  a  division  in  the  association,  that  all  the 
above  described  characters  be  separateed  from  us  in  the  associa- 
tion ;  and  if  the  association  should  fail  to  separate  them  from  us, 
we  as  one  of  the  members  of  the  association  declare,  that  we 
stand  on  the  ground  that  the  United  Baptists  guaranteed  to  us, 
also  the  constitution  of  our  association.  We  declare  we  will  not 
live  with  the  above  described  characters,  and  as  many  churches 
as  stand  on  the  ground  this  association  was  constituted  on,  we 
contend  that  they  are  constitutionally  Concord  Association. 
,  ,  .  By  order  of  the  church  in  conference,  17th  September, 
1828.  EiCE  Hughes,  Chairman." 

What  a  wonderful  production  the  foregoing  is,  coming  as  it 
does  from  professed  Christians.  Who  violated  the  principles  of 
the  United  Baptists,  the  association  in  1827,  or  the  Bethlehem 
Church  under  the  leadership  of  Elds.  Chism  and  Jennings?  We 
leave  the  reader  to  judge  for  himself. 

A  majority  of  Nebo  Church  joined  in  with  the  Bethlehem 
Church  in  this  opposition  to  the  association  and  good  order. 
After  a  full  investigation,  Bethlehem  and  Nebo  Churches  were 
both  pronounced  in  disorder  and  excluded  from  the  association, 
and  non-fellowship  declared  for  Elds.  Chism  and  Jennings.  The 
faction  under  these  two  men  claimed  to  be  the  Concord  Associa- 
tion, held  a  session  in  the  following  November,  and  reported 
one  church  of  fifteen  members,  a  majority  of  another  of  thirty- 
six  members,  and  a  third  church  made  up  of  about  eight  disaf- 
fected members  of  several  churches.  This  schismatical  body 
held  together  for  several  years,  and  then  became  extinct ;  and 


254  CONCORD   ASSOCIATION. 

the  old  Concord  Association  continued  its  course  unharmed  and 
in  great  harmony. 

We  feel  constrained  to  introduce  in  this  connection  a  brief  ac- 
count of  the  origin  and  meaning  of  the  term  "  United  Baptists," 
for  the  following  reasons: 

1st.  Most,  if  not  all,  of  the  oldest  associations  in  the  state  were 
organized  upon  the  "  terms  of  union"  adopted  by  the  first  Uni- 
ted Baptists  of  America. 

2d.  The  foregoing  controversy  in  the  Concord  Association  in- 
volves the  principles  of  the  United  Baptists. 

3d.  Many  of  our  readers,  especially  the  younger  members  of 
the  churches,  do  not  understand  the  historic  import  of  the  term 
"  United,"  as  a  prefix  to  the  term  "  Baptist." 

The  name  originated  in  Virginia.  At  the  time  the  Baptists  of 
that  state  began  to  send  forth  such  populous  colonies  of  their 
brethren  to  the  Western  country,  they  were  divided  into  "  Reg- 
ulars "  and  "  Separates,"  the  latter  being  much  the  most  num- 
erous. The  Regulars  were  Calvinisticj  the  Separates  were  not 
unanimous  in  their  doctrinal  sentiments,  but  a  majority  of  them 
were  Calvinistic,  and  of  the  rest  a  part  were  much  inclined  to 
the  Arminian  side  of  the  controversy. 

'<  In  1769  the  Ketocton  Association  of  Regular  Baptists  sent 
Messrs.  Garrett,  Major  and  Saunders  as  messengers  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assoi^iation  of  Separate  Baptists,  which  met  that  j^ear  in 
North  Carolina,  with  a  letter,  of  which  the  following  is  an  extract : 

"  '  Beloved  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  The  bearers  of  this  let- 
ter can  acquaint  you  with  the  design  of  writing  it.  Their  errand 
is  peace,  and  their  business  is  a  reconciliation  between  us,  if 
there  is  any  difference  subsisting.  If  we  are  all  Christians,  all 
Baptists,  all  new  lights,  why  are  we  divided  ?  Must  the  little 
appellative  names  'Regular'  and  'Separate,'  break  the  gold- 
en bands  of  charity,  and  set  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Zion  at 
variance?  'Behold  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  breth- 
ren to  dwell  together  in  unity,'  but  how  bad  and  how  bitter  it  is 
for  them  to  live  asunder  in  discord.  To  indulge  ourselves  in 
prejudice  is  surely  disorder  j  and  to  quarrel  about  nothing,  is 
irregularity  with  a  witness.  O,  our  dear  brethren,  endeavor  to 
prevent  this  calamity  in  the  future.' 

"  This  excellent  letter  was  presented  to  the  Separate  Associa- 
tion, and  after  a  lengthy  debate,  the  proposal  for  a  union  was  re- 
jected by  a  small  majority."  (Sample's  History  of  Virginia  Bap- 
tists, p.  46.) 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  255 

Just  eighteen  years  after,  in  1787,  the  proposition  was  renew- 
ed and  the  union  effected,  and  "  the  terms  of  the  union  were 
entered  on  the  minutes  in  the  following  words : 

"  The  committee  appointed  to  consider  the  terms  of  union 
with  our  Eegular  brethren,  reported  that  they  conceive  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  Eegular  Baptist  confession  of  faith  has  been  re- 
ceived by  a  former  Association  is  the  ground  work  of  such  un- 
ion. The  manner  of  this  reception  was,  that  they  should  retain 
their  liberty  with  regard  to  some  of  the  objectionable  articles, 

"After  a  considerable  debate  as  to  the  propriety  of  having  any 
confession  of  faith  at  all,  the  report  of  the  committee  was  adopt- 
ed, with  the  following  explanation: 

"  To  prevent  the  confession  of  faith  from  usurping  a  tyranni- 
cal power  over  the  consciences  of  any,  we  do  not  mean  that  ev- 
ery jferson  is  bound  to  the  strict  observance  of  everything  there- 
in contained;  yet  that  it  holds  forth  the  essential  truths  of  the 
gospel,  and  that  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  Christ,  and  free  and 
unmerited  grace  alone,  ought  to  be  believed  by  every  Christian, 
and  maintained  by  every  minister  of  the  gospel.  Upon  these 
terms  we  are  united,  and  desire  hereafter  that  the  name  of  'Eeg- 
ular' and  'Separate'  be  buried  in  oblivion,  and  that  from  hence- 
forth we  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  '  United  Baptist 
Churches  of  Christ,  in  Virginia.'  "  (Semple's  History  of  Virginia 
Baptists^  p.  75.)  • 

Such  was  the  origin  of  the  term  "United  Baptists"  in  Virginia 
and  the  South  Atlantic  States. 

This  question  also  has  a  history  in  the  West.  The  first  Baptists 
of  Kentucky  were  both  Eegulars  and  Separates.  The  Elkhorn 
and  South  Kentucky  Associations  embraced  the  substance  of  the 
two  parties  in  the  early  days  of  the  Baptists  of  the  state,  and  by 
these  two  bodies,  in  the  year  1801,  a  "Union"  was  effected,  simi- 
lar to  the  one  which  took  place  in  Virginia  fourteen  years  before, 
upon  the  following  terms  : 

"TERMS  OP  UNION   BETWEEN  THE  ELKHORN  AND  SOUTH  lOilN- 
TUCKY,  OR   SEPARATE,  ASSOCIATIONS. 

"We,  the  committee  of  the  Elkhorn  and  South  Kentucky  As- 
sociations, do  agree  to  unite  upon  the  following  plan  : 

"  1st.  That  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  Kew  Testaments 
are  the  infallible  word  of  God,  and  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice. 

"2nd.  That  there  is  only  one  true  God,  and  in  the  Godhead, 
or  divine  essence,  there  are  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost. 


256  CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 

"  3rd.     That  by  nature  we  are  fallen  and  depraved  creatures. 

"  4th.  That  salvation,  regeneration,  sanctification  and  justifi- 
cation, are  by  the  life,  death,  resurrection  and  ascension  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

"  5th,  That  the  saints  will  finally  persevere  through  grace  to 
glory. 

^'6th.  That  believer's  baptism  by  immersion  is  necessary  to 
receiving  the  Lord's  supper. 

"  7th.  That  the  salvation  of  the  righteous  and  punishment  of 
the  wicked  will  be  eternal. 

"  8th.  That  it  is  our  duty  to  be  tender  and  afi'ectionate  to  each 
other,  and  study  the  happiness  of  the  children  of  God  in  gener- 
al; to  be  engaged  singly  to  promote  the  glory  of  God. 

"  9th.  And  that  the  j)reaching  Christ  tasted  death  for  every 
man,  shall  be  no  bar  to  communion. 

"  10th.  And  that  each  may  keep  up  their  associational  and 
church  government  as  to  them  may  seem  best. 

"11th.  That  a  free  correspondence  and  communion  be  kept 
up  between  the  churches  thus  united. 

"  Unanimously  agreed  to  by  the  joint  committee. 

(  Signed.)  Ambrose  Dudley,  John  Price,  Joseph  Eedding, 
David  Barrow,  Egbert  Elkin,  Daniel  Ea- 
MEY,  Thomas  J.  Chilton,  Moses  Bledsoe, 
Samuel  Johnson."* 

The  foregoing  "Terms  of  Union  "  were  unanimously  adopted 
in  a  General  Convention  of  the  churches  of  both  associations, 
held  in  October,  1801,  at  Howard's  Creek  meeting-house  in  Clark 
County.  They  agreed  to  lay  aside  the  names  "Eegular"  and 
"Separate,"  and  travel  together  in  future  in  communion  and 
fellowship  as  united  brethren. 

We  have  now  a  brief  outline  of  the  historic  import  of  the  term 
"  United  Baptists." 

All  the  oldest  associations  of  Missouri  were  organized  upon  the 
principles  of  the  United  Baptists,  and  when  the  controversy  on 
missions  sprang  up,  the  opposers  of  missions  refused  to  continue 
in  fellowship  with  those  who  maintained  the  aforesaid  principles 
of  the  United  Baptists,  all  of  which  may  be  seen  by  reference  to 
the  preceding  account  of  the  union  of  the  Baptists.  Who  then 
adhered  to  and  who  departed  from  the  original  platform  in  Con- 
cord, Mt.  Pleasant  and  other  associations  of  the  state  ?  We  must 

*  Benedict's  History  of  the  Baptists,  first  edition,  Vol.  11,  pp.  239-40. 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  257 

now  leave  this  subject,  and  the  reader  can  form  his  own  judgment 
in  the  premises. 

Petee  Woods. — This  worthy  minister  of  the  gospel  was  the  first 
moderator  of  Concord  Association.  'He  was  in  the  strictest  sense 
a  pioneer  preacher.  He  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  March 
20,  1762,  in  Greenbrier  County;  when  young,  he  moved  with  his 
father's  family  to  Kentucky,  grew  up,  married,  and  lived  in  that 
state  until  about  45  years  of  age.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Cavan- 
augh. 

He  was  brought  up  in  the  faith  of  the  old  school  Presbyter- 
ians, and  regarded  the  Baptists  as  altogether  unworthy  of  re- 
spect from  honorable  and  highminded  persons  ;  notw'ith standing 
this,  when  he  was  converted,  he  joined  the  Baptists.  The  cir- 
cumstances were  as  follows  : 

A  most  wonderful  revival  broke  out  among  the  Separate  Bap- 
tists of  Kentucky  in  an  early  day.  Hundreds  were  converted. 
So  inveterate  was  young  Woods,  that  he  would  not  even  attend 
the  meetings,  though  in  the  neighborhood.  One  of  his  broth- 
ers, with  less  prejudice  than  he,  was  converted  and  joined  the 
Baptists.  "  This  was  too  bad  ;  our  family  is  disgraced  ;"  so 
thought  and  so  said  Peter  Woods.  He  further  decided  that  if 
any  one  should  in  his  presence  allude  to  his  brother's  becoming 
a  Baptist,  that  he  would  slap  him  on  the  mouth.  But  God's 
ways  are  not  our  ways.  Peter  Woods  knew  not  what  was  be- 
fore him.  The  meetings  went  on  and  he  was  converted.  The 
question  now  came  up  as  to  what  church  he  should  join.  He 
decided  that  he  would  read  the  New  Testament  and  find  out  if 
possible  the  true  church  and  the  true  baptism.  For  convenience 
he  decided  that  wherever  he  found  sprinkling  he  would  place  a 
red  string,  and  for  immersion  he  would  put  a  blue  one.  He  read 
the  Testament  from  Matthew  to  Revelation,  and  on  examining 
he  found  that  all  the  strings  were  blue.  He  was  so  enraged  that 
he  dashed  the  book  away  from  him.  He  would  afterwards  al- 
lude to  this  rash  and  foolish  act  of  his  life,  and  wonder  that  the 
Lord  did  not  strike  him  dead.  But  he  was  a  very  conscientious 
man,  and  despite  his  early  Presbj^terian  prejudices,  became  a 
Baptist  and  soon  after  commenced  preaching. 

He  was  a  very  useful  man  in  his  day.  Not  learned,  not  pro- 
found, not  brilliant;  but  with  a  mind  full  of  the  knowledge  of 
God  and  a  heart  full  of  zeal,  he  succeeded.  He  loved  souls,  and 
he  won  souls. 

He  was  a  pioneer  preacher  in  three  states.  Having  commenced 
17 


258  CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 

early  in  Kentucky,  he  removed  to  Tennessee  soon  after  the  be- 
ginning of  the  present  century,  and  after  twelve  or  more  years 
in  the  last  state  he  emigrated  and  settled  in  Cooper  County,  in 
the  fall  of  1819,  while  Missouri  was  jet  only  a  territory,  and  hut 
three  small  Baptist  associations  had  been  organized — the  Beth- 
el, the  Missouri  (now  St.  Louis)  and  the  Mt.  Pleasant. 

Eld.  Woods  was  57  joslts  old  when  he  came  to  Missouri,  but  he 
engaged  earnestly  in  preaching  the  gospel.  At  the  formation  of 
Concord  Association  he  was  elected  moderator,  and  was  re- 
elected the  second  year. 

In  his  last  illness  he  expressed  himself  as  feeling  conscious  of 
approaching'dissolution.  He  had  his  grave-clothes  and  coffin 
made,  and  at  his  request  the  latter  was  brought  into  his  room  by 
the  workmen,  Messrs.  Simms  &  Eice.  He  thanked  them,  and  in 
about  one  hour  thereafter  he  breathed  his  last.  This  event  oc- 
curred September  19,  1825.  Thus  lived  and  thus  died  one  of  the 
pioneer  standard  bearers  of  three  states. 


CHAPTER  T. 


CONCOED  ASSOCIATION^. 

(Concluded.) 
Begins  to  Promote  Missions  as  a  Body — First  Executive  Board — Opposes  Alien  Im- 
mersion— Sunday-school  Convention  Formed — ^First  Baptist  Church,  Jefferson 
City — David  Allee — Snelling  Johnson — ^^Villiam  H.  Duvall — M.  D.  Poland — Wil- 
liam Clarke— Joseph  :M.  Chainy— Andrew  Estes— G.  W.  Hvde— T.  ^Y.  Barrett— 
B.  T.  Taylor. 

THE  meetings  of  the  Concord  Association  after  the  settle- 
ment of  the  anti-mission  controversy,  noticed  in  last  chap- 
ter, were  generally  very  harmonious.  About  the  same  routine 
of  business  occupied  the  attention  of  the  body  every  year:  such 
as  the  reading  of  letters  and  enrollment  of  members ;  election  of 
officers;  welcoming  corresponding  messengers;  appointment  of 
corresponding  messengers;  selection  of  ministers  to  attend  the 
"union"  or  ''yearly"  meetings,  etc.,  etc.  It  cannot  be  expected 
that  we  go  into  detail  on  these  subjects  every  year,  because  it 
would  be  uninteresting  and  unprofitable  to  the  reader;  we  shall 
in  the  future  pass  as  briefly  over  the  ground  as  possible,  noticing 
such  things  as  are  of  special  interest,  or  pertain  to  progress. 

The  almost  yearly  reception  of  new  churches  indicates  the 
gradual  enlargement  of  Baptist  influence  and  the  steady  progress 
of  Baptist  principles  in  the  association.  In  1830  the  churches  of 
Sardis  and  Bethel ;  and  in  1833,  Mt.  Zion,  Mt.  Gilead  and  the 
First  Baptist  Church  on  Osage,  were  admitted  to  membership  in 
the  body. 

As  a  body  the  association  did  not  sustain  itinerant  missions, 
but  she  declared  in  terms  not  to  be  misunderstood,  that  each  in- 
dividual member  should  enjoy  liberty  of  conscience  on  this  sub- 
ject 

Corresponding  messengers  were  usually  present  from  Mount 
Pleasant  and  Fishing  Eiver  Associations.  In  1835  the  meeting 
was  held  at  G-ood  Hope  in  Saline  County.  At  this  session,  when 
correspondence  was  called  for,  two  parties  claiming  to  be  Mount 
Pleasant  Association  presented  letters.  That  party  which  ad- 
hered to  the  principles  of  the  ''United  Baptists"  and  was  will- 
ing to  grant  liberty  of  conscience  on  the  subject  of  missions,  was 


260  CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 

recognized  as  the  Mount  Pleasant  Association;  and  the  majority 
party,  which  had  sent  to  this  meeting  Brethren  Davis  Todd  and 
J.  P.  Embree,  were  rejected. 

During  the  associational  year  ending  Septem.ber,  1838,  the 
churches  enjoyed  large  prosperity.  There  were  350  baptisms 
this  year.  From  1841  to  1843  upwards  of  1.000  were  added  to 
the  churches  by  baptism  alone. 

Progress  in  new  churches  was  made  as  follows  from  1835  to 
1842:  Cold  Spring,  Monroe,  Gilgal,  High  Hill,  Jeiferson  City, 
Lebanon,  Heath's  Creek,  Mt.  Vernon,  Pinnacles,  Little  Eich- 
woods,  Fish  Creek,  Eichland,  Osage,  Providence,  Prairie  Point. 

At  the  meeting  in  1842  the  following  was  adopted  :  "  Eesolved, 
That  we  divide  this  association,  by  striking  off  all  the  churches 
above  and  west  of  the  Lamine  Eiver,  to  form  a  new  association." 
An  account  of  this  new  body  (the  Saline  Association)  will  be 
given  in  due  time. 

In  1843  the  ordained  ministers  were  J.  B.  Longan,  Wm.  C. 
Batchelor,  Kemp  Scott,  Thomas  Green,  Elias  George,  W.  H. 
Duval,  D.  W.  Johnson,  Levi  Eoark,  M.  D.  Noland,  G.  O.  Mor- 
ris, John  Brockman,  Snelling  Johnson,  M.  W.  Duncan,  Z.  W. 
McCubbin,  Wm.  C.  McCubbin  and  Enoch  Taylor.  Aggregate 
membership  of  the  churches  in  1843,  2,136. 

The  session  of  1847,  held  at  Lebanon  meeting-house,  Moniteau 
County,  was  an  important  one.  The  church  at  Moreau  sent  a 
request  that  year,  that  the  association  would  "  use  the  surplus 
funds  on  hand  to  employ  a  minister  to  ride  and  preach  in  the 
bounds  of  the  association  in  destitute  neighborhoods,  and  hold 
protracted  meetings  with  the  most  destitute  churches,  and  also 
recommend  the  churches  to  send  up  annually  a  special  fund  for 
that  purpose."  The  association  referred  this  request  to  the 
churches  for  approval  or  disapproval.  So  far  as  we  have  been 
able  to  learn  from  tho  records,  this  is  the  first  action  in  Concord 
Association  looking  to  the  promotion  of  itinerant  missions  by 
the  body. 

In  1848,  the  meeting  was  held  with  the  Osage  Church.  The 
association  appointed  a  presbytery,  consisting  of  all  the  ordain- 
ed ministers  present,  to  ordain  Bro.  T.  F.  Lockett  to  the  minis- 
try, at  the  request  of  the  Osage  Church.  This  action  of  the  as- 
sociation was  justifiable  only  upon  the  ground  that  the  church 
calling  for  tl\e  ordination  could  witness  the  examination  and  or- 
dination of  the  candidate.  Associations,  as  such,  have  no  power 
nor  right  to  ordain  ministers.     Gospel  churches  alone  have  this 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  261 

power.  The  following  important  action  was  taKen  respecting 
missions,  and  ordered  printed  in  the  minutes.  It  originated  with 
the  request  from  Moreau  Church  the  preceding  year :  "  In  lieu 
of  the  resolution  of  1827,  we  advise  that  each  church  in  Concord 
Association,  that  is  unanimously  in  favor  of  missionary  opera- 
tions, and  each  individual  belonging  to  churches  not  unanimous 
be  permitted  to  contribute,  and  send  up  their  contributions  an- 
nually to  the  association,  for  missionary  purposes." 

The  twenty -sixth  anniversary  was  held  at  Mt.  Pleasant  meet- 
ing-house, September  14 — 17,  1849.  Eight  churches  sent  up  mis- 
sionary funds.  The  following  wise  action  was  taken  on  the  sub- 
ject of  missions : 

'■^Besolved,  That  one  member  out  of  the  delegation  of  each 
church  that  contributed  to  the  missionary  fund  of  this  associa- 
tion, compose  the  executive  committee,  viz.:  J.  H.  Hutchison,  S. 
Johnson,  I.  Vivion,  M.  D.  Noland,  G-.  W.  Lockett,  D.  F.  Denwid- 
die,  T.  Bolton  and  E.  Jobe. 

Great  peace  and  harmony  prevailed  among  the  churches. 
Elds.  Snelling  Johnson  and  W.  M.  Eobertson  labored  as  evan- 
gelists a  part  of  the  year;  the  former  under  the  appointment  of 
the  executive  committee,  at  $15  per  month,  and  the  latter  vol- 
untarily and  gratuitously.  Prosperity  prevailed  throughout  the 
bounds  of  the  association.  Nearly  400  baptisms  were  the  result 
of  the  year's  work  of  the  various  pastors  and  missionaries.  The 
Sabbath  collection  for  missions  amounted  to  $18.50. 

The  association  continued  her  sessions  regularly,  growing 
stronger  and  stronger  every  year.  In  1854  $286  were  raised  for 
missions.  Elds.  Jacob  Capps  and  Wm.  Clark  rode  as  evangel- 
ists. In  1855  she  declared  the  endowment  of  William  Jewell 
College  to  be  "  the  most  important  enterprise  before  the  denom- 
ination." 

Information  reached  the  association  in  186.3,  at  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Cooper  County,  that  certain  churches  followed  the  practice  of 
receiving  "  alien  immersions."  Said  churches  were  promptlj' 
advised  not  to  receive  the  immersions  of  other  denominations, 
because  it  was  regarded  as  inconsistent  with  gospel  order;  and 
the  following  j^ear  it  was  decided  that  she  would  drop  such 
churches  as  continued  in  said  practice.  At  the  meeting  in  1868 
Eld.  G.  "W".  Hyde  met  with  a  very  cordial  reception,  as  agent  of 
William  Jewell  College,  and  was  invited  to  visit  the  churches  in 
behalf  of  said  interest. 

Rev.  S.  W.  Marston,  agent  of  the  State  Baptist  Sundaj'^-schoGl 


262  CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 

Convention,  was  present  at  this  meeting  and  organized  a  district 
Sunday-school  convention,  the  object  of  which  was  the  promotion 
of  Baptist  Sunday-school  interests.  Its  officers  consisted  of  a 
president,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  a  vice-president  in  every 
Sunday-school  in  the  district. 

The  minutes  of  1870  show  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — 39  (we  have  not  space  for  the  names.) 

Ministers.— N.  E.  Eice,  E.  H.  Hurlbut,  J.  B.  Box,  S.  Driskell, 
J.  W.  Williams,  J.  P.  L.  Maxey,  A.  N.  Bowers,  E.  H.  Harris, 
John  Wood,  Thomas  Howell,  C.  Nevill,  G.  W.  Hyde,  J.  K. 
Jones,  J.  L.  Tichenor,  W.  M.  Eobertson,  B.  G.  Tutt,  S.  Aikin, 
J.  E.  Sims,  E.  P.  Scott,  J.^K.Godbey,  I. y.  Johnson,  J.  D.  Murphy, 
A.  N.  Bonois  and  T.  Y.  Greer. 

Baptisms  during  the  year,  286.     Total  members,  3,166. 

In  1871  Eld.  T.  V.  Greer  was  elected  missionary  at  a  salary  of 
$800  per  annum. 

In  1872  contributions  were  as  follows:  various  mission  pur- 
poses, $742.25;  and  for  all  purposes  reported,  $6,726.91,  or  near- 
ly $200  to  a  church. 

The  association  was  now  composed  of  41  churches,  situated  in 
the  counties  hereinbefore  named.  At  their  request  certain  church- 
es were  dismissed  (seehistory  of  Lamine  Association).  The  Con- 
cord is  the  daughter  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association;  but  during 
her  greatest  prosperity  became  the  mother  of  two  of  the  most 
active  associations  in  the  state — the  Saline  and  the  Lamine.  In 
her  later  years  the  Concord  Association  has  not  been  so  active 
as  in  former  years,  though  she  is  still  putting  forth  commend- 
able efforts  in  promoting  the  various  denominational  enterprises. 
Her  aggregate  membership  is  2,648.  *Her  churches  are  central- 
ly located  in  the  state,  being  situated  in  the  counties  of  Moniteau, 
Morgan,  Cole,  Cooper  and  Miller. 

Jefferson  City,  the  capital  of  the  state  and  county  seat  of  Cole 
County,  is  in  the  bounds  of  Concord  Association.  The  denomi- 
nation failed,  for  many  j^ears,  to  give  this  city  that  attention 
which  its  importance  demanded.  The  First  Baptist  Church  was 
organized  here  July  8,  1837,  by  Elds.  Kemp  Scott,  M.  D.Noland 
and  E.  S.  Thomas,  with  eleven  members.  For  nearly  three  years 
after  its  organization  it  had  no  pastor.  The  first  pastor  was  Eld. 
Kemp  Scott,  who  was  elected  to  this  office  about  1840.  His  suc- 
cessors weft  Elds.  S.  H.  Ford,  W.  W.  Keep,  M.  D.  Noland,  J.  A. 
Hollis,  Thomas  A.  Lockett,  E.  H.  Harris,  W.  J.  Patrick,  E.  H. 
Hurlbutt  and  T.  W.  Barrett.     Several  of  these  pastoral  periods 


CONCORD   ASSOCIATION.  263 

were  only  about  6  months  long,  and  none  of  them,  up  to  Bro. 
Patrick's,  was  two  years.  In  1845  the  church  dissolved,  but  ral- 
lied and  reorganized  in  April,  1847. 

.The  condition  of  this  church  from  its  organization  has  been 
varying — sometimes  hopeful,  sometimes  doubtful.  Its  principal 
hindrances  have  been  :  1st.  A  wantof  regular  ministerial  watch- 
care;  2d.  A  neglect  of  prayer  meetings  and  Sunday-schools; 
3rd.  A  want  of  wholesome  discipline;  and  4th.  An  injudicious 
location  of  its  house  of  worship. 

During  a  pei-iod  of  thirty-one  years,  running  from  its  organi- 
zation in  1837  to  1868,  the  church  held  no  regular  meetings  for 
.-.twelve  years,  and  for  twenty-one  years  of  this  time  it  was  with- 
out a  pastor.  In  1869  its  total  membership  was  only  35,  but  it 
has  since  grown  into  a  much  larger  church.  It  has  recently  com- 
pleted a  new  church  edifice  on  Monroe  Street,  between  High  and 
Main,  and  numbers  134  members. 

David  Allee — of  Spanish  and  English  descent,  was  born  near 
Richmond,  Va.,  in  1763 ;  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
War  of  1776;  and  was  married  to  Miss  Charity  Bibee  in  1784, 
who  was  of  Welsh  extraction  and  made  him  a  useful  and  devoted 
wife.  He  was  converted  when  a  young  man,  emigrated  to  Ken- 
tucky in  1795,  and  soon  afterwards  commenced  preaching  the 
gospel  to  dying  men.  He  settled  near  Louisville,  Ky.,  and 
united  with  Glover's  Creek  Church,  by  which  he  was  ordained 
to  the  ministry  in  1806.  He  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1820,  set- 
tling in  what  is  now  the  southeast  part  of  Cooper  County,  and 
united  with  Pisgah  Church.  Two  years  after  he  aided  in  the 
organization  of  Mount  Pleasant  Church,  of  which  he  and  family 
became  members  and  so  remained  until  his  death.  He  was  in 
the  organization  of  Concord  Association  in  1823  and  ever  sought 
to  promote  its  prosperity.  When  the  question  of  forming  the 
"Central  Society"  (now  General  Association)  was  agitated,  he 
advised  its  formation.  Bereaved  by  death  of  the  wife  of  his 
youth  in  1823,  dwelling  in  a  country  sparsely  inhabited,  and 
here  and  there  crossing  the  freshly  made  trails  of  roaming  bands 
of  Indian  hunters,  he  steadfastly  continued  in  his  Master's  work, 
traveling  and  preaching  in  the  counties  of  Saline,  Cooper,  Mor- 
gan, Moniteau,  Cole,  Callaway,  Boone  and  Howard.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1825  he  put  up  a  rude  log-cabin  and  taught  the  first 
school  in  his  neighborhood,  almostat  his  own  expense.  He  spent 
the  summer  of  1834  in  Kentucky,  returned  to  Missouri  in  the  fall, 
and,  after  a  long  and  painful  affliction,  died  in  January,  1835. 


2n  [  CONCORD  ASSOCIAtlON. 

Eld.  Allee's  manner  of  preaching  was  plain  and  forcible.  He 
was  not  what  would  now  be  called  a  systematic  preacher,  but  his 
sermons  were  made  rich  with  Scripture  quotations  well  adapted 
and  fitly  chosen.  He  was  a  man  of  prayer  and  deeply  pious,  and 
this  gave  him  power  as  a  gospel  minister.  His  children,  five  sons 
and  six  daughters,  all  professed  religion.  Three  sons  filled  the 
ofiice  of  deacon  in  the  churches  of  which  they  were  members. 
Four  grandsons  are  ministers  of  the  gospel,  viz.:  Wilson  and 
Nicholas  Allee,  David  K.  Scott  of  Kansas,  and  E.  P.  Scott,  for 
some  years  moderator  of  Concord  Association,  by  whom  the 
substance  of  this  sketch  was  furnished. 

Snelling  Johnson.* — This  earnest  man  of  God,  and  self-sacri- 
ficing Baptist  minister  of  the  New  Testament,  was  born  in  Clark 
County,  Kentucky,  October  23,  1804.  While  yet  in  his  minorit}^ 
he  emigrated  with  his  parents,  Philip  and  Margaret  Johnson,  to 
Missouri,  in  1819,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Moniteau  County, 
but  then  Cole.  His  father  died  soon  after  coming  to  Missoiiri, 
and  left  him  and  his  widowed  mother  in  charge  of  a  large,  de- 
pendent family.  After  maturity  he  married  Miss  Prudence  N. 
Hackney,  who,  with  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  survived  the 
husband  and  father. 

When  he  was  a  young  man,  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  em- 
braced, by  a  living  faith,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  his  Savior  and 
was  baptized  and  received  into  the  fellowship  of  Union  Church, 
Cole  County.  He  soon  afterwards  commenced  preaching,  but 
was  not  ordained  until  1834.  From  his  ordination  until  near  his 
death  he  was  pastor  of  three  to  four  churches,  with  very  little 
by  way  of  support,  many  j^ears  receiving  less  than  SIO.  The 
same  old  story  !  We  are  of  opinion  that  as  a  rule  ministers 
are  as  much  to  blame  as  the  churches  for  raeagerness  in  sala- 
ries. "  The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire,"  should  be  as  fully 
preached  as  that  God  commandeth  all  men  to  repent. 

Besides  pastoral  labor,  he  traveled  as  missionary  of  Concord 
Association.  Also  as  missionary  of  the  General  Association  he 
preached  in  many  counties  in  central  and  south  Missouri. 

Snelling  Johnson  was  what  men  generally  call  a  "revivalist." 
His  peculiar  gift  ran  in  this  direction.  He  disturbed  the  waters 
of  Central  Missouri  in  the  baptism  of  above  five  hundred  con- 
verts. Many  a  saint  will  greet  him  "in  that  day"  as  their  spirit- 
ual father. 

He  lingered   some  months  with  cancer  and  died  December  9, 

*  By  his  son,  Eld.  I.  V.  Johnson. 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  265 

1856.  In  his  last  illness  he  was  visited  by  a  number  of  his  fel- 
low laborers,  among  whom  we  mention  Elds.  William  Duvall,  E. 
Hickman,  B.  L.  Bowles  and  E.  H.  Harris. 

"William  H.  Duvall* — was  born  in  Virginia,  December  23, 
1790.  His  parents  were  Notley  and  Jemima  Duvall.  He  emi- 
grated with  his  parents  to  Kentucky  when  about  6  years  old. 
He  professed  faith  in  Christ  about  the  24th  year  of  his  age. 
In  the  year  1825  he  came  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Cole  County. 
On  February  27,  1827,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  J.  Tully,  in 
Callaway  County,  Missouri,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Beth- 
el Church  in  Cole  County  during  the  year  1830.  He  was  after- 
wards ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  by  the  Mt.  Zion  Church, 
then  in  Cole,  now  in  Moniteau  County.  He  at  once  entered  the 
work  of  the  ministry  with  earnestness,  and  spent  the  most  of  his 
time  in  preaching  and  serving  as  pastor  of  Pisgah  in  Cooper 
County,  Union  in  Cole,  and  Big  Lick  Church  in  Moniteau 
County.  He  also  did  much  missionary  work,  being  the  first  ap- 
pointment of  the  Home  Mission  Board  in  this  state.  His  co-la- 
borers at  this  time  were  the  Langdons,  Spencer,  Maxey,  Fristoe 
and  tSnelling  Johnson. 

In  1844,  he  moved  to  Johnson  County  and  continued  the  same 
active  life  in  the  ministry  up  to  the  beginning  of  the  late  war. 
During  this  time  he  served  as  pastor  of  Bethel  and  County  Line 
Churches,  and  did  much  work  as  an  evangelist  among  the  neigh- 
boring churches  and  through  the  surrounding  country.  For  two 
years  during  the  war  he  served  as  pastor  of  Stony  Point  and 
Pleasant  Valley  Churches  in  Jackson  County.  Owing  to  the  dan- 
gers incident  to  the  war,  he  was  then  compelled  to  suspend  his 
labors  for  a  season;  and  when  peace  was  restored  he  found  him- 
self disabled  from  further  active  life,  partly  from  the  infirmities 
of  old  age  and  partly  from  an  old  affliction  from  which  he  had 
suffered  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  Yet,  notwithstanding  his 
enfeebled  condition,  his  heart  still  glowed  with  the  love  of  his 
Eedeemer,  and  his  soul  burned  with  the  desire  to  proclaim  that 
love  to  his  fellow-men,  so  much  so  that  whenever  he  could  get 
to  church  he  could  not  forbear  preaching,  even  when  it  was  nec- 
essary to  support  him  while  standing  to  speak.  And  when  con- 
fined entirely  at  home  with  his  children  and  grand-children,  his 
almost  constant  theme  was  religion,  and  as  long  as  he  was  able 
to  speak  to  them  he  showed  as  great  a  desire  for  the  salvation 
of  his  offspring  as  he  had  manifested  for  the  salvation  of  sinners. 

*ByEld.  Geo.  W.  Smith. 


266  CONCORD   ASSOCIATION. 

During  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  he  was  very  feeble,  being 
entirely  blind  and  suffering  great  pain.  But  he  bore  his  suffer- 
ings with  patient  resignation,  and  although  the  light  of  day  was 
shut  out  from  his  sightless  balls,  yet  by  the  eye  of  faith  he  be- 
held the  "  King  in  His  beauty,"  and  "  endured  as  seeing  Him 
who  is  invisible."  At  no  time  did  his  faith  falter,  but  to  the  last 
most  implicitly  trusted  the  same  Savior  he  had  so  often  and  so 
earnestly  commended  to  men. 

He  died  January  4, 1873,  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  attended 
by  loving  relatives.  In  the  midst  of  a  raging  snow-storm  his 
spirit  left  the  old,  worn-out  tabernacle,  and  departed  to  be  with 
Christ.  He  leaves  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  his  wife  having 
died  November  1,  1852.  At  the  time  of  his  death  his  member- 
ship was  with  the  Concord  Church  in  Lafayette  County,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  was  greatly  beloved." 

Martin  D.  Noland, — for  nearly  thirty  years  a  minister  in  Con- 
cord Association,  came  to  Missouri  as  early  as  1828,  and  proba- 
bly in  1827.  At  all  events  he  appears  at  the  meeting  of  the  asso- 
ciation in  1828  as  a  messenger  from  Sardis  Church,  which  was 
organized  in  August,  1827.  We  know  nothing  of  his  nativity  or 
early  life,  and  have  been  able  to  gather  very  little  of  any  jsart 
of  his  life.  He  was  a  man  of  mature  mind  when  he  came  to  the 
state,  though  not  a  minister  of  the  gospel  for  several  years  sub- 
sequent to  this  event. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Sardis  Church  in  September, 
1834,  and  by  the  same  church  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the 
ministry  in  February,  1836.  He  filled  the  office  of  pastor  in  the 
following  churches  :  Cold  Spring,  Sardis  and  Dry  Fork  j  besides, 
we  know  not  how  many  more.  As  a  pastor  he  had  few,  if  any, 
superiors.  Devoted  as  a  Christian,  fervent  in  pra5^er,  Avarm- 
hearted  in  exhortation,  he  was,  in  his  sermons,  logical  and  con- 
vincing. 

The  Concord  Association  thus  notices  his  death  in  her  minutes 
of  1862 :  ''Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Eld.  M.  D.  Noland  the 
cause  of  truth  has  lost  one  of  its  most  zealous  advocates,  and  the 
church  of  Christ  one  of  its  most  devoted,  Christ-like  and  self- 
sacrificing  ministers." 

William  Clarke. — This  devoted  servant  of  God  and  faithful 
minister  of  the  gospel  was  born  in  Hampshire  County,  Massa- 
chusetts, June,  1826.  He  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1841,  and  was 
married  to  Mary  Snodgrass.  He  became  a  member  of  Mt.  Zion 
Baptist  Church,  Moniteau  County,  in  1842,  having  been  baptized 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  2fi7 

by  Eld.  Danville;  and  was  subsequently  ordained  to  the  gospel 
ministry  at  the  call  of  the  same  church  by  Elds.  Snelling  John- 
son and  Dunn.  He  was  a  much  loved  pastor,  a  wise  counsellor 
and  a  true  minister.  We  tind  his  name  in  connection  with  the 
pastoral  office  in  Lookout  Grove,  Lebanon  and  Sardis  Churches, 
in  the  Concord  Association,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was 
pastor  of  Burlington  Church,  Boone  County. 

He  died  at  his  home  near  Centertown,  Cole  County,  January 
29,  1877,  of  cancer  on  the  breast,  leaving  a  wife  and  seven  child- 
ren to  await  their  reunion  in  the  resurrection  morn. 

Two  deceased  ministers  of  Concord  Association,  of  whom  we 
have  been  able  to  gather  little  information  save  of  their  death, 
deserve  a  place  in  this  chapter.     The  first, 

Joseph  M.  Chainey, — died  during  the  year  1863,  we  presume, 
as  his  death  is  published  in  the  minutes  of  that  year.  We  know 
nothing  of  his  nativity,  age,  or  the  circumstances  of  his  death. 
He  was  regarded  as  a  zealous  preacher  of  the  gospel,  and  died 
triumphing  in  the  Cross. 

Andrew  Estes. — The  name  of  this  brother  first  appears  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Concord  Association  in  1842,  as  a  messenger  from 
Richland  Church,  and  in  1848  he  was  present  at  the  Association 
as  a  messenger  from  Freedom  Church,  where,  by  the  well-known 
star  in  the  statistical  table,  he  is  numbered  among  the  preachers. 
The  minutes  of  1864  contain  an  affectionate  notice  of  his  death, 
wherein  he  is  regarded  as  "  a  most  zealous  advocate  of  the  truth, 
and  a  faithful  laborer  in  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ." 

G.  W.  Hyde, — son  of  Richard  and  Eliza  D.  Hyde,  was  born  in 
Spottsylvania  County,  Virginia,  March  25, 1838.  His  grandfather 
Hyde  was  an  Englishman,  and  made  frequent  visits  to  his  native 
country.  The  family  descended  from  Hyde,  Earl  of  Clarendon; 
in  honor  of  whom  also  the  celebrated  Hyde  Park  in  England 
was  named.  Richard  Hyde  moved  to  Chariton  County,  Missouri, 
in  1839,  where  he  raised  a  large  family,  consisting  of  eight 
sons  and  one  daughter.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
old  school  Presbyterian  church. 

Gr.  W.  Hyde  was  converted  and  joined  the  Baptist  church  at 
Keytesville,  Mo.,  in  May,  1858;  and  in  September,  1855,  he  en- 
tered the  Missouri  University,  where  he  took  a  full  course  and 
graduated  in  July,  1859.  The  following  October  he  entered  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  and  took  the  full  course, 
graduating  therefrom  in  May,  1862.  While  a  student  of  the  uni- 
versity he  held  his  membership  in  the  Columbia  Baptist  Church, 


268 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 


was  made  superintendent  of  its  Sunday-school,  and  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  the  same.  Ecv.'j.  B.  Jeter  procuring  him  a  chap- 
laincy in  the  Confederate  Arm}^,  he  preached  from  1862  to  1865 
to  a  military  post  in  Powhatan  County,  Ya.,  called  Huguenot 
Springs.  At  this  place  his  labors  were  much  blessed,  and  many 
of  the  soldiers  professed  conversion  and  were  baptized.  During 
this  period  of  his  life  (July,  1863)  he  was  ordained  to  the  full 
work  of  the  ministry  by  a  Baptist  church  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  military  post. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Hyde  rotr.^-^-'^'  1o  ;^rissouri,  and  in  Septem- 
ber, 1866,  engaged 
in  an  agency  for 
the  Sunday-school 
Board  of, the 
Southern  Bai:)tist 
Convention,  and 
for  some  time 
prosecuted  this 
work.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1867,  he  was 
united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss 
,  \  Anna  Clark,  only 
child  of  Judge  B. 
C.  Clark  of  Coop- 
er County,  Mo. 
In  July,  1878,  she 
died,  being  the 
mother  of  four 
children.  Elder 
Hyde  spent  a  year 
as  pastor  at 
Keytcsvillc  and  Brunswick,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  minister- 
ial life  has  been  spent  with  the  churches  at  Mt.  Is'ebo,  Concord, 
Mt.  Hermon  and  Boonville,  all  in  Cooper  County,  and,  for  many 
years,  in  the  Concord  Association.  Twice  he  has  been  agent  of 
William  Jewell  College,  and  for  a  year  was  one  of  the  general 
missionaries  of  the  General  Association.  In  March,  1880,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  E.  G.  Garnett  of  Dover. 

Mr.  Hyde  was  one  of  the  original  eight  who  founded  the  "Jer- 
emiah Vardeman  School  of  Theology"  in  "William  Jewell  Col- 
lege, for  which  purpose  he  gave  $5,000.    Eor  twelve  years  ho  has 


REV.  O.  W.  HYDE. 


CONCORB    ASSOCIATION. 


269 


been  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  said  institution;  for 
eight  years  he  has  been  a  curator  of  Stephen's  College  j  and  is 
now  a  trustee  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary. 
While  a  student  at  Greenville,  S.  C,  he  superintended  a  large  col- 
ored  Sunday-school  which  met  Sunday  afternoons  in  the  gallery 
of  the  Baptist  church.  In  this  work  he  was  seconded  by  the 
church,  and  had  for  teachers  some  of  the  best  students  in  the 
seminary.  While  in  attendance  on  the  meeting  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  at  Greenville,  in  May,  1882,  he  met  a  colored 
man  who  was  then  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  Sunday-school, 
who  said,  ''Thank  God  I  see  you,  my  brother!  Those  were 
golden  seeds  j'ou  sowed  amongst  us,  and  they  have  yielded  a 
blessed  harvest." 

Thomas  Washington  Barrett — was  born  in  West  Virginia  in 
1835.  He  united  with  the  Baj)tist  church  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  in 
1856,  and  was  bap- 
tized by  Dr.  Leon- 
ard. In  the  same 
year  he  came  to 
Missouri,  and  was 
educated  atWilliam 
Jewell  College.  On 
the  28th  of  Oct., 
1860,  he  was  ordain- 
ed to  the  ministry 
and  immediately 
received  an  ap- 
pointment as  mis- 
sionary of  North 
Liberty  Associa- 
tion. The  year  fol- 
lowing he  became 
pastor  at  Weston, 
Mo.;  and  in  1862 
was  called  to  the 
Tabernacle  Baptist 
Church,  Leaven- 
worth, Kan.,  which  he  served  two  and  a  half  years.  From  this 
point  he  went  to  St.  Joseph  as  pastor  in  1864,  and  in  1866  was  finan- 
cial agent  of  the  Sabbath-school  board  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention  for  JSTorth  Missouri ;  also  for  a  part  of  the  years  1866 
and'  67  he  labored  as  general  agent  and  missionary  of  the  General 


REV.   T.    W.    BARRETT. 


270  CONCORD    ASSOCIATION. 

Association.  He  Mas  then  recalled  to  the  church  in  "Weston,  and 
such  was  the  success  of  his  labor,  that  in  two  and  one-half  years 
the  church  was  more  than  quadrupled  in  numbers,  and  a  beauti- 
ful and  substantial  house  of  worship  was  erected.  In  1869  he 
was  called  to  Hannibal,  where  an  elegant  house  of  worship  was 
built  and  paid  for  during  his  pastoral  term;  and  many  were  ai- 
ded to  the  church.  In  1873  he  took  charge  of  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Jefferson  City,  where  he  has  labored  with  efficiency,  they  hav- 
ing paid  a  heavy  debt  on  their  house.  In  1872  he  received  the 
degree  of  A.  M.  from  William  Jewell  College,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  has  been  an  active  member,  and  is  now  secretary  of  the 
executive  board  of  the  Greneral  Association,  and  for  a  consider- 
able period  filled  the  position  as  member  of  the  board  of  the 
Baptist  State  Sunday-school  Convention. 

Brooking  T.  Taylor — is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  was  born 
in  Franklin  County,  March  12,  1823.  His  parents — Brooking 
and  Ann  Taylor — were  formerly  of  Virginia.  From  his  6th  to 
his  16th  year  he  was  a  sad  boy,  by  reason  of  conscious  guilt  be- 
fore God.  He  then  became  sweetly  reconciled  to  God,  from 
which  time  he  felt  a  constant  sense  of  duty  to  preach  the  gospel. 
In  18-43  he  commenced  his  pupilage  in  Georgetown,  earnestly 
desiring  to  learn  to  read  English,  but  succeeded  in  taking  the 
degree  of  A.  B.  in  1851,  and  of  A.  M.  in  1860.  He  was  ordain- 
ed in  Dcceniber,  1851,  and  the  year  after  became  pastor  at  Colum- 
bia, Kentucky.  From  this  time  he  filled  the  pastoral  office  in 
the  following  order  :  at  Newcastle,  Ky.,  in  1858  ;  Owensboro, 
Ky.,  in  1860 ;  Henderson,  Ky.,  in  1866,  and  at  Urbana,  Ohio,  in 
1868.  In  1872  he  became  pastor  at  Columbia,  Missouri ;  at  Ful- 
ton in  1877,  and  at  Brownsville  in  1882,  where  his  labors  have 
been  much  blessed. 

In  the  year  1851  he  married  Miss  M.  B.  Alexander,  of  Ken- 
tucky, his  present  companion,  whose  missionary  he  has  been 
since  that  time,  except  about  five  years ;  and  has  therefore  made 
his  saddle  his  theological  school  for  the  most  part  of  his  life.  He 
settled  as  a  school  teacher  in  a  destitute  locality  (Creelsboro, 
Ky.)  where  he  constituted  a  Baptist  church  which  eventually 
swallowed  up  the  Methodist  and  Campbellite  organizations  that 
had  preoccupied  that  place.  Having  acted  much  as  an  evangel- 
ist, he  has  baptized  comparatively  few  of  the  converts  of  his 
meetings — in  all  about  1,000  baptisms  during  his  life,  one  of  the 
number  being  a  lady,  who  was  at  the  time  105  j'ears  old.  Ho 
has  never  had  but  one  church  (Fulton,  Mo.)  that  did  not  prosper. 


CONCORD    ASSOCIATION.  271 

Since  1853  he  has  been  a  Landmark  Baptist  of  the  strictest 
sort.  Nothing  can  induce  him  to  be  anything  else.  As  such  he 
has  been  persecuted  no  little  both  in  Kentucky  and  in  Missouri. 
He  confesses  to  an  ardent  wish  to  arouse  his  ministering  breth- 
ren to  a  more  aggressive  dcnominationalism.  He  always  awak- 
ens a  missionary  spirit  in  his  churches,  and  gathers  from  them 
missionary  contributions.  They  are  also  expected  to  run  a  Sab- 
bath-school and  one  or  more  prayer  meetings. 

Eld.  Taylor  is  an  author.  He  wields  a  ready  pen.  His  most 
important  work,  published  in  book  form,  is  entitled  The  Infidel's 
Confession. 

Although  in  his  present  field  but  a  short  time,  his  churches 
are  increasing  in  numbers  and  growing  in  influence. 


CHAPTER  Yl. 


FISHING  EIVEE  ASSOCIATION. 

Its  Formation — Broad  Field  uf — Strange  Views  of  Associatioual  Powers — Advisory 
Councils,  and  Not  Law-making  Bodies — Dr.  Peck's  Views  on  the  Subject — Anti- 
Mission  Policy  of  the  Association — Kejeots  the  Messengers  of  Concord  and  Blue 
River  Associations — Declines  in  Membership. 

FISHING  Elver  Association  was  the  result  of  dividing  the 
territory  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association.  It  was  organized 
at  Fishing  Eiver  Church,  Cla}^  County,  the  second  Saturday  in 
November,  1823,  embracing  at  that  time  all  the  churches  in  the 
state  west  of  a  line  indicated  by  Grand  Eiver,  seven  in  all,  viz. : 
Fishing  Eiver,  Mt.  Vernon,  North  Eush  Creek,  Little  Shoal 
Creek,  Sniabar,  North  Bluffton  and  Big  Shoal  Creek;  with  six 
ministers.     Aggregate  membershijj  of  the  churches,  about  100. 

From  Dr.  Peck's  sketches  we  learn  that  in  1824  the  association 
met  in  September,  in  the  bounds  of  a  church  near  the  site  of  the 
city  of  Lexington.  There  were  then  9  churches,  4  ministers,  26 
baptisms  and  291  members.  In  its  ministry  and  in  its  churches 
there  was  less  of  activity,  religious  enterprise  and  self-sacrifice 
than  in  its  sister  associations.  Much  of  the  increase  in  member- 
ship was  from  emigration,  now  pouring  into  the  state,  mostly 
from  Virginia,  Kentucky  and  the  Carolinas. 

From  the  minutes  of  1826  we  gather  the  following  items  :  the 
session  was  held  at  North  Bluflfton,  Eay  County;  Wm.  Thorp 
was  moderator ;  thirteen  churches  were  represented,  six  bap- 
tisms reported,  and  a  total  membership  of  372  ;  Eld.  Felix  Bed- 
ding was  present  as  a  corresponding  messenger  from  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant Association.  We  recognize  the  following  names  of  ministers: 
William  Thorp,  James  Williams,  Eobert  Fristoe,  Wm.  Turnage 
and Vanderpool.     The  contributions  amoui^ted  to  $14.87. 

"At  the  session  of  1828  fifteen  churches  appear  on  the  min- 
utes. The  churches  received  since  the  organization  were  New 
Garden,  Little  Sniabar,  Six  Mile,  Pleasant  Grove,  Beersheba, 
Salem,  First  Platte  and  Liberty.  Total  membership  of  the  as- 
sociation, 508.  Elders  James  Williams,  James  Edwards  and 
Benj.  W.  Eiley  had  come  into  the  country. 

''  At  the  same  session  the  association  made  a  wonderful  dis- 
covery.    We  give  it  in  the  language  of  the  minutes : 

"  'In  answer  to  the  churches  requesting  union  meetings,  we 


'  FISHING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION.  273 

say  that  we,  as  an  association,  have  no  right  to  appoint  or  dis- 
appoint any  meetings  of  this  kind,  but  wish  the  churches  in  fu- 
ture to  say  when  they  wish  such  meetings,  and  we  will  request 
our  ministering  brethren  to  attend  them;  but  for  the  year  1829, 
we  recommend  the  holding  of  four  at  the  following  places,'  &c. 

"Though  insignificant  in  itself,  we  advert  to  this  small  mat- 
ter to  illustrate  and  explain  a  prominent  Baptist  principle. 

"  These  brethren  had  some  vague  notions  that  Baptist  associ- 
ations had  some  power  derived  from  the  churches,  for  some  pur- 
poses and  to  some  extent,  but  its  extent  or  its  limits  were  quite 
indefinite.  And  here  we  will  give  a  historical  fact  that  we  have 
traced  out  with  no  small  labor  and  care.  In  early  times,  when 
Baptists  were  persecuted  in  old  Virginia,  those  who  called  them- 
selves *  Eegular  Baj^tists,'  received  the  sympathy  of  Presbyter- 
ians, who,  in  their  opposition  to  the  laws  that  sustained  'the 
church,' entertained  similar  views  of  religious  liberty  with  the 
Baptists.  The  ministers  of  the  Eegular  Baptists  knew  that  the 
Presbyterians  had  their  presbyteries  and  synods,  and  as  they 
had  associations  it  was  natural  for  them  to  suppose  that  these 
bodies  had  at  least  some  power  derived  from  the  churches  like 
their  neighbors.  And  yet  these  Baptist  associations,  copying 
the  phraseology  of  the  Philadelphia  Association — the  mother  of 
all  such  bodies  in  America — claimed  to  be  only  'advisory  coun- 
cils,' but  with  them  (but  never  with  the  Philadelphia  body)  ad- 
vice meant  law.  If  a  church  did  not  think  proper  to  follow  the 
'  advice,'  it  met  the  censure  of  the  association.  Law  is  follow- 
ed by  penalty,  but  every  one  may  neglect  advice  without  cen- 
sure. We  could  refer  to  twenty,  yea,  fifty  cases,  in  which  cen- 
sure, then  divisions  and  alienations  followed  the  neglect  of 
advice  given.  These  crude,  anti-Baptist  notions  spread  through 
Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  to  the  frontier  of 
Missouri;  arid  hence  there  has  been  no  small  amount  of  trouble 
in  adjusting  the  question,  how  much  or  how  little  power  the 
churches  have  delegated  to  the  associations.  All  the  ecclesias- 
tical power  a  Baptist  church  possesses  is  derived  from  Divine 
authority  through  the  New  Testament,  and  cannot  be  delegated 
to  another  body  without  trenching  upon  the  authority  of  the  King 
in  Zion.  Only  let  the  impression  prevail  that  a  Baptist  Association 
is  a  voluntary  society  made  up  of  messengers  from  the  churches 
for  all  useful,  religious  purposes,  and  can  devise  measures  and 
do  every  good  and  lawful  thing  that  any  individual  Christian  or 
community  of  Christians  may  do,  and  all  will  be  well. 
18 


274  FISHING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

"  In  all  religious  affairs,  as  in  everything  else,  there  are  essen- 
tials and  non-essentials.  With  Baptists,  essentials  include  all 
those  things  derived  from  the  New  Testament,  either  in  the  form 
of  precept  or  example.  All  the  doctrines  taught  and  practical 
duties  enjoined  are  essential  to  some  purpose  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ.  Our  readers  will  please  not  to  make  the  blunder  many 
of  our  pedobaptists  do,  when  they  use  the  term  'essential'  to 
denote  such  things  only  as  are  essential  to  the  salvation  of  the 
soul,  and  '  non-essential'  to  signify  many  duties  enjoined  on  the 
believer.  By  '  non-essentials,'  Baptists  mean  all  those  things 
used  for  religious  purposes,  about  which  God  has  made  no  spec- 
ial revelation — such  as  building  meeting-houses,  printing  the 
Scriptures,  purchasing  hymn-books,  publishing  circular  letters, 
forming  associations  of  churches,  mission  societies,  &c. 

"  Doubtless  our  anti-mission  brethren  were  honest  in  their 
opinions,  and  really  thought  if  the  mission  party  gained  the  as- 
cendency, they  would  institute  rules  under  the  specious  name  of 
'advice,'  requiring  them  to  contribute  to  objects  in  which  they  did 
not  conscientiously  believe.  Hence  there  was  a  strife  for  power, 
when  all  the  notions  about  power  in  such  bodies  originated  in 
misapprehension.  And  it  would  be  strange  indeed,  if  in  such 
strife  there  were  not  some  blame,  prejudice  and  mistakes  in  all 
parties."     (J.  M.  Peck  in  Repository^  Vol.  VII,  p.  415.) 

Salem  Church,  Jackson  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting  in 
1833.  The  following  churches  had  been  added  since  1828  :  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Mt.  Gilead,  New  Hope,  Crooked  River,  Pound  Grove, 
Little  Blue,  Pleasant  Garden,  High  Point,  Marion  and  Black 
Water.  The  total  membership  had  now  increased  to  919;  bap- 
tisms this  year,  38.  Elders  Thomas  Fristoe,  Kemp  Scott  and  M. 
D.  Noland  were  present  as  correspondents,  the  former  from  Mt. 
Pleasant,  the  two  latter  from  Concord  Association.  The  statis- 
tical table  shows  the  following  list  of  ministers:  James  Williams, 
Wm.  Thorp,  Enoch  Finch,  Wm.  Turnage,  Robt.  Fristoe,  Thomas 
Staton,  Sr.,  Henry  Hill,  B.  W.  Riley,  James  Savage  and  Joseph 
White.  The  action  of  1828  relative  to  union  meetings  was  ig- 
nored, and  this  year  seven  "yearly"  meetings  were  appointed 
in  as  many  different  churches. 

In  1834  the  association  held  its  meeting  at  New  Garden  in  Ray 
County.  Letters  of  dismission  were  granted  to  10  churches  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Missouri  River,  for  the  purpose  of  forming 
what  is  now  the  Blue  River  Association. 

From  the  first,  the  Fishing  River  Association  held  correspond- 


FISHING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION.  275 

enee  with  her  sisters,  Concord  and  Blue  River  Associations.  In 
1837  her  messengers,  Elders  Henry  Hill,  Wm.  Thorp  and  others, 
returned  from  the  meeting  of  the  Concord  Association  and  re- 
ported that  said  association  "  advised  the  churches  to  make  the 
favoring  of  mission  societies,  etc.,  no  bar  to  fellowship."  This 
advice  not  suiting  the  Fishing  Eiver  Association,  at  her  next 
session  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  she  refused  seats  to  the  mes- 
sengers of  Concord,  and  thus  committed  herself  to  the  anti-mi«. 
sion  policy.  In  like  manner  also  did  the  Fishing  Eiver  Associ- 
ation sever  her  fellowship  with  the  Blue  River  Association.  In 
1841  the  last  named  body  '' recommended  to  the  churches  to  let 
the  missionary  question  alone;"  and  further,  "that  churches 
and  brethren  be  left  free  to  act  in  this  matter  as  their  consciences 
may  dictate,  and  that  it  be  made  no  bar  to  fellowship."  On 
account  of  this  action,  the  Fishing  River  Association,  in  1842, 
refused  to  receive  the  letter  of  Blue  River  Association,  or  to 
recognize  her  messengers  as  Baptists.  {Christian  Repository,  Yol. 
XXI,  p.  262.) 

From  this  time  forward  the  Fishing  River  Association  stood 
opposed  to  the  missionary  enterprise  and  grew  weaker  in  nu- 
merical strength.  This  year  (1843)  her  minutes  show  the  follow- 
ing summary:  20  churches,  78  baptisms,  10  ministers  and  1,072 
members.  This  year  also  she  opened  correspondence  with  Two 
River  (Old  School)  Association,  although,  according  to  her  min- 
utes, she  stood  upon  the  platform  of  the  "  United  Baptists." 

In  1844  the  20  churches  reported  39  baptisms  and  1,071  mem- 
bers.    Contributions,  $25.50. 

Our  next  minutes  are  for  1850.  This  year  the  session  was  held 
at  Little  Shoal  Creek  in  Clay  County.  Eld.  Thos.  "Wolverton 
preached  the  opening  sermon.  The  appellation  "  United  Bap- 
tists" had  been  exchanged  for  that  of  "Regular  Baptists."  The 
table  shows  the  loss  of  one  church  and  over  200  members  in  the 
last  six  years. 

Our  latest  re.cords  of  this  association  are  for  1866;  21  church- 
es appear  on  the  list,  only  17  of  which  sent  letters,  the  aggregate 
membership  of  which  was  556,  showing  a  heavy  loss  numerically 
since  1843. 

In  this  sketch  we  have  aimed  to  present  all  the  salient  jioints 
in  the  history  of  Fishing  River  Association  to  the  full  extent  of 
the  records  before  us.  The  fact  is,  that  without  exception,  so 
far  as  we  have  been  able  to  get  information  either  from  observ- 
ation or  printed  records,  every  association  in  the  state  adopting 


276  FISHING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

the  anti-mission  policy  has  made  little  or  no  progress,  and  most 
of  them  have  grown  weaker  in  membership.  There  are,  we  feel 
confident,  few,  if  any  more,  of  that  persuasion  in  Missouri  now 
than  there  were  in  1836, 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


CAPE  GIEAEDEAU  ASSOCIATION. 

Its  [Formation,  History,  &c. — A  Primitive  Missionary  Body — Its  First  Executive  Com- 
mittee— First  Evangelists — The  Auti-Mission  Controversy  and  Division — ]\Iinorities 
— Jolm  H.  Clark — Crushing  Influence  of  the  War — Slvetches  of  Churches — Thomas 
Juden. 

THE  Cape  Girardeau  Association  was  organized  at  Hebron 
Church,  Cape  Girardeau  County.  The  convention  for  this 
purpose  met  on  Saturday,  June  12,  1824,  and  closed  on  the  14th. 
Letters  were  received  and  messengers  enrolled  from  the  follow- 
ing churches:  Bethel,  with  41  members;  Dry  Creek,  28;  Ty- 
wappity,  11;  Clear  Creek  (Illinois),  66;  Apple  Creek,  15;  Eb- 
enezer,  17;  Big  Prairie,  19;  Hebron,  26;  Shiloh  (Illinois),  28; 
Jackson,  8 ;  nine  of  which  had  been  dismissed  from  Bethel  As- 
sociation. 

Ministers  in  the  Convention. — Benjamin  Thompson,  James  Wil- 
liams, Edward  Kerr,  James  P.  Edwards,  Jeremiah  Brown,  Dav- 
id Orr,  Thos.  P.  Green,  Wingate  Jackson,  James  Holbert  and 
John  M.  Peck.  The  last  three*  were  corresponding  messengers 
from  Bethel  and  Missouri  Associations.  The  following  from  the 
constitution  will  show  upon  what  basis  and  with  what  principles 
this  old  community  was  oi-ganized  : 

^^  Preamble. — From  the  long  experience  of  Baptist  churches,  it 
has  been  found  useful  to  associate  on  general  principles  for  the 
mutual  fellowship  of  the  churches;  to  provide  means  for  gener- 
al intelligence,  opening  Christian  correspondence,  supplying  des- 
titute churches  with  evangelical  preaching  and  ordinances,  de- 
vising means  for  the  promotion  of  religion,  and  thus  concentra- 
ting our  efforts  for  the  peace,  purity  and  prosperity  of  Zion." 

"Article  1st.  This  body  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  Cape 
Girardeau  Baptist  Association. 

"Art.  8th.  The  fund  of  the  association  shall  be  raised  by  the 
voluntary  contributions  of  the  churches  or  individuals,  out  of 
which  shall  be  supplied  the  expenses  of  printing  the  minutes, 
expenses  of  the  clerk  and  corresponding  members  appointed  to 
other  associations,  and  the  surplus,  if  any,  shall  be  applied  in 
any  way  to  promote  the  spiritual  benefit  of  Zion  in  the  limits 


278  CAPE    GIRARDEAU   ASSOCIATION. 

of  this  association  or  its  vicinity.  The  association  may  adopt 
measures  for  the  purpose  of  raising  contributions,  which  shall 
be  added  to  the  surplus  fund  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  minis- 
ters to  preach  to  the  destitute  churches  of  this  body,  or  where 
the  association  may  direct." 

At  the  first  meeting  the  following  resolution  was  adopted  : 

''That  one  person  be  appointed  in  each  church  for  the  pur- 
pose of  carrying  into  effect  the  objects  proposed  in  the  eighth 
article  of  the  constitution,  whose  duty  it  shall  be : 

"1st.  To  ascertain  the  churches  in  our  body  which  are  desti- 
tute of  preaching  and  the  regular  administration  of  the  ordin- 
ances, and  settlements  that  are  destitute  of  i')reaching,  and  make 
report  to  the  association. 

"2d.  To  raise  funds  by  voluntary  contributions,  subscriptions 
or  public  collections,  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  members  of 
this  association  to  supply  the  destitute  churches  and  settlements, 
under  the  direction  of  the  association." 

The  association  held  its  meetings  uninterrupted I3'  for  eight 
years,  from  1824  to  1832.  During  all  this  period  its  business  was 
transacted  in  harmony,  and  a  true  and  genuine  missionary  spirit, 
prevailed  throughout  its  bounds.  It  maintained  the  principles 
adopted  at  its  first  meeting.  Resolutions  were  followed  by  ac- 
tions, as  may  be  seen  by  the  following  facts  : 

The  Clear  Creek  Church  sent  a  petition  to  the  association  in  1825 
requesting  the  ordination  of  Bro.  Brown,  which  "  was  taken  up 
and  decided  that  the  authority  of  this  body  does  not  extend  to 
ordination,  but  we  recommend  the  churches  to  call  on  the  min- 
istry for  that  purpose." 

Throug-h  the  agents  in  the  churches,  $21.20  were  sent  up  for 
missionary  purposes  this  year.  Bethel  Church  gave  $1 ;  Clear 
Creek,  $4;  Hebron,  50  cts.j  Shiloh,  36;  Jackson,  $5.50;  Thos. 
P.  Green,  $3.12 ;  and  S.  B.  McKnight,  $2. 

"  Elders  Thomas  Donohue,  of  Missouri,  and  James  P.  Edwards, 
of  Illinois,  were  elected  as  traveling  preachers — their  fields  of 
labor  to  be  designated  by  the  clerk.  Samuel  Huntsaker,  Thos. 
Howard,  A.  Randal,  Isaac  Sheppard  and  S.  B.  McKnight  were 
appointed  an  executive  committee  to  take  charge  of  the'funds 
for  the  support  of  the  traveling  preachers." 

At  the  session  of  1826  the  executive  committee  reported  that 
Eld.  J.  P.  Edwards  had  spent  three  and  a  half  months  as  a  trav- 
eling preacher  in  the  field  of  his  appointment,  at  a  salary  of 
$10  per  month  and  his  incidental  expenses. 


CAPE    GIRARDEAU   ASSOCIATION.  279 

The  amount  sent  up  for  sustaining  the  gospel  among  the  desti- 
tute was  $27.95.  Bro.  Edwards  was  continued  as  a  traveling 
preacher,  with  the  privilege  of  selecting  his  own  field  of  labor. 

At  the  session  of  1829,  instead  of  one  collecting  agent  in  each 
church,  the  association  provided  this  year  for  the  appointment 
of  a  committee  annually,  "to  transact  the  whole  business,  and 
adopt  such  rules  and  regulations  as  they  may  deem  proper,  con- 
sistent with  the  intent  of  the  eighth  article  of  the  constitution, 
and  that  they  report  annually  to  this  association  their  proceed- 
ings." Brethren  B.  Hempstead,  James  Eandal,  Andrew  Martin, 
E.  A.  McBride  and  Thomas  Juden  were  appointed  said  commit- 
tee. These  records  abundantly  show  that  this  body  possessed 
the  true  apostolic  missionary  spirit. 

During  most  of  this  period — 1824  to  1832 — they  kept  two  trav- 
eling missionaries  in  the  field,  who  were  objects  of  both  their 
prayers  and  their  contributions.  These  were  the  better  days  of 
the  old  Cape  Girardeau  Association.  Soon,  however,  troubles 
arose  and  rent  the  churches  asunder. 

During  the  period  from  1832  to  1860  many  changes  were 
wrought  in  the  association.  At  the  commencement  of  this  per- 
iod it  contained  twenty  churches,  double  its  original  number,  lo- 
cated in  Cape  Girardeau,  Scott,  Mississippi  and  Perry  Counties. 
And  while  it  continued  to  promote  missions,  its  influence  was 
extensively  felt  throughout  these  counties.  But  the  day  of  ad- 
versity came.  Gradually  a  spirit  of  covetousness  began  to  pos- 
sess some  of  the  churches.  The  principles  concerning  the  spread 
of  the  gospel,  so  unanimously  adopted  by  this  body  at  its  first 
meeting,  began  to  be  ignored ;  in  the  doing  of  which  the  com- 
mands of  the  Head  of  the  church  were  set  at  naught,  and  tramp- 
led under  foot.  Such  was  the  bitterness  of  feeling  on  the  part 
of  the  opposition  that  they  not  only  refused  to  do  missionary 
work,  but  they  also  refused  to  remain  associated  with  those 
churches  that  did. 

As  in  all  past  time  among  the  Baptists,  so  also  now,  those  who 
felt  impelled  to  put  forth  efforts  to  promote  the  spread  of  divine 
truth  regarded  this  obligation  as  proceeding  from  the  command 
of  Christ;  but  they  always  taught  that  whatever  a  Christian  did 
in  the  way  of  giving  to  spread  the  gospel  must  be  a  voluntary 
act  on  his  part;  as  indeed  must  be  all  his  acts  and  exercises  in 
the  divine  life,  if  at  all  acceptable  to  God.  Those  who  opposed 
missions  were  not  willing,  however,  to  do  this.  They  said  to 
their  brethren  of  a  more  evangelical  spirit,  "  You  must  not  give 


280  CAPE    GIRARDEAU   ASSOCIATION. 

money  for  these  missiouary  purposes,  or  we  shall  refuse  you  our 
fellowship."  The  result  of  this  spirit  was  that  in  1840  eight  of 
the  twenty  churches  withdrew  and  formed  what  was  then  called, 
by  way  of  distinction,  the  New  Cape  Girardeau  Association. 
Their  names  were  Cape  Girardeau,  Mt.  Zion,  Harmony,  Mt. 
Moriah,  Pleasant  Grove,  Cj^press,  Pleasant  Hill  and  Little  Eiver. 

These  churches  were  all  in  which  majorities  were  in  favor  of 
holding  to  the  original  principles,  as  adopted  by  the  first  meet- 
ing of  the  association.  The  rest  of  the  churches — twelve  in  num- 
ber— embracing  the  anti-missionary  element,  kept  up  what  was 
called  the  old  association  for  awhile,  but  its  do-nothing  policy, 
adopted  in  antagonism  to  the  Bible  and  the  most  ancient  prac- 
tices of  the  churches  of  Jesus  Christ,  has  long  since  brought  it  to 
naught,  and  every  church  which  went  off  into  anti-missionism 
has  either  become  extinct,  or,  reorganized,  united  with  the  reg- 
ular Cape  Girardeau  Baptist  Association. 

The  ministers  who  went  with  the  anti-missionary  element  were 
Jeremiah  Brown  and  Benjamin  Thompson,  and  some  say  that 
James  Williams  became  anti-missionary,  though  this  does  not 
come  well  authenticated. 

That  body  which  was  called,  at  the  time  of  the  division  in 
1840,  for  the  sake  of  distinction,  the  "New"  Cape  Girardeau  As- 
sociation, was  in  reality  the  original  association,  while  that  body 
or  party  which  continued  to  be  called  the  "  Old  "  Cape  Girar- 
deau Association  was  a  new  association.  The  majority,  or  so- 
called  old  association,  not  only  changed  the  original  constitution, 
but  obliterated  that  entire  instrument  and  adopted  a  new  one 
upon  an  entirely  new  basis;  hence  we  say  it  was  a  new  associ- 
ation. The  minority,  or  so-called  New  Cape  Girardeau  Associ- 
ation, not  only  did  not  abolish  the  old  constitution,  but  did  not 
even  change  said  instrument  in  any  essential  feature,  if  at  all, 
and  hence  it  was  the  old,  original  Cape  Girardeau  Association. 
Constitutional  minorities,  and  not  schismatical  or  factional  ma- 
jorities, must  in  all  cases  be  regarded  as  the  true  and  legitimate 
successors  of  original  forms  and  institutions.  Tak§  the  following 
case  for  illustration : 

In  the  town  of  M was  a  Baptist  church  of  75  members, 

practicing  the  immersion  of  professed  believers  in  Christ  as  a 
condition  of  membership).  In  course  of  time  dissension  arose 
in  said  church.  A  few  so-called  liberal  minded  men  thought  that 
the  conditions  of  membership  were  too  much  circumscribed,  and 
finally  proposed  that  not  only  immersed  believers,  but  also  all 


CAPE    GIRARDEAU    ASSOCIATION.  281 

who  "  desired  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come,"  and  the  children  of 
believing  parents,  should  be  admitted  to  membership  in  the 
church.  A  sharp  contest  ^nsued.  The  vote  was  taken.  Forty 
sustained  the  proposition  and  thirty «five  voted  against  it.  Which 
party  was  the  Baptist  church  at  M ;  the  majority  who  viola- 
ted the  constitution,  or  the  minority  who  adhered  to  that  instru- 
ment?    The  case  is  easily  decided. 

We  now  proceed  with  our  narrative.  From  1840  to  1850  the 
constitutional  Cape  G-irardeau  Association  held  regular  sessions, 
but  nothing  of  special  interest  occurred.  New  churches  were 
formed  yearly,  and  old  ones  increased  in  numerical  and  spiritual 
strength.  From  1856  to  1860  the  association  made  steacjy  but 
not  rapid  progress.  Sunday-schools  received  the  heartiest  com- 
mendation. Educational  interests  were  fostered  and  promoted. 
A  missionary  was  kept  for  most  of  the  time  in  the  field.  The  old 
plan  of  1824,  of  having  a  solicitor  in  each  church  to  raise  mis- 
sionary funds,  was  followed.  The  net  increase  was  154  members. 
During  most  of  the  year  1860  all  things  seemed  to  work  well  in 
the  bounds  of  the  Association.  But  worse  times  were  near  at 
hand. 

This  was  the  year  immediately  preceding  the  commencement 
of  the  war.  G-radually  the  excitement  rose  higher.  In  the  spring 
of  1861  hostilities  actually  began.  It  was  now  that  a  great  trial 
came  upon  the  association,  located,  as  it  was,  on  the  Mississippi 
Eiver,  the  line  bordering  between  the  free  and  the  slave  states. 
Up  and  down  this  great  river  were  carried  the  munitions  and 
men  of  war.  All  these  things  produced  more  suffering  among  the 
churches  of  this  association  than  those  in  the  interior  of  the  state. 

Regular  monthly  meeting  of  the  chui'ches,  in  many  cases,  were 
prevented.  Communications  were  cut  off  between  many  of  the 
churches,  military  commanders  began  to  usurp  authority  and 
jeopardize  the  lives  of  the  brethren,  brave  men  trembled,  those 
strong  in  the  faith  began  to  doubt,  and  many  of  the  doubting  fled. 
Such  was  the  condition  of  things  throughout  this  district  that  the 
association  hi^ld  no  meetings  in  1861  and  1862. 

In  1863,  messengers  from  eight  churches  north  of  the  Big 
Swamp  met  at  Goshen,  and  held  a  short  but  harmonious  session. 
J.  G.  Rutter,  J.  C.  Maple,  G.  W.  Coker,  J.  H.  Clark,  A.  McKel- 
vey,  J.  Wyatt  and  T.  B.  Turnbaugh  were  the  ministers  in  attend- 
ance at  this  session.  The  business  was  transacted  on  Saturday. 
From  the  corresponding  letter  we  learn  that  for  the  two  preced- 
ing years  "great  spiritual  dearth  prevailed  among  the  churches. 


282  CAPE    GIRARDEAU    ASSOCIATION. 

the  missionaries  had  left  the  field,  the  Sabbath-schools  had  been 
broken  up,  prayer  meetings  had  been  scarcely  thought  of,  and  in 
many  churches  a  sermon  had  not  been  heard  for  a  year."  Though 
the  attendance  was  small  at  this  session,  there  were  many  pleas- 
ant reunions  of  old  and  endeared  brethren  in  the  Lord. 

The  oppressive  measures  growing  out  of  the  civil  war  either 
silenced  or  drove  from  the  field  every  minister  in  the  associa- 
tion, save  one,  whose  name  was  John  H.  Clark.  From  1864  to 
1867  he  was  the  only  minister  belonging  to  the  association  that 
did  ministerial  work  in  her  bounds.  How  the  grace  and  power 
of  God  were  magnified  in  this  man !  By  nature  he  was  timid,  but 
by  grace  he  was  bold.  For  several  years  he  had  no  comrade, 
but  stood  up  alone,  and  in  sight  of  those  who  sought  the  destruc- 
tion of  his  cause,  boldly  preached  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  Son 
of  God,  waiting  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  to  send  more 
laborers  into  the  harvest. 

John  Henry  Clark — was  born  in  Loudon  County,  Yirginia, 
December  12,  1812.  At  about  the  age  of  16  years  he  was  con- 
verted, and  together  with  three  of  his  sisters  was  soon  after 
baptized  by  Eev.  "W.  F.  Broaddus  into  the  fellowship  of  Long 
Branch  Church,  in  his  native  county.  He  often  spoke  of  Eld. 
Broaddus  as  his  father  in  the  gospel. 

Bro.  Clark  moved  to  Missouri  in  June,  1839,  and  settled  in 
Cape  Girardeau,  soon  after  which  he  united  with  the  church  in 
that  place.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  church  in  Cape 
Girardeau  in  August,  1842,  and  by  it  he  was  ordained  December 
28,  1844,  soon  after  which  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in  said 
church.  This  oflSce  he  filled  only  for  a  few  months,  being  unwil- 
ling to  give  up  his  appointments  in  the  county.  But  he  gave 
the  church  in  town  Uvo  Sabbaths  in  the  month.  Rev.  S.  H.  Ford, 
now  of  St.  Louis,  succeeded  him  in  his  pastoral  office  at  the  Cape. 

During  his  boyhood  he  manifested  some  taste  for  the  languages 
and  displayed  remarkable  ability  for  acquiring  them.  He  re- 
ceived a  good  academic  education  in  his  native  state.  Much  that 
he  acquired  in  early  life  was  pei-mitted  to  pass  into  disuse,  and 
he  used  to  warn  his  friends  against  a  like  neglect.  He  gave  much 
of  his  time  to  teaching,  after  his  settlement  in  Missouri,  and  be- 
ing a  man  of  a  very  gentle  spirit  he  was  very  tenderly  loved  by 
his  pupils.  He  gave  much  of  his  time  to  secular  emploj^ments 
after  his  marriage,  but  almost  every  Saturday  left  these  matters 
to  the  care  of  others  and  went  to  fill  his  appointments  and  preach 
the  blessed  gospel  of  Christ,  and  whenever  he  saw  that  the  inter- 


CAPE    GIRARDEAU   ASSOCIATION. 


283 


ests  of  the  cause  required  it,  he  laid  aside  pecuniary  matters. 
For  some  years  he  preached  once  a  month  at  a  log  school- 
house  about  twelve  miles  from  Cape  Girardeau.  Because  he  saw 
no  visible  results  for  good  from  his  labors,  he  talked  about  giv- 
ing up  that  point  to  preach  in  some  other  locality.  He  was  urged 
to  continue  his  appointment  by  his  sister,  Mrs.  Gordon,  a  lady 
of  influence  and  wealth  in  the  community.  She  told  him  she  be- 
lieved there  were  blessings  in  store  for  that  people.  He  labored 
on,  and  in  1861  such  deep  feeling  was  manifested  that  he  decided 
to  hold  a  meeting 
of  days,  sent  for 
Eld.  J.  C.  Maple, 
and  they  held  a 
meeting,  at  the 
close  of  which,  in 
that  old  log  house, 
they  constituted  a 
church  of  thirty 
members,  which 
was  named  Hub- 
ble's  Creek,  from 
a  stream  of  the 
same  name  near 
by.  To  this  body 
he  ministered  un- 
til his  death,  dur- 
ing which  time 
but  few  months 
elapsed  that  h  e 
did  not  bury  some 
new  convert  into 
the  likeness  of 
Christ's  death.  Hubble's  Creek  in  a  short  time  grew  into  a  strong 
and  active  body,  and  they  have  built  a  good  house  of  worship. 
Eld.  James  Eeid  was  Bro.  Clark's  successor  in  the  pastoral  ofiice. 

The  minutes  show  that  for  a  number  of  years  Bro.  Clark  acted 
as  moderator  of  the  Cape  Girardeau  Association.  In  this  posi- 
tion he  acted  with  his  usual  kindness,  and  if  he  committed  any 
blunder  in  rendering  his  decisions,  he  did  so  on  the  side  of  ten- 
derness. 

Bro.  J.  C.  Maple,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  the  foregoing  facts, 
relates  the  following  incident  in  the  life  of  Eld.  Clark.  He  says: 


REV.  JOHN  H.  CLARK. 


284  CAPE    GIRARDEAU    ASSOCIATION. 

*'I  once  rode  with  him  some  thirty -five  or  forty  miles,  to  aid 
in  the  ordination  of  a  minister.  We  had  been  invited  by  the 
church  of  which  the  brother  was  a  member.  Bro.  Clark  was  the 
moderator  of  the  presbytery  which  decided  to  ordain  the  man. 
After  the  adjournment  of  the  first  meeting,  several  brethren  of 
unimpeachable  integrity  came  to  Bro.  Clark  and  informed  him 
that  the  man  was  not  honest  and  perhaps  untruthful.  Brother 
Clark  took  him  aside  and  after  telling  him  in  his  own  kind  and 
even  fatherly  way  of  what  he  had  heard  of  him,  told  him  plain- 
ly that  the  cause  of  Christ  was  at  stake  in  this  matter,  and  we 
could  not  lay  hands  on  him.  We  never  learned  the  subsequent 
history  of  that  man.  The  church  which  had  wickedly  consented 
to  call  the  council  in  order  to  get  rid  of  his  importunities,  was 
greatly  pleased  with  the  conduct  of  the  presbytery." 

On  returning  home  one  night  sick  from  Ebenezer,  nine  miles 
from  the  Cape,  he  said  to  his  wife,  "  My  work  is  done."  This  ill- 
ness was  long  and  painful,  but  borne  with  a  patience  which  as- 
tonished all.  He  bade  his  family  and  friends  farewell,  left  mes- 
sages for  his  churches,  and  April  4,  1869,  breathed  his  last. 

The  association  held  its  session  in  1864  at  Hubble's  Creek 
Church;  58  baptisms  were  reported ;  one  church.  Pleasant  Grove, 
having  reported  48  of  that  number.  Only  nine  churches  were 
represented . 

Crushing  were  the  trials  under  which  the  body  met  in  Septem- 
ber, 1865.  The  mouths  of  the  ministers  present  were  locked  by 
the  "Test  Oath,"  The  minutes  record  that  the  ''introductory  ser- 
mon was  to  have  been  delivered  by  Elder  John  H.  Clark;  but 
owing  to  the  restrictions  imposed  by  the  new  constitution  of  the 
state,  he  was  unable  to  do  so,  being  unwilling  to  take  the  oath 
prescribed  therein." 

By  resolution  the  churches  were  earnestly  recommended  to 
keep  up  their  regular  monthlj^  meetings,  their  vSunday-schools 
and  prayer  meetings,  in  view  of  the  probability  that  they  would 
be  deprived  of  pastoral  labor  by  the  Test  Oath.  Nineteen  church- 
es appear  on  the  list  this  year  (1865),  but  only  six  of  this  num- 
ber sent  messengers. 

From  1867  to  1870  the  associational  minutes  show  that  meet- 
ings were  held  regularl}-,  and  that  the  churches  were  greatly 
prospered.  Ministerial  help  began  to  increase.  In  1867  G.  F. 
Brayton  and  J.  G.  Shearer;  in  1868  James  Eeid  ;  and  in  1869,  J. 
S.  Jordan  moved  into  the  bounds  of  the  association.  And  Bro. 
Jonas  Hoffman  was  ordained  in  1867,  Bro.  B.  L.Bowman  in  1869, 


CAPE    GIRARDEAU    ASSOCIATION.  285 

and  Bro.  J.  T.  Ford  in  1870,  so  that  in  the  short  space  of  three 
years  seven  ministers  were  given  the  chnrches  in  the  associa- 
tion. 

At  the  session  in  1870  an  amended  constitution  was  adopted, 
which  provides  that  the  "  association  shall  be  composed  of  life 
members  and  messengers  sent  by  the  churches."  Ten  dollars 
given  at  one  time  constitutes  a  ''  life  member." 

In  1876  the  association  numbered  29  churches.  Several  were 
that  year  dismissed  to  form  a  new  association — mostly,  we  think, 
in  Scott  County. 

In  1878  the  Cape  Girardeau  Association  was  composed  of  twen- 
ty churches,  embracing  in  whole  or  in  part  the  counties  of  Cape 
Girardeau,  Scott,  Mississippi,  Perry  and  New  Madrid.  Her  min- 
isters were  T.  A.  Bowman,  John  T.  Ford,  C.  B.  Ford,  J.  F.  God- 
win, Z.  A.  Hoppas,  J.  M.  Warren  and  W.  H.  Welker.  Total  mem- 
bership 557.  She  had  standing  committees  on  Sunday-schools, 
on  foreign  missions,  on  state  missions,  on  religious  literature,  on 
education,  on  family  worship  and  on  the  state  of  the  churches. 

The  58th  annual  session  was  held  at  Cape  Girardeau,  August 
19-21,  1881 ;  when  Eld.  J.  Hickman  was  elected  moderator  and 
Eld.  T.  A.  Bowman  clerk.  Fourteen  churches  were  on  the  list, 
5  of  which  were  without  pastors.  Statistics  of  eleven  churches 
were  given  showing  their  aggregate  membership  to  be  426 ;  20 
converts  had  been  baptized  and  $125.20  had  been  expended  in 
itinerant  work  in  the  bounds  of  the  association,  with  Eev.  T.  A. 
Bowman  as  missionary. 

Jackson  Church. — Save  one,  this  is  now  the  largest  church  in 
the  association.  It  was  organized  April  30,  1824,  mostly  of  mem- 
bers from  Bethel,  the  most  active  and  evangelical  element  of 
which  it  gradually  absorbed ;  the  residue  of  which  became  in- 
different to  progress  and  finally  dissolved.  The  Jackson  Church 
in  1882  numbered  64  members  with  Joshua  Hickman  as  its  pas- 
tor. 

Gravel  Hill. — This  church  was  organized  in  1870,  and  sever- 
al years  ago  was  one  of  the  strongest  in  the  association  numer- 
ically, and  had  Eld.  J.  M.  Warren  as  pastor.  No  statistics  are 
now  given.     Eld.  J.  T.  Ford  was  pastor  in  1882, 

Cape  Girardeau. — This  church  occupies  the  most  important 
field  in  the  association,  being  in  Cape  Girardeau,  a  town  of  sev- 
eral thousand  inhabitants,  and  located  on  the  Mississippi  Eiver, 
with  a  strong  Catholic  element  to  antagonize.  It  was  organized 
August  13,  1834,  by  Eld.  Thomas  P.  Green,  with  9  members.    Its 


286  CAPE    GIRARDEAU    ASSOCIATION. 

house  of  worship  is  a  neat  brick  edifice,  valued  at  $1,500.  The 
number  of  members  in  1882  was  63.  The  pastors  have  been :  first, 
T.  P.  Green,  succeeded  by  J.  H.  Clark,  Samuel  Baber,  D.  D., 
S.  H.  Ford,  LL.  D.,  W.  F.  Nelson,  Jas.  S.  Green,  A.  Sherwood, 
D.  D.,  J.  C.  Maple,  G.  F.  Brayton  J.  S.  Jordan  and  Joshua 
Hickman. 

Union  Church. — The  organization  of  this  body  was  effected 
with  18  members,  the  first  Lord's  day  in  May,  1832,  and  that 
year  it  united  with  the  Cape  Girardeau  Association. 

Pleasant  Hill, — in  Scott  Countj-,  was  organized  in  1828. 

HuBBEL  Creek. — This  church  of  44  members  was  organized 
in  1861. 

Pleasant  Grove. — Located  in  Perry  County,  was  organized 
in  1839. 

Mt.  Moriah, — in  Matthew's  Prairie,  Scott  County  was  con- 
stituted in  1830. 

Apple  Creek. — This  was  once  an  "arm"  of  Bethel,  and  be- 
came a  separate  organization  in  1820,  the  members  for  that  pur- 
pose getting  letters  of  dismission  from  the  mother  church  Sept. 
9th  of  that  year. 

Ebenezer — is  located  in  the  Big  Bend  of  the  Mississippi,  Cape 
Girardeau  County.  Its  organization  was  consummated  June  9, 
1821.  The  constituent  members  (five  in  number)  were  dismissed 
from  Bethel  Church. 

Mt.  Zion. — This  church  first  appears  as  a  member  of  the  Cape 
Girardeau  Association  in  1830,  at  which  time  it  consisted  of  26 
members. 

Cypress — was  organized  in  1827,  in  Scott  County.  The  church 
of  this  name  now  existing  was  organized  twenty  years  later  by 
Henry  E.  Hempstead,  of  four  members;  and  again  the  church 
was  reorganized  in  1867  by  J.  G.  Shearer. 

Little  Eiver. — This  is  now  Sylvania  Church,  under  which 
name  it  was  reorganized  and  admitted  into  the  association  in 
1871.  The  old  church  (Little  Eiver)  was  first  organized  about 
the  j^ear  1845,  by  Thomas  Owens,  with  5  members,  and  was  lo- 
cated in  the  Little  Eiver  country',  Scott  County. 

Harmony, — was  among  the  pioneer  churches  of  this  part  of  the 
state,  having  been  constituted  in  1830,  in  Mississippi  County. 
This  body  must  have  been  disbanded  in  subsequent  years.  The 
present  Harmony  Church  was  organized  April  29,  1855,  by  W. 
D.  Terry,  M.W.  Holland,  H.  B.  Graves  and  G.  W.  Coker,  of 
only  3  members. 


CAPE    GIRARDEAU    ASSOCIATION.  287 

Dry  Creek. — This  flock  was  gathered  prior  to  1816 — no  more 
is  now  known  of  it. 

Goshen, — situated  near  Oak  Eidge,  Cape  Girardeau  County, 
was  organized  by  Peter  Williams,  February  20,  1841.  Eld.  Wil- 
liams became  first  pastor  and  served  six  years. 

Hebron  Church. — This,  too,  is  a  daughter  of  Bethel  Church, 
having  been  organized  in  May,  1822.  On  the  eleventh  of  that 
month  Bethel  Church  dismissed  the  following  members  for  that 
purpose  :  Polly  Green,  Abraham  Eandal,  Eebekah  Eandal,  Ma- 
ry Eandal,  Simon  Poe,  James  Eandal,  Nancy  Eandal,  Samuel  K. 
Parker,  Elizabeth  McMiller,  Elizabeth  Parker,  Eebekah  Poe, 
James  Holcomb,  Francis  Holcomb,  Susannah  Williams,  Matilda 
Williams,  Benjamin  Hitt  and  Sarah  Hitt.  Also  Judge  Thomas 
Juden,  then  late  of  Baltimore,  united  in  the  organization  of  the 
church.  The  Hebron  Church  is  located  some  four  or  five  miles 
northwest  from  Cape  Girardeau,  and  was  organized  by  Thomas 
P.  Green,  assisted  by  Thomas  Juden.  The  church  in  1879  was 
without  a  pastor,  and  numbered  only  13  members.  For  1881  no 
statistics  are  given. 

Judge  Thomas  Juden — for  some  years  an  active  and  efiicient 
member  of  the  Hebron  Church,  was  born  in  the  citj'  of  Balti- 
more, Md.,  April  12,  1799.  His  parents  were  from  England, 
where  his  eldest  sister  was  born.  In  accordance  with  the  old 
and  well  established  custom  of  that  country,  Thomas  was  in 
early  life  put  to  a  trade,  and  continued  his  apprenticeship  until 
he  was  a  thorough  master  of  his  chosen  handicraft.  When  in  his 
sixteenth  year  he  was  converted  and  became  a  member  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  his  native  city.  In  the  spring  of  1820 
he  set  his  face  for  "the  far  West";  and  in  company  with  some 
others  he  crossed  from  Baltimore  over  the  mountains  to  the  Ohio 
Eiver,  down  which  he  floated  to  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  Thence 
on  foot  he  made  his  way  to  Jackson,  Cape  Girardeau  County. 
On  the  22d  of  March,  1822,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Hol- 
comb, who  survived  him.  In  May  following  he  aided  in  organ- 
izing, and  became  a  member  of  the  Hebron  Baptist  Church.  He 
bought  a  tract  of  land  some  3  miles  from  Jackson  on  the  road  to 
the  Cape,  from  many  acres  of  which  he  soon  cleared  away  the 
forest  and  put  them  into  cultivation.  Owing  to  a  defective  title  the 
whole  was  afterwards  wrested  from  him,  and  with  a  growing 
family  about  him  he  had  to  begin  life  anew.  He  then  purchased 
from  his  brother,  the  late  Col.  G.  W.  Juden,  the  farm  which  be- 
came his  lifelong  home,  and  where  now  his  body  rests. 


288  CAPE    GIRARDEAU   ASSOCIATION. 

"While  living  near  Jackson,  the  church  in  that  place  being  in 
need  of  some  one  to  fill  the  responsible  position  of  deacon,  and  hav- 
ing no  male  member  suitable  for  the  office,  it  petitioned  Hebron 
Church  to  part  with  Thomas  Juden  that  he  might  unite  with 
them  and  take  the  vacant  position.  This  request  was  acceded  to, 
and,  until  his  removal  to  Cape  Girardeau,  he  continued  to  honor 
the  charge  assigned  him,  afterwards  filling  the  same  office  in  the 
church  at  that  city. 

Thomas  Juden  was  highly  esteemed  as  a  Christian  and  as  a 
citizen.  He  was  for  years  moderator  of  the  Cape  Grirardeau 
Association,  in  which  office  he  gave  full  satisfaction  to  his  breth- 
ren. He  also  filled  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  constituents  the 
honorable  position  of  justice  of  the  county  court.  And  although 
he  lived  56  3'ears  in  Cape  Grirardeau  County,  no  one  ever  found 
a  blemish  upon  his  character. 

He  died  a  triumphant  death  at  his  residence,  two  and  a  half 
miles  north  of  Cape  Girardeau,  February  8,  1876,  having  almost 
reached  his  77th  year.* 

Addenda. — We  have  before  said  that  the  old  Cape  Girardeau 
Association  was  a  missionary  body.  To  confirm  that  statement 
we  give  the  following  from  the  minutes.  In  1832  the  Bethel 
Church  in  her  letter  solicited  the  association  "to  strike  out  of  her 
constitution  all  features  relative  to  missionary  subjects  and  ob- 
jects." In  answer  to  this  the  association,  at  the  same  session, 
adopted  the  following: 

^'■Resolved,  At  the  request  of  the  Bethel  Church,  that  the  asso- 
ciation strike  out  of  her  constitution  and  preamble,  all  the  parts 
bordering  on  missionary  subjects  and  objects,  and  particularly 
out  of  the  preamble,  from  the  word  'church'  in  the  third  line  to 
the  word  'therefore'  in  the  eighth  line,"  etc. 

In  1839  this  subject  was  again  acted  upon,  in  these  words : 
"  Upon  an  examination  of  the  constitution  of  the  association, 
together  with  the  order  made  at  their  meeting  in  1832,  striking 
out  certain  parts  thereof,  the  association  is  of  opinion  that  no 
part  of  the  constitution  is  by  that  order  stricken  out,  because  it 
does  not  point  out  clearly  the  parts  intended  to  be  struck  out; 
and  that  this  association  are  of  the  opinion  that  they  have  from 
the  constitution  the  right  to  take  such  steps  as  they  may  deem 
expedient  to  supply  the  destitute  churches  in  her  bounds." 
Such  was  the  deportment  of  those  opposed  to  missions,  that 
*  The  substance  of  this  sketch  was  furnished  us  by  Mrs.  Ann  E.  Wilson. 


CAPE    GIRARDEAU    ASSOCIATION.  289 

the  friends  of  this  work,  as  a  peace  measure,  withdrew  before  the 
next  meeting  of  the  association  and  became  what  was  for  a  time 
called  "■  The  New  Cape  Girardeau  Association,"  but  which  was 
in  reality  the  old  Cape  Girardeau  Association,  because  it  adhered 
to  the  old  constitution,  while  what  was  by  some  regarded  the  old 
body  was  schismatical,  because  it  adopted  a  new  constitution,  a 
new  policy  and  a  new  name,  styling  itself,  from  1841,  "  The  Cape 
Girardeau  Association  of  Jtegula?-  Baptists," 


ly 


CHAPTER  Vni. 


SALEM  ASSOCIATION. 

Organization  and  Historj-  of— Corps  of  Earnest  Preachers — Her  Highest  Degree  of 
Prosperity  in  1836 — Harmony  Interrupted — Split  on  Missions — Opposition  to  the 
"  Central  Society  " — Becomes  Anti-Missionary — Mistaken  Policy — Pej'ton  Stephens 
— W.  Cunningham — Deacon  E.  Stephens — Jahez  Ham — Stephen  Ham — Theo. 
Boulware — The  Shouting  Sister. 

SUCH  was  its  rapid  growth  that  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association 
deemed  it  expedient  to  divide  again.  Accordingly  at  its 
session  in  1827  the  following  was  adopted  : 

"  This  association  agrees  to  divide  by  the  line  between  ranges 
thirteen  and  fourteen,  so  that  the  churches  east  of  that  line  may 
form  into  a  new  association,"  etc. 

Pursuant  to  the  foregoing  action,  thirteen  churches,  viz. :  Lit- 
tle Bonne  Femme,  Mt.  Vernon,  Eocky  Fork,  Cedar  Creek,  Sa- 
lem (Coates'  Prairie),  Union,  Liberty,  Columbia,  Middle  Eiver, 
Freedom,  Providence,  New  Providence  and  Enon  met  at  Cedar 
Creek  meeting-house,  Callaway  County,  October  20,  1827,  and 
organized  the  ''  Salem  Association."  This  was  the  title  of  the 
new  association.     It  embraced  the  following 

Ministers. — David  Doyle,  Anderson  Woods,  James  Suggett, 
Thomas  Henson,  Ninian  Eidgeway,  Thos.  P.  Stephens,  J.  C.  Mc- 
Kay and  Alia  B.  Snethen.  The  aggregate  membership  of  the 
churches  was  513.  Dr.  David  Doyle  was  moderator  and  Wm. 
Jewell  clerk. 

The  Salem  Association  was  the  third  colony  from  the  old 
Mt.  Pleasant,  with  which  it  proposed  correspondence  at  its  first 
meeting.  At  the  second  meeting  correspondence  was  opened 
with  the  Concord,  Salt  Eiver  and  Cuivre  Associations. 

For  the  first  ten  j'ears  the  sessions  were  held  as  follows  :  at 
Little  Bonne  Femme  Church  in  1828 ;  at  Eocky  Fork  in  1829  ; 
at  Samuel  Boone's  house  in  1830;  at  Union,  Boone  County,  in 
1831;  at  Fulton  in  1832;  at  Gilead  in  1833;  at  Salem,  Boone 
County,  in  1834;  at  Millersburg  in  1835;  at  Providence  in  1836, 
and  at  Eocky  Fork  in  1837, 

She  had  a  corps  of  earnest  gospel  preachers,  and  for  the  first 
nine  or  ten  years  of  her  history  the  churches  were  enlarged, 


SALEM    ASSOCIATION.  291 

strengthened  and  multiplied.  The  total  net  increase  of  mem- 
bers was  546,  making  an  aggregate  membership  of  1,058  in  1836. 
She  never  afterwards  reached  the  same  numerical  strength. 

At  the  third  meeting  several  changes  were  made  in  the  arti- 
cles of  faith,  or  constitution,  as  they  called  it.  Two  years  there- 
after the  Freedom  Church  complained  that  the  association  had 
proceeded  illegally  in  making  said  changes.  The  subject  was 
taken  up  by  the  association,  and  after  a  lengthy  debate  it  reached 
the  following  conclusion  :  ''  That  this  association  had  no  power 
to  change  the  constitution,  and  that,  therefore,  the  constitution, 
as  given  by  the  convention,  is  the  only  constitution  which  the 
association  can  recognize,  till  altered  or  made  anew  by  another 
convention  called  for  and  appointed  by  a  majority  of  the  church- 
es composing  the  association." 

In  1836  the  harmony  of  the  association  was  interrupted  by  the 
presenting  of  two  letters  from  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  there 
having  been  in  that  body  a  division  on  missions,  each  part 
claiming  to  be  the  original  association.  By  one  or  both  parties 
claiming  to  be  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  the  appointment  of  a 
joint  committee  was  solicited  from  Salem  and  Fishing  River  As- 
sociations. After  a  consultation,  "  It  was  agreed  that  a  friendly 
letter  be  written  to  each  division  claiming  to  be  said  Association, 
and  brethren  Suggett,  Boulware,  Duncan,  Campbell,  Stephens, 
Davis,  Boone  and  Thomas  were  appointed  a  committee  of  con- 
ference." 

In  1837  the  association  met  with  Rocky  Fork  Church,  Boone 
County.  On  Saturday  the  joint  committee  made  its  report,  giv- 
ing advice,  which  was  acted  upon  as  follows: 

"Agreed  that  we  receive  the  advice  of  the  committee  from  Sa- 
lem and  Fishing  River  Associations,  and  to  have  the  advice  pub- 
lished in  our  minutes,  viz. :  '  Forasmuch  as  the  Mt.  Pleasant  As- 
sociation is  now  divided  on  the  subject  of  missions,  and  they 
have  unitedly  called  for  a  committee  from  Salem  and  Fishing 
River  Associations,  and  those  committees  being  assembled  (to 
adjust  the  difficulty,  and,  if  possible,  reconcile  the  contending 
parties)  at  the  meeting-house  called  Mt.  Zion,  in  the  county  of 
Howard,  properly  in  order,  and  the  parties  being  also  assem- 
bled, were  called  upon  by  the  moderator,  and  did  lay  in  all  their 
claims  of  being  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  together  with  all 
their  grievances  one  with  the  other,  and  after  hearing  all  that 
each  party  had  to  say  on  the  subject,  give  the  following  as  their 
most  clear  conviction  and  the  deliberative  opinion,  viz. :  We  the 


292  SALEM    ASSOCIATION. 

committee  advise  those  who  are  called  missionary  brethren  to 
withdraw  their  names  from  the  Central  Society,  or  any  other  mis- 
sionary society,  and  take  their  seats  with  the  rest  of  their  breth- 
ren; and,  2d,  that  those  who  are  called  anti-missionary  brethren 
cordially  embrace  their  brethren,  allowing  them,  and  all  the  rest 
of  their  brethren,  the  liberty  of  conscience  and  privilege  of  giv- 
ing their  money  or  anything  else,  to  the  furtherance  and  pros- 
perity of  the  cause  of  G-od  as  they  may  think  proper.'  "  (Minutes 
of  Salem  Association,  1838.) 

The  foregoing  report  was  not  published  until  the  year  after  it 
was  made  and  adopted.  On  Monday  of  this  session  (1837)  the 
same  subject  was  again  taken  up  in  the  following  order  and  with 
the  following  results  : 

"1st.  Called  for  the  unfinished  business  of  Saturday,  on  the 
subject  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  and  agreed  to  correspond 
with  the  anti-missionary  part  of  said  association  It  was  also 
proposed  to  correspond  with  the  missionary  part  of  said  associ- 
ation, which  proposition  was  rejected ;  whereupon  Brethren  Sug- 
gett  and  Thomas,  our  moderator  and  clerk,  withdrew  from  the 
association." 

"  Brother  T.  P.  Stephens  appointed  moderator,  and  O.  Harris, 
clerk,  to  fill  their  places." 

Thus  was  the  association  rent  in  twain.  The  following  year 
(1838)  four  churches,  viz.:  Little  Bonne  Femme,  Columbia,  Nash- 
ville and  Mt.  Horeb,  sent  letters  and  messengers  to  the  associa- 
tion, seeking  a  reconciliation  ;  but  failing,  withdrew,  and  the 
next  year  formed  a  new  association.  (See  history  of  Little  Bonne 
Femme  Association.) 

From  this  time  the  Salem  Association  was  anti-missionary  to 
all  intents  and  purposes.  It  fraternized  with  the  anti-mission- 
.  ary  part  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  which  refused  to  allow  the 
missionaries  liberty  of  conscience  in  contributing  money  for  the 
spread  of  the  gospel.  Yet  in  1838  it  adopted  the  following:  "On 
motion,  it  is  agreed  that  this  association  will  not  meddle  with 
the  liberty  (or  duty)  of  anj^  individual  member  contributing  to 
the  support  of  the  ministry,  or  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  as 
they  may  think  proper."  "We  are  free  to  confess  that  we  cannot 
see  why  the  Salem  community  should  have  adopted  the  last 
named  motion,  after  opening  correspondence  with  the  anti-mis-, 
sionary  part  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  which  had  positivel}' 
refused  liberty  of  conscience  on  this  subject,  and  refused  corres- 
pondence with  that  part  of  Mt.  Pleasant  which  simply  asked  for 


SALEM"  ASSOriATTON,  293 

liberty  of  conscience  on  the  subject  of  missions.  (See  history  of 
the  division  in  Mt.  Pleasant  Association.) 

In  1843  the  Salem  Association  numbered  1,054  members  and 
seven  or  eight  ministers.  From  this  date  it  began  to  decline, 
and  so  continued  until  its  aggregate  membership  was  less  than 
when  it  was  first  organized. 

The  minutes  of  1870  give  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — Eocky  Fork,  Cedar  Creek,  Union,  Two  Spring,  G-il- 
ead,  Concord,  Goshen,  Mt.  Carmel,  Davies'  Fork,  Liberty  (Ful- 
ton), Mt.  Tabor,  ]^ew  Liberty,  Middle  Eiver,  New  Providence 
and  Salem  (Coates'  Prairie).  These  churches  were  situated  mostly 
in  the  counties  of  Boone  and  Callaway  ;  one  or  two  were  in  Mont- 
gomery. 

Ministers. — Peter  Kemper,  L.  McGruire,  W.  E.  Stephens,  E.  H. 
Burnham,  F.Jenkins,  T.  Bowen,  C.  Guthrie,  J.  F.  Burnham  and 
S.  Ham;  and  two  licentiates,  E.  E.  Pace  and  James  E.  Lee. 
Baptisms,  26;  contributions,  $26.50;  aggregate  membership,  500. 

We  have  now  passed  over  forty-three  years'  history  of  this  as- 
sociation. For  the  first  nine  or  ten  years  it  was  an  aggressive 
and  prosperous  body.  In  1837  it  took  ground  against  the  Gen- 
eral Association  and  all  other  benevolent  societies,  and  soon  be- 
gan to  grow  smaller,  until  in  1870  its  membership  was  less,  by 
thirteen,  than  it  was  in  1827. 

These  facts  are  recorded  for  the  benefit  of  all  whom  they  may 
concern. 

Thomas  Peyton  Stephens.* — The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  in  Eockingham  County,  ISTorth  Carolina,  in  the  year  1787. 
He  moved  to  Kentucky  in  1815 ;  was  converted  and  united  with 
Mason's  Fork  Baptist  Church  in  1818.  In  the  fall  of  1820  he 
emigrated  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Callaway  County,  soon 
after  which  he,  his  brother  Elijah  (father  of  Hon.  J.  L.  Stephens), 
Wm.  Edwards,  Isaac  Black  and  Abraham  Eenfro,  with  a  few  sis- 
ters, organized  Cedar  Creek  Baptist  Church,  the  oldest  in  Calla- 
way County.  [Salem,  (Coates'  Prairie)  was  older  by  two  or  three 
years.]  Eld.  Stephens  was  pastor  of  this  church  nearly  half  a 
century.  He  felt  it  his  duty  to  severely  oppose  in  the  pulpit  all 
who  difi'ered  from  him  in  doctrine. 

His  home  church.  Cedar  Creek,  held  only  monthly  meetings, 
and  during  his  early  life  he  generally  supplied  as  pastor  three 
other  churches.  He  was  conscientiously  opposed  to  ministers 
receiving  a  stipulated   salarj^  for    their  services,  and  opposed 

*  The  substance  of  this  sketch  was  furnished  by  Hon.  J.  L.  Stephens,  of  Columbia. 


294 


SALEM    ASSOCIATION. 


with  all  his  might  the  organization  of  the  General  Associa- 
tion for  missionary  purposes.  He  and  Eld.  Theodorick  Boul- 
ware  led  the  division  movement  in  the  association,  and  until 
their  death  they  were  regarded,  throughout  Korth  Missouri,  as 
the  leaders  of  the  anti-mission  party.  Boulware  was  a  man  of 
more  culture  —  Stephens  was  more  determined  and  constant, 
hence  more  felt. 

Although  Stephens  was  what  is  popularly  called  an  uneduca- 
ted man,  yet  he  had  a  fine  stock  of  information,  and  his  influence 
will  he  felt  in  his  field  of  labor  for  many  years  to  come.  As  a 
legitimate  fruit  of  his  peculiar  views  on  the  subject  of  minister- 
ial support  he  relates,  himself,  that  he  preached  for  Old  Eocky 

Fork  Church 
twenty-five  years, 
for  which  he  re- 
ceived "  one  scrub 
sheep  an  done 
drab  overcoat." 

Elder  Stephens 
was  of  the  ex- 
treme Calvinistic 
school.  His  man- 
ner of  address  was 
feeling  and  pa" 
thetic,  often  mov- 
ing a  large  part  of 
Ills  audience  to 
tears.  In  the  so- 
cial circle  he  ex- 
celled, and  here 
he  was  a  universal 
favorite.  It  was 
no  unusual  thing 
to  see  half  a  dozen 
to  a  dozen  men  gather  around  him  and  listen  for  hours  to  his 
entertaining  conversation. 

Once  a  year  he  would  usually  make  an  extended  tour  among 
the  associations,  and  his  name  was  generally  on  the  list  of  preach- 
ers for  Sunday. 

The  following  facts  are  from  his  obituarj'  in  the  minutes  of 
Salem  Association  for  1866:  <' Eld.  Thos.  P.  Stephens  died  on 
Sunday,  April  2,  1865,  at  his  residence  in  Callaway  County,  Mo., 


REV.  THOS.  P.  STEPHENS. 


SALEM   ASSOCIATION. 


296 


after  a  short  illness,  aged  78  years.  He  leaves  behind  him  a  lov- 
ing wife  and  children,  and  many  friends  to  mourn  his  loss.  The 
deceased  was  three  times  married  :  in  1817  to  Miss  Edwards ;  in 
1827  to  Miss  Hall  of  Indiana;  and  to  his  third  wife,  Mrs.  Nancy 
Shields,  of  Howard  County,  in  1835,  who  survives  him.  Eld.  T. 
P.  Stephens  was  a  faithful  minister  in  the  Baptist  denomination 
for  half  a  century.  His  Christian  character  was  pure  and  unsul- 
lied, and  his  influence  was  given  to  the  building  up  of  the  Bap- 
tist cause  in  the  West."  No  man  was  more  unflinching  and  un- 
compromising in  declaring  the  truth  as  preached  by  the  anti- 
missionary  Baptists. 

William  Cunningham, — another  minister  in  Salem  Association, 
died  in  the  spring  of  1868,  in  the  prime  of  life.  He  was  regard- 
ed as  a  true  believer  in  Christ  and  the  doctrines  of  the  Baptists, 
which  he  was  ready  and  willing  at  all  times  to  defend.  He  was 
a  man  of  feeble  bodily  powers.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was 
pastor  of  several  churches  who  felt  deeply  his  loss. 

Elijah  Stephens;* — elder  brother  of  Eev.  Thomas  P.  Steph- 
ens, was  born  on 
the  Dan  River, 
in  Eockingham 
County,  North 
Carolina,  Janu- 
ary 26,  17  8  5. 
His  grandfather, 
John  Stephens, 
was  an  English- 
man. In  1812  he 
m  arri  ed  Miss 
Patsy  Eenfro  of 
Kentucky,  and 
about  four  years 
thereafter  he  uni- 
ted with  the  Bap- 
tist church  at  Ma- 
son's Fork,  of  the 
same  state,  giv- 
ing the  brightest 
evidence  of  con- 
version. In  the 
fall  of  1819  he  and  his  wife,  with  their  children,  Lock,Wm.,  Jas. 

*MS  of  Hod.  J.  L.  Stephens. 


ELIJAH   STEPHENS. 


296  SALEM   ASSOCIATION. 

L.  and  Mary,  moved  to  Boone  County,  Missouri,  settling  on  the 
east  side  of  Two  Mile  Prairie,  some  twelve  miles  east  of  Colum- 
bia, where  he  spent  an  unusually  quiet  life  as  farmer. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  old  Cedar  Creek  Church  in 
1821  or  '22,  he  was  elected  deacon,  and  filled  the  office  until  his 
death.  After  a  brief  illness  of  six  days  he  gently  and  quietly 
breathed  his  last,  and  followed  his  fathers.  This  event  occur- 
red about  one  year  after  the  death  of  his  brother,  Elder  T.  P. 
Stephens. 

Jabez  Ham — deserves  to  be  numbered  among  the  early  preach- 
ers of  Missouri.  He  was  born  in  Madison  County,  Ky.,  in  1797,  and 
moved  to  Missouri  in  1817.  He  began  to  preach  in  1824,  having 
become  a  Baptist  sometime  previous  to  this.  About  the  year 
1826  he  organized  the  New  Providence  Baptist  Church  on  Lou- 
tre  Creek  near  the  western  boundary  of  Montgomery  County. 
In  the  division  he  and  his  church  went  with  the  anti-missionar- 
ies. He  was  a  man  of  limited  education,  but  of  a  strong,  active 
mind,  and  with  a  proper  degree  of  culture  would  have  been  a  re- 
markable man.  At  times,  in  exhortation,  he  was  powerful.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812-'15  and  filled  the  office  of  trum- 
peter. 

After  a  somewhat  active  ministry  of  about  sixteen  years,  he 
died  at  his  home  in  Callaway  County,  and  was  buried  at  New 
Providence  Church,  in  Montgomery  County. 

His  wife,  Hannah  Todd  of  Kentucky,  became  the  mother  of 
fourteen  children.  She  survived  him  and  in  1879  lived  near  Pop- 
lar Bluff,  Missouri. 

Stephen  Ham, — a  younger  brother  of  Jabez,  was  born  in  Mad- 
ison County,  Kentucky,  June,  1804.  He  married  Jane  Johnson, 
of  his  native  state,  and  moved  to  Missouri  in  1828,  settling  near 
the  western  boundary  of  Montgomery  County,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  which  he  lived  until  near  his  death.  (Mr.  Ham  moved 
to  the  home  farm,  where  he  is  now  buried,  in  1838.) 

In  the  year  1843  the  Salem  Association  met  at  Middle  Eiver 
Church  in  Callaway  County,  September  3-5.  To  this  session,  the 
New  Providence  Church,  of  which  Mr.  Ham  was  a  member,  sent 
a  request  that  he  be  ordained  to  the  ministry.  He  was  accord- 
ingly ordained  by  Elds.  B.  Wren,  P.  Kemper,  T.  Campbell,  and 
brethren  Davis  and  Fuqua,  who  were  present  as  visitors. 

He  was  somewhat  active  in  the  ministry  for  about  twenty 
or  twenty-five  years.  He  preached  at  Salem  (Coates'  Prairie) 
Church  eighteen  years. 


SALEM    ASSOCIATION.  297 

He  succeeded  his  brother  Jabez  in  the  pastoral  office  at  New 
Providence,  commencing  probably  a  year  or  two  before  his  or- 
dination as  a  stated  supply  to  the  church.  He  continued  with 
this  church  some  twenty  years.  He  also  preached  for  some  years 
at  Freedom  (Frog  Pond)  Church  on  South  Bear  Creek,  Mont- 
gomery Count}". 

His  death  occurred  March  29,  1879,  at  his  temporary  home 
with  his  youngest  son  at  Montgomery  City,  Mo.;  and  his  mortal 
remains  were  deposited  in  the  family  cemetery  on  his  old  farm. 

Theodorick  Boulware. — This  distinguished  Baptist  minister 
was  of  Irish  and  English  parentage,  born  in  Essex  County,  Vir- 
ginia, November  13,  1780.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he  professed 
conversion  and  united  with  the  Forks  of  Elkhorn  Church,  Ky., 
then  under  the  ministry  of  Eld.  W.  Hickman.  His  parents  mov- 
ed to  Kentucky  when  he  was  a  child  four  years  of  age. 

Having  been  ordained  a  Baptist  minister  in  July,  1810,  by  Elds. 
Suggett  and  Ficklin,  he  spent  about  seventeen  years  in  active 
ministerial  duties  in  Kentucky,  and  removed  to  Missouri  in  the 
spring  of  1827,  settling  two  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Fulton,  Cal- 
laway County,  and  camping  out  until,  by  the  help  of  ten  or  twelve 
of  his  new  neighbors,  a  log  cabin  was  built.  He  was  pastor  of  the 
following  churches  in  Kentucky:  Buck  Run,  Big  Spring,  North 
Elkhorn  and  Clear  Creek.  He  also,  once  a  month,  visited  and 
preached  to  the  convicts  in  the  state  prison  at  Frankfort.  In  1823 
the  Buck  Run  Church  enjoyed  a  precious  revival  under  his  minis- 
try— some  40  being  received  into  fellowship. 

Soon  after  he  removed  to  Missouri  he  was  pastor  of,  and 
preached  monthly  to  the  following  churches :  Liberty,  Provi- 
dence and  Middle  River.  Mr.  Boulware  continued  preaching  for 
these  churches  for  many  years,  visiting  other  churches  and  asso- 
ciations; and  thus  he  spent  from  three  to  four  months  of  every 
year  up  to  1856,  when  he  received  great  injury  from  a  fall  on  the 
ice.  From  this  hurt  he  never  fully  recovered,  though  he  after- 
wards traveled  and  preached  some. 

Eld.  Boulware  was  a  man  of  high  order  of  talents,  had  a  lib- 
eral education,  and  was  an  impressive,  forcible  and  eloquent 
preacher.  He  appealed  to  the  judgment  rather  than  the  pas- 
sions of  men.  As  illustrative  of  this  feature  of  his  ministry,  we 
give  the  following  anecdote.  In  his  autobiography  he  says: 
"While  addressing  a  large  audience,  some  shouted  aloud.  I  sat 
down,  the  noise  ceased.  I  said,  '  If  it  is  my  duty  to  speak,  it  is 
your  duty  to  hear.     I  have  not  come  to  address  your  passions 


298  SALEM    ASSOCIATION. 

but  your  understandings.'  Stepping  out  at  the  door,  a  lady, 
shaking  my  hand,  humorously  said,  '  AVhen  I  get  to  heaven,  I 
will  shout  as  loud  as  I  please.'  I  replied,  <I  have  no  objection, 
sister,  but  that  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  behave  better 
here.'  " 

In  the  controversy,  in  1835,  on  missions.  Eld.  Boulware  was 
determined  and  uncompromising  in  his  opposition  to  what  he 
called  the  "  new  order  of  things."  He  was  very  earnest  (and 
doubtless  conscientious)  in  his  remonstrances  against  the  forma- 
tion of  the  General  Association  for  missionary  purposes. 

He  had  not  a  superior  in  his  day  in  the  West  as  a  defender  of 
the  doctrines  held  by  the  people  of  his  faith.  While  in  Ken- 
tucky he  was  solicited  at  different  times  to  settle  in  Henderson, 
G-eorgetown  and  Cincinnati,  being  offered  a  salary  ranging  from 
g500  to  $900;  but  declined  because  he  was  unwilling  to  raise  his 
family  in  town. 

On  one  occasion,  while  preaching  at  Versailles,  he  made  the 
following  declaration  :  "  The  resources  of  the  gospel  are  not  for 
that  sort  of  Christians  that  can  arrive  at  a  state  of  sinless  perfec- 
tion." Whereupon  four  or  five  gentlemen  and  ladies  arose,  look- 
ed resentful  and  started  for  the  door.  "  Stop,  stop,"  said  Boul- 
ware, "  I  did  not  know  you  were  here.  Hear  the  whole  story. 
Once  is  often  enough  to  be  damned,  but  if  any  should  be  twice 
damned  it  is  those  who  can  do  so  much  good,  and  do  not  do  any; 
that  is  all,  gentlemen,  that  is  all ;  now  go."  (Sketch  of  the  Life 
of  Theo.  Boulware,  p.  8.) 

Eld.  Boulware  was  three  times  married  :  to  Miss  Susan  W. 
Kelly,  of  Kentucky,  April  17,  1808,  who  died  in  January,  1854. 
In  .Tune,  1855,  he  married  Mrs.  E.  H.  Offutt,  who  died  December 
7,  1857.  His  third  wife  was  Mrs.  A.  W.  Young,  whom  he  mar- 
ried  in  September,  1865.  He  was  the  father  often  children,  nine 
of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 

On  account  of  the  Test  Oath,  and  being  threatened  with  impris- 
onment, he  left  Missouri  in  1866  and  went  to  live  with  his  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  C.  A.  Rogers,  near  Georgetown,  Kentucky.  He  was 
now  quite  feeble,  but  on  several  occasions  sat  in  the  pulpit  and 
preached  at  Dry  Eun  Baptist  Church,  near  his  daughter's.  He 
was  now  nearing  his  home  on  high.  His  theme  was  religion, 
and  his  companion  the  Bible.  He  died  of  general  relaxation, 
September  21,  1867,  being  nearly  87  years  old,  and  having  been 
a  Baptist  77  years,  and  a  minister  of  the  gospel  57  years. 


PERIOD  FOURTH. 
1830-1840. 


CHAPTER  I. 
FEANKLIX  ASSOCIATIOIs^ 

Pormation  and  Early  History  of— J.  C.  Duckworth — Hon.  John  Hatchings — The 
Old  Pioneers — Consecration — Baneful  Influence  of  Intemperance — Robert  Carpen- 
ter— Fundamental  Law — Feet-Washing — War  Period — Missionary  Eevival — Or- 
ganization of  the  Churches — James  Williams — G.  W.  Rturdivant — The  Baptist 
Convention  of  Southern  Missouri. 

FEANKLIN"  Association,  a  daughter  of  the  old  Missouri,  and 
one  of  the  older  bodies  of  the  kind  in  Southeast  Missouri, 
was  organized  at  the  house  of  J.  C.  Duckworth  early  in  the  year 
1832.  Rev.  James  Williams  was  moderator.  Its  churches  were 
gathered  mainly  under  the  labors  of  Elds.  Lewis  and  James  Wil- 
liams. "The  association  embraced  the  counties  of  Franklin  and 
Washington,  and  portions  of  Jefferson,  St.  Francois,  Gasconade 
and  Crawford,  including  a  tract  of  country  about  a  hundred 
miles  square.  Within  these  bounds,  however,  was  the  Missouri 
District  Association,  '  Friends  to  Humanity,'  united  in  doctrinal 
views,  but  differing  on  the  subject  of  slavery  from  the  Franklin 
community.  The  association  held  its  first  annual  meeting  at  Mer- 
amec  Church,  Sept.  14-17,  1832.  The  table  shows  that  there 
were  10  churches,  10  ministers,  82  baptisms,  and  a  total  mem- 
bership of  371."     (Allen's  Megister,  vol.  I,  A.  D.  1838,  page  177.) 

The  second  annual  meeting  convened  at  Potosi,  Washington 
County,  Missouri,  September,  1833.  The  churches  had  increased 
in  number  to  13,  and  in  membership  to  541.  Among  the  pio- 
neers at  this  meeting  was  the  venerable  John  Hutchings,  who, 
in  1820,  was  a  member  of  the  convention  that  formed  the  consti- 
tution of  Missouri.  He  died  only  a  few  years  ago  at  the  advan- 
ced age  of  ninety-four  years. 

From  the  beginning,  the  Franklin  Association  was  eminently 
a  missionary  body.  At  the  time  of  its  formation  there  was  a 
strong  anti-mission  influence  in  southern  Missouri  which  had 
given  trouble  to  some  of  the  older  associations.  She  took  de- 
cided ground  on  the  siibject  in  her  constitution,  as  follows  : 


oOO  FRANKLIX    ASSOCIATTOX. 

"  Art.  2.  Churches  may  be  received  into  this  body  by  ajjpHca- 
tion,  provided  they  are  sound  in  the  faith  and  orderfy  in  prac- 
tice, and  will  not  oppose  those  who  wish  to  be  engaged  in  the 
benevolent  institutions  of  the  day,  leaving  every  member  to  ex- 
ercise his  own  free  will  relative  to  those  institutions." 

In  1834  corresponding  messengers  were  appointed  to  Bethel 
and  Missouri  Associations;  and  on  Sunday  of  this  session  Elds. 
A.  P., Lewis  and  James  Williams  preached.  In  the  minutes  may 
be  found  the  names  of  many  pioneer  ministers  and  brethren, 
who  consecrated  their  all  to  build  up  the  struggling  cause  of  the 
Baptists  of  Southeast  Missouri. 

It  was  in  the  bounds  of  this  association  that  the  "VVilliamses, 
Caldwell,  Carpenter,  Stephens,  Frost,  Brown,  AVhitmore  and 
others  consecrated  their  first  labors  to  build  up  the  Eedeemer's 
kingdom.  Many  of  them  have  gone  to  their  reward,  but  the 
blessed  cause  for  which  they  wept  and  prayed  still  lives.  God 
honored  the  labors  of  these  men. 

In  1835  the  association  met  at  Providence  Church,  St.  Francois 
County.  The  statistics  show  20  churches,  11  ordained  and  4  li- 
censed preachers,  and  797  members — an  increase  over  the  previ- 
ous year  of  140.  In  1837  the  association  recommended  the 
formation  of  Bible  classes  in  the  churches.  Intemperance  was 
the  bane  of  many  churches  in  these  early  times.  This  associa- 
tion raised  her  voice  against  it  in  the  following  resolution,  adopt- 
ed this  year: 

''  Jiesolved,  That  this  association  recommend  to  the  churches  of 
this  body  to  form  a  temperance  society  in  connection  with  each 
church," 

The  seventh  annual  meeting  (1838)  was  held  at  the  Fourche 
Arno  meeting-house.  Eld.  Robert  Carpenter,  one  of  the  pio- 
neers, died  during  the  early  part  of  this  year.  He  was  appoint- 
ed the  preceding  year  to  write  the  circular  letter.  The  contro- 
versy with  the  American  Bible  Society  had  just  terminated  in 
the  formation  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  The 
following  resolutions,  adopted  at  this  meeting,  will  show  how 
this  subject  was  viewed  by  an  association  of  Baptists  in  the  wil- 
derness of  the  West: 

"  Whereas, The'BaiAisi  denomination  in  these  United  States  has 
been  compelled  to  form  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society 
to  sustain  their  missionaries  in  publishing  faithful  translations 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  American  Bible  Society,  through 
which  our  denomination  has  been  accustomed  to  aid  our  Foreign 


FRANKLIN    ASSOCIATION.  301 

Missionaries  in  the  publication  of  the  Word  of  Truth,  having  de- 
clined any  aid  in  the  future  to  foreign  translations,  unless,  in- 
stead of  their  being  faithfully  translated  from  inspired  originals, 
they  are  so  far  conformed  to  the  English  version  that  all  denom- 
inations can  consistently  use  them  in  their  schools  and  commun- 
ities, thereby  cutting  off  all  translations  made  by  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries, who  have  translated  the  Greek  word  baptizo  as  they 
conscientiously  believe  it  ought  to  be  translated  by  a  word  equiv- 
alent to  immersion;  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  the  translation  and  distribution  of  the  word  of 
Grod  among  the  heathen  is  an  object  of  the  first  importance  in 
Christian  effort. 

^^  Resolved,  That  we  sincerely  and  in  the  fear  of  God  approve 
the  course  pursued  by  our  denomination  in  forming  a  separate 
Bible  society  to  circulate  among  the  heathen  the  most  faithful 
versions  that  can  be  produced,  and  recommend  to  the  churches 
and  friends  of  our  denomination  to  aid  b}^  their  prayers  and 
contributions  in  this  good  work." 

From  this  date  the  association  continued  her  work  after  the 
method  usuallj^  adopted  by  such  bodies  with  a  degree  of  success 
which  was  gratifying,  if  not  altogether  satisfactor3^  She  enter- 
tained scriptural  views  of  the  mission  of  churches,  and  sought 
in  every  laudable  way  to  promote  the  evangelization  of  the 
world.  The  logical  result  of  all  this  was  the  numerical  and 
spiritual  growth  of  the  churches.  One  of  the  fundamental  laws 
of  Christianity  is,  that  those  who  labor  to  bless  others,  them- 
selves become  the  recipiej^ts  of  multiplied  blessings.  And  so  it 
was  with  the  Franklin  Association.  During  the  first  years  of 
her  history  she  was  particularly  blessed.  As  early  as  1839  her 
churches  had  increased  in  number  to  26. 

Prominent  in  her  councils  were  brethren  John  Hutchings, 
Uriah  and  Josiah  Johnson,  Isaac  Benning,  Z.  Jennings,  Simeon 
Frost,  J.  C.  and  P.  P.  Brickey,  J.  H.  Bambo,  James  Glenn,  and 
others,  who  have  gone  home  to  heaven. 

Since  the  year  1839  the  bounds  of  Franklin  Association  have 
been  curtailed  from  time  to  time  by  dismissions  to  other  associ- 
ations which  have  grown  up  in  South  Missouri.  It  is  yet  a  large 
body,  covering  a  large  area  of  country,  including,  in  whole  or 
in  part,  the  counties  of  St.  Francois,  Crawford,  Washington, 
Dent,  Eeynolds,  Iron,  Phelps  and  Ste.  Genevieve. 

In  1880  the  session  was  held  at  Union  Church,  Ste.  Genevieve 
County.     The  minutes  show  that  after  all  her  conflicts  and  crop- 


y 


302  FRANKLIN    ASSOCIATION. 

pings  she  has  more  than  maintained  her  ground,  having  23 
churches,  13  ministers  and  a  total  membership  of  1,482  \  §153.50 
had  been  expended  for  associational  purposes. 

Items  of  Interest. — The  first  executive  committee  on  missions 
in  Franklin  Association  was  appointed  in  1841,  consisting  of  Elds. 
James  Williams,  H.  Lassiter,  M.  S.  Smith,  and  Brethren  Jacob 
Boas  and  Charles  Burks.  Bro.  William  S.  Murphy  was  appoint- 
ed at  the  same  session  corresponding  secretar3\ 

Some  years  before  (in  1833)  the  "  Franklin  Missionary  Soci- 
ety" was  organized  ;  but  this  year  (1841)  the  association  having 
taken  entire  control  of  the  missionary  work,  the  society  was 
dissolved. 

At  the  meeting  in  1844,  the  following,  on  motion  of  Bro.  Hun- 
ter, was  adopted : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  be  admin- 
istered at  the  annual  meetings  of  the  association." 

In  1846  this  was  adopted  : 

^^  Resolved,  That  we  view  the  'Saints'  Washing  of  Feet'  as  a 
gospel  ordinance,  and  do  recommend  the  practice  of  the  same 
among  our  churches." 

Of  the  war  period,  Bro.  Herman  Ferguson  says:  "Franklin 
Association  never  failed  to  meet  during  the  war  of  1861-'5.  Al- 
though different  political  sentiments  prevailed,  yet  when  the 
annual  meetings  would  roll  round  they  were  attended,  and  the 
cause  of  our  blessed  Redeemer  would  root  out  bitter  political 
feelings,  and  His  honor  Avould  be  uppermost  in  the  affections 
of  the  brethren."     (jff.  Ferguson's  Lettj^,  July  16,  1874.) 

In  1854  the  Franklin  Association  originated  the  "  Southern 
Missouri  Baptist  Convention"  for  missionary  purposes,  a  history 
of  which  will  be  found  in  another  place. 

The  year  1856  witnessed  a  great  revival  of  the  missionary 
spirit.  Almost  the  entire  membership  became  enlisted  in  the 
work.  The  churches  not  only  gave  money  for  missionary  pur- 
poses, but  they  gave  liberally ;  and  in  four  years  from  this  time 
the  association  numbered  36  churches  with  an  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  1,240. 

Bethel  Church — is  located  in  Crawford  County,  eight  miles 
south  of  Steelville,  the  county  seat.  It  was  organized  in  Septem- 
ber, 1841,  by  Elds.  R.  S.  D.  Caldwell  and  E.  Fort,  with  6  mem- 
bers. It  now  worships  in  a  house  half  log  and  half  frame,  and 
has  a  membership  of  66. 

Black  River — is  situated  on  the  middle  fork  of  Black  River, 


FRANKLIN   ASSOCIATION.  303 

in  Eeynolds  County,  and  was  organized  by  Eld.  H.  Lassiter, 
Oct.,  1833,  with  20  members.  Elds.  E.  S.  D.  Caldwell,  H.  M. 
Smith,  J.  N.  Eussell,  J.  E.  Pratt  and  others  have  successively 
filled  the  pastoral  office.  In  1880  the  church  numbered  121 
members. 

CoRTOis. — This  is  one  of  the  pioneer  bodies.  It  is  located  in 
Crawford  County,  and  was  organized  May  23,  1829,  with  10 
members.  It  now  has  a  membership  of  80  and  worships  in  a 
frame  house  26x36  feet.     Joseph  King  was  the  first  pastor. 

Liberty — was  organized  June  9,  1816,  under  the  name  of  Bell- 
view,  by  Eld.  Felix  Eedding.  It  was  anti-missionary.  Eld.  Eed- 
ding  was  the  first  pastor.  Eld.  James  B.  Smith  succeeded  him 
and  in  1829  the  church  was  dissolved  and  re-organized^  and  took 
the  present  name.  This  church  has  sent  into  the  ministry  Wil- 
liamson Gibson  and  James  M.  Frost. 

Old  Mines, — another  of  the  pioneer  churches,  was  organized 
in  1834,  with  15  members,  by  James  Williams.  It  is  located  in 
Washington  County,  and  worships  in  a  frame  edifice  30x40  feet, 
and  was  in  1876  a  feeble  band  of  only  17  members. 

Union. — This  church  was  organized  by  Elds.  James  Williams, 
T.  P.  Green  and  James  Cundiff,  May  7,  1832.  It  is  in  Ste.  Gene- 
vieve County,  and  has  an  unfinished  brick  church  edifice.  Eld. 
Cundiff  first  filled  the  pastoral  office.     Present  membership  229. 

James  Williams, — in  an  eminent  degree  one  of  the  pioneer 
preachers  of  Southeast  Missouri  and  the  first  moderator  of  Frank- 
lin Association,  was  born  near  Lexington,  Kentucky,  October  4, 
1789.  He  was  the  oldest  of  a  large  family  of  children,  and  his 
parents  being  poor  he  received  only  such  an  education  as  the 
common  schools  of  that  early  day  could  afford.  At  maturity  he 
emigrated  to  the  territory  of  Missouri,  settled  first  in  St.  Louis, 
thence  moved  to  New  Madrid  County  and  purchased  a  farm. 
While  here  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lydia  Waller.  The  earth- 
quakes of  1811  destroyed  his  property  and  drove  him  to  the  high- 
lands near  the  town  of  Cape  Girardeau.  He  entered  upon  the 
work  of  the  ministry  about  the  year  1816,  and  a  few  years  later 
moved  to  Madison  County,  where  he  spent  his  Saturdays  and 
Sundays  and  as  much  more  of  his  time  as  he  could  spare  from 
the  farm,  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  settlements  around  him. 

In  1832  he  moved  up  into  Washington  County  and  settled  in 
Fourche  a  Eenault,  where  he  soon  gathered  a  church.  In  quick- 
succession  Three  Eivers  Church  in  St.  Francois  County,  Bethle- 
hem in  Jefferson  County,  and  several  others  were  organized  as 


304  FRANKLIN    ASSOCIATION. 

the  fruit  of  his  labors  in  whole  or  in  part.  Elds.  T.  P.  Green 
and  H.  Lassiter  were  now  his  colaborers.  Soon  after  his  remov- 
al to  Washington  Cotinty  he  and  several  other  ministers  made 
efforts  and  succeeded  in  the  formation  of  Franklin  Associa- 
tion. In  1840  he  purchased  and  removed  to  a  farm  on  Big  Elv- 
er in  Jefferson  County.  Being  in  easy  circumstances  financially, 
although  the  churches  were  poor  and  unable  to  do  much  toward 
his  support,  he  gave  much  of  his  time  to  the  ministry,  in  visiting 
monthly  such  churches  as  he  supplied  with  preaching,  and  in 
holding  protracted  meetings.  His  work  was  a  grand  and  an  impor- 
tant one.  Society  was  in  a  formative  state — the  country  was 
new  and  rapidly  filling  up  with  emigrants  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  Few  at  this  day  and  time  ever  call  to  mind  that  James 
Williams  and  his  cotemporaries  dug  deep  and  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  those  institutions  which  we  now  enjoy.  With  the  skill 
of  master  workmen  they  adjusted  and  set  in  order  the  elements 
of  our  religious  system. 

From  the  time  of  his  removal  to  Jefferson  County  (1840)  to  his 
death,  his  membership  was  in  Bethlehem  Church,  of  which  also 
he  was  pastor  for  twenty-one  years.  For  some  years  he  was  con- 
tinued as  moderator  of  his  association  (Franklin),  and  did  a  much 
needed  work,  especially  for  his  day,  in  holding  protracted  meet- 
ings (a  custom  he  followed  through  most  of  the  leisure  season), 
in  which  he  was  quite  successful. 

James  Williams  was  a  man  of  a  strong,  active,  well-balanced 
and  moderately  well-cultivated  mind,  a  fluent  speaker  and  forci- 
ble reasoner. 

He  peacefully  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  in  April,  1861,  being  then  in 
his  seventy-second  year,  lamented  by  many  whom  he  had  led 
from  darkness  into  light,  and  who  had  waited  with  delight  and 
profit  upon  his  ministry. 

George  W.  Sturdivant* —  died  at  his  residence  in  Phelps 
County,  Missouri,  February  25th,  1873,  in  the  60th  year  of  his 
age. 

He  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  was  born  June  1,  1814.  He 
was  converted  about  1833,  soon  after  which  he  removed  to  Mis- 
souri and  became  a  member  of  Bethel  Baptist  Church  in  Frank- 
lin Association.  He  was  successivelj'  pastor  of  the  Hopewell, 
Willow  Spring  and  Friendship  Baptist  Churches — the  latter  in 
Burbois  Association. 

He  was  a  man  of  native  intellect  and  correct  views  of  theolo- 

*FroiH  "T.  E.  C."  in  Central  Baptist,  March  27,  1873. 


FRANKLIN    ASSOCIATION.  305 

gy,  which  would  have  been  more  apparent  if  he  had  been  bless- 
ed with  the  advantages  of  early  mental  culture.  He  was  greatly 
afflicted  during  the  last  five  years  of  his  life,  but  was  punctual  in 
filling  his  appointments  and  was  at  the  regular  meeting  at  Friend- 
ship in  February  last,  and  the  next  day  he  was  called  to  the 
spirit  land.  He  was  highl}^  esteemed  and  a  useful  laborer,  as  the 
author  of  this  has  reason  to  know. 

THE  BAPTIST  CONVENTION  OF  SOUTHEKN  MISSOUEL 

This  institution  originated  at  the  meeting  of  the  Franklin  As- 
sociation in  1854,  when  that  body  met  at  Union  Church,  in  Ste. 
Genevieve  County.  Dr.  A.  Sherwood  offered  the  resolution  that 
led  to  the  organization.  By  appointment  of  that  association,  the 
meeting  was  held  at  Smyrna  meeting-house  in  Washington  Coun- 
ty, the  fifth  Saturday  in  October,  1854,  when  the  ''Convention  of 
Southern  Missouri"  was  formed.  The  occasion  of  this  movement 
was  that  the  General  Association  held  its  meetings  at  too  great  a 
distance  for  the  churches  of  South  Missouri  to  reach  them.  So 
the  convention  declared  in  the  preamble  to  its  constitution : 

"  Whereas,  The  area  of  Missouri  is  so  extensive  that  it  is  in- 
convenient  for  the  churches  to  assemble  at  any  one  point,  and 
many  are  unacquainted  with  our  General  Association,  and  do  not 
feel  the  influence  of  its  benevolent  labors;  therefore,  we,  the 
ministers  and  members  of  several  churches  and  associations, 
maintaining  that  the  churches  are  the  highest  ecclesiastical  au- 
thority on  earth,  and  repudiating  the  idea  of  intermeddling  with 
their  independence,  do  hereby  agree  to  organize  a  society  to  ad- 
vance their  interests,  prosperity  and  spirituality. 

^^ Article  1.  This  body  shall  be  called  the  "Baptist  Convention 
of  Southern  Missouri." 

'■^Article  2.  Its  objects  shall  be  to  promote  domestic  and  for- 
eign missions;  the  circulation  of  the  Bible  and  religious  books; 
Sabbath-school  instruction,  and  ministerial  and  general  educa- 
tion ;  the  funds  for  which  shall  be  raised  by  voluntary  contribu- 
tions." 

The  methods  of  the  convention  were  much  the  same  as  those  of 
the  General  Association,  and  while  the  field  of  the  latter  has  al- 
ways been  defined  to  be  the  entire  state,  the  former  j^roposed  to 
confine  its  labors  to  only  that  part  of  the  state  south  of  the  Mis- 
souri Eiver.  In  this  work  the  convention  regarded  itself  as  a 
co-worker  with  the  General  Association  and  by  no  means  an  an- 
tagonist of  it.  It  was,  however,  short-lived,  only  existing  some 
seven  or  eight  years,  during  which  time  only  a  comparatively 

20 


806  FRANKLIN    ASSOCIATION. 

small  amount  of  labor  was  done  in  the  way  of  supplying  the  des- 
titution in  Southern  Missouri.  At  its  second  meeting,  held  in 
1855,  four  associations,  viz. :  Cape  Girardeau,  Franklin,  St.  Fran- 
cois and  Jefferson  County,  and  ten  churches  sent  messengers. 
W.  W.  Settle,  A.  Sherwood,  J.  B.  Fuqua  and  J.  H.  Clark  were 
now  prominent  among  the  ministers. 

The  meeting  in  1860  was,  we  think,  the  last  one  held.  That 
year  only  about  SlOO  had  been  expended  in  the  itinerant  work. 
J.  C.  Maple,  E.  S.  D.  Caldwell  and  J.  G.  Eutter  were  then  among 
the  ministers  of  this  institution. 


CHAPTER  II. 


BLUE  RIVEE  ASSOCIATION.* 

First  Churches — Organization  of  the  Association — "  United  Baptists  " — First  Work — 
Account  of  the  "Split" — Messenger  of  Peace — Misrepresentation — Domestic  Mis- 
sionary Worlv — Progress — Sketches  of  the  Churches — John  Farmer — Bushy  Head 
— Dr.  Lykins — G.  W.  Sparks — Jeremiah  Farmer. 

WITH  the  advancing  tide  of  emigration,  Baptist  principles 
found  their  way  to  the  western  prairies,  and  while  Mis- 
souri was  yet  struggling  as  an  infant  state,  Baptist  churches  were 
planted  in  that  vast,  beautiful  and  fertile  region  of  country  lying 
south  of  the  Missouri  River,  and  extending  to  the  western  bor-  * 
der.     The  first  church  organized  was  the 

Big  SNiABARjf — in  Lafayette  County,  about  the  year  1820,  of 
five  members. 

Little  Sniabar — was  the  next  in  order  of  time,  which  was  or- 
ganized about  three  miles  from  Lexington,  in  1824,  by  Elds.  J. 
"Warder,  Wm.  Thorp  and  Robt.  Fristoe.  There  were  twenty  con- 
stituent members.  About  1840,  this  church  was  moved  to  Lex- 
ington, and  is  now  the  efiicient  First  Baptist  Church  of  that  city. 
The  next  in  chronological  order  is  the 

Six  Mile  Church  —  in  Jackson  County,  near  Blue  Mills ;  it 
was  organized  June  3,  1825,  and  still  exists. 

Pleasant  Grove, — not  far  from  Independence,  was  organized, 
as  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  in  1827. 

Salem  Church — bears  about  the  same  date  of  the  last  named, 
and  was  located  five  or  six  miles  east  of  Independence.  It  was 
dissolved  in  1845,  and  was  soon  after  succeeded  by  the  present 
'New  Salem  Church,  near  the  same  site. 

Round  Grove — was  constituted  prior  to  1832.  It  was  also  in 
Jackson  County,  and  was  dissolved  in  1836. 


*  For  the  facts  and  sometimes  the  language  of  this  sketch,  we  acknowledge  our  in- 
debtedness to  three  principal  sources:  1st,  The  written  and  printed  records;  2d, 
"  History  of  Blue  Eiver  Association,"  bj^  W.  A.  Durfey,  clerk,  in  Repository,  "Vol. 
Vni ;  3d,  "  Historv  u[  Blue  River  Association,"  bv  Martin  Rice,  in  Rejwsitoi'v,  Vol. 
XXI. 

fNoTE. — Rice's  History  supposes  Mt.  Vernon  Church  to  have  preceded  this,  but 
no  dates  can  be  fouad. 


30S  BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

These  churches  at  the  first  united  with  the  Fishing  Eiver  As- 
sociation. Soon,  however,  this  body  became  too  large  for  con- 
venience, extending  from  Grand  River  to  the  Indian  Territory 
east  and  west  3  and  from  Bates  and  Henry  Counties  south  to  the 
Iowa  line  north.  A  division  of  the  association  was  discussed 
in  1833,  and  in  1834  the  ten  churches  south  of  the  Missouri  Eiv- 
er, belonging  to  Fishing  Eiver  Association,  procured  letters  of 
dismission,  and  on  the  11th  of  October  of  the  same  year  met  in 
a  convention  at  Little  Sniabar  meeting-house,  and  organized 
"The  Blue  Eiver  Association."  Eld.  Moses  A.  Stayton  was  elect- 
ed moderator,  and  Eld.  Henry  Avery  clerk.  The  constituent 
churches  were  Big  Sniabar,  Little  Sniabar,  Six  Mile,  Pleasant 
Grove,  Salem,  Eound  Grove,  Little  Blue,  Pleasant  Garden,  High 
Point  and  Black  Water,  whose  aggregate  membership  was  384, 
embracing  the  present  counties  of  Lafayette,  Jackson,  Cass, 
Johnson,  and  in  part  Bates  and  Henry.  The  ministers  were 
John  Warder,  Eobert  Fristoe,  Enoch  Finch,  Thomas  Stayton, 
Moses  A.  Stayton,  Gabriel  Fitzhugh,  Joseph  White,  J.  T.  Eick- 
etts,  William  Simpson,  Joab  Powell,  Henry  Avery,  John  Jack- 
son, Hiram  Savage,  William  B.  Savage,  Vincent  Snelling  and 
Jesse  Butler,  some  of  whom  were  licentiates,  all  of  whom  have 
gone  to  their  home  above,  except  Hiram  Savage,  who  was  re- 
cently living  in  Texas.  Of  the  original  384  members  but  one 
was  known  to  be  living  in  the  bounds  of  the  association  in  1876, 
and  she  an  old  lady,  the  mother  of  Martin  Eice,  a  prominent 
member  of  the  association. 

Although  it  did  not  include  the  term  "United"  in  its  name 
at  the  first,  yet  it  was  formed  upon  the  basis  of  the  United  Bap- 
tists. This  fact  was  explicitly  declared  in  the  circular  letter  at 
the  second  annual  meeting  in  1836,  as  follows : 

"  Dear  Brethren:  We  have  deemed  it  prudent  to  address  you 
on  the  subject  of  Christian  union,  together  with  a  few  remarks 
upon  the  subject  of  the  denominative  name  which  we  have  assum- 
ed, that  of  '  United  Baptists,'  "  «fec.* 

^Nothing  of  special  interest  occurred  for  several  years.  The 
churches  grew  somewhat — not  rapidly — in  numerical  strength, 
both  from  emigration  and  baptism,  and  peace  abounded  through- 
out the  borders  of  the  association.  Thus  did  matters  continue 
for  the  first  six  or  seven  3-ears. 

In  1839  the  names  of  John  Farmer,  Henry  Farmer,  Jeremiah 
Farmer,  Luke  Williams  and  Henry  Bowers,  increased  the  list  of 

*  3l!irtin  Eice'e  History  of  B.  W.  A.  in  Repository,  Vol.  XXI,  p.  178. 


BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  S09 

ministers.  Though  not  differing  in  faith,  the  preaching  of  these 
men  was  more  practical  than  that  of  the  most  of  those  who  precede 
ed  them.  Thos.  R.  Rule,  ^Yln.  White  and  A.  P.  Williams  were  add- 
ed to  the  number  of  preachers  in  1840.  The  Farmers  and  the  Wil- 
liamses  were  men  of  great  earnestness,  zeal  and  power.  Early 
in  the  year  1840  a  revival  broke  out  in  the  bounds  of  the  asso' 
ciation,  and  at  the  next  session,  held  at  Little  Blue  Church,  in 
Sept.,  1841,  between  200  and  300  baptisms  were  reported  as  the 
result  in  part  of  this  year's  work.  Pleasant  Garden  and  the  First 
Church,  Lexington,  had  received  the  largest  accessions,  the 
former  reporting  50  and  the  latter  107  baptisms  at  this  session. 
The  original  10  churches  had  now  become  21,  and  the  884  mem- 
bers of  1834  had  increased  to  1,016.  ISTearly  one-half  of  the  in- 
crease was  during  the  past  year.  It  was  at  this  session  (1841) 
that  the  association  was  rent  asunder  and  divided  into  two,  the 
majority  retaining  the  name  "  United,"  and  the  minority,  or  se- 
ceders,  adopting  the  name  ''Old  School,"  or  "Regular,"  Bap- 
tists. 

Account  of  the  Division. — From  the  beginning  there  was  an  ele- 
ment in  the  association  opposed  to  missions  in  whatever  shape 
the  subject  was  presented ;  and  the  majority  seemed  always  wil- 
ling to  conciliate,  in  fact  to  hold  themselves  in  complete  subjec- 
tion to  this  opposing  element.  In  1835,  at  the  first  annual  meet- 
ing, Elds.  Thomas  Stayton  and  Moses  A.  Stayton  requested 
the  "  advice  of  the  association  as  to  whether  they  be  authorized 
to  attend  with  the  Pottawatomie  Baptist  Mission  Church,  in  the 
ordination  of  a  preacher  amongst  them,  agreeably  to  a  request 
of  said  body,"  to  which  the  association  answered,  "No  !" 

Strange,  indeed,  that  these  brethren  should  have  gone  with 
such  a  request  to  the  association,  and  not  to  the  church  or  church- 
es of  which  they  were  members.  They  were  amenable  to  the 
church  and  not  to  the  association. 

Again,  the  revival  that  swept  over  the  association,  following 
the  session  of  1840,  under  the  consecrated  labors  of  Eld.  A.  P. 
Williams,  the  Farmers  and  others,  seemed  greatly  to  exasperate 
the  opposition  (we  say  the  revival  seemed  to  do  this,  for  there 
appears  no  other  cause  for  it);  and  the  Bethlehem  Church  sent 
up  this  request  in  1841:  "Is  the  association  in  favor  of  those 
'new  institutions'  commonly  called  benevolent  or  missionary,  or 
not?"  Determined,  if  possible,  to  preserve  the  unity  of  the 
body,  the  association  gave  the  following  answer:  "That  we,  as 
an   association,  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  that  matter,  and 


310  BLT'E    RTVER    ASSOCIATTOX, 

would  recommend  to  the  churches  and  brethren  composing  this 
body,  that  they  let  that  question  alone ;  at  the  same  time  we 
recommend  that  the  churches  and  brethren  be  left  free  to  act  in 
these  matters  as  their  consciences  may  dictate,  and  that  it  be  no 
bar  to  fellowship."  (Mlmtfes,  1841.)  This  was  in  harmony  with 
the  advice  and  spirit  of  the  circular  letter  of  1836,  but  was  whol- 
ly insufficient  to  pacify  the  opposition  ;  and  in  a  few  months  the 
churches  of  Big  Sniabar,  Mt.  Zion,  Bethlehem  and  Mt.  Pleasant, 
together  with  a  majority  of  Big  Blue  and  Little  Blue  Churches, 
withdrew  and  met  together,  and  organized  the  Mt.  Zion  Eegular 
Baptist  Association.  Elds.  John  Warder,  G.  Fitzhugh  and  Henry 
Avery  were  the  ministers  in  the  new  oi'ganization. 

The  following  churches  remained  in  the  Blue  Eiver  Associa- 
tion :  First  Baptist  of  Lexington,  Six  Mile,  Salem,  High  Point, 
Black  Water,  Liberty,  Hopewell,  L^nion,  Clear  Creek,  Post  Oak, 
New  Hope,  Big  Creek,  Greenton  Valley,*  and  minorities  of  Big 
Blue  and  Little  Blue  Churches  which  the  association  recognized. 
These  churches  reported  (in  1842)  106  baptisms  and  an  aggregate 
membership  of  977.  Of  the  ministers  who  were  in  the  original 
constitution,  Joab  Powell,  John  Jackson,  Joseph  White  and  John 
T.  Ricketts  continued  with  the  Blue  River  Association.  The 
rest,  save  these  four  and  those  that  went  into  the  new  organiza- 
tion, had  either  died  or  moved  into  other  fields. 

The  Mount  Zion  Association,  at  her  organization,  set  forth  her 
grievances  against  the  Blue  River,  in  which  the  latter  claimed 
that  the  former  misrepresented  her.  This  called  forth  the  follow- 
ing from  the  Blue  River  Association  at  her  meeting  in  1842  : 

*'  1st.  Whereas,  The  churches  of  Big  Sniabar,  Mt.  Zion,  Beth- 
lehem and  Mt.  Pleasant  have  declared  a  non-fellowship  with  this 
association,  for  the  ground  she  assumed  on  the  subject  of  mis- 
sions at  her  last  meeting : 

"Resolved,  That  they  be  dropped  from  our  list  of  churches  as 
no  longer  members  of  this  body. 

"2d.  ^Vhereas,  Our  brethren  who  have  rent  off  from  us  and 
formed  the  Mt.  Zion  Regular  Baptist  Association,  in  setting  forth 
the  causes  which  induced  them  to  do  so,  have  misrepresented  the 
facts  in  the  case — whether  ignorantly  or  designedly  we  will  not 
say: 

"Resolved,  That  we  feel  called  upon  to  give  the  public  correct 
information  on  the  subject: 

*  Big  Creek  aud  Greenton  Valley  Churches  were  new,  and  united  with  the  a^soeisi- 
tion  in  1842. 


BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  311 

"  ist.  They  say  that  we  "enjoin"  that  the  mission  cause  be  no 
bar  to  fellowship;  when  we  only  "recommend"  (see  Minutes 
of  last  year). 

"2d.  They  say  that  we  showed  plainly  that  we  had  no  Christ- 
ian fellowship  for  them,  and  virtually  excluded  them  from  the 
privileges  of  the  association.  We  ask  in  what  particular  part 
of  our  conduct  did  we  show  no  fellowship  ?  Was  it  in  electing 
John  Warder  to  the  office  of  moderator  ?  Was  it  in  the  appoint- 
ment of  our  yearly  meetings  ?  With  what  churches  were  these 
meetings  appointed?  We  gave  one  to  Big  Sniabar,  one  to  Mt. 
Zion  and  one  to  Mt.  Pleasant.  In  this  we  showed,  as  well  as 
felt,  the  utmost  impartiality.  And  we  deny,  positively,  exclud- 
ing, in  any  sense  of  the  word,  these  brethren  from  any  privileges 
of  the  association  whatever;  therefore, 

"Besolved,  That  we  call  upon  our  brethren  of  the  Mt.  Zion  Reg- 
ular Baptist  Association  to  take  back  in  the  minutes  of  their 
next  meeting  the  word  "enjoin,"  and  insert  in  lieu  of  it  the 
word  "  recommend  "  (the  one  we  used  in  our  resolution),  and 
that  they  either  point  out  the  particular  instance  wherein  we 
either  showed  the  want  of  Christian  fellowship  or  virtually  ex- 
cluded them  from  any  privilege  of  the  association,  or  else  clear  us 
of  the  charge  and  thereby  show  a  disposition  to  do  us  justice." 
(Minutes  Blue  River  Association,  1842.) 

Thus  ended  the  contest  in  Blue  River  Association. 

The  following  account  of  the  foregoing  affair  was  published 
in  1875  or  '76  by  a  writer  in  the  Messenger  of  Peace,  a  paper  devot- 
ed to  the  doctrines  of  the  so-called  Regular  Baptists,  and  pub- 
lished at  Macon  City,  Mo.  He  says,  "  I  will  now  notice  some 
of  the  first  preachers  of  Blue  River  Association,  and  will  have 
to  do  so  mostly  from  memory,  as  I  have  no  access  to  her  books." 
[Here  follows  a  list  of  ministers.] 

"This  association  enjoyed  peace  until  Elders  John  Farmer, 
Jer.  Farmer  and  Henry  Farmer  came  among  them  and  kindled  a 
spirit  of  discord,  which  finally  grew  into  a  division.  About  this 
time  (1838)  A.  P.  Williams  came  among  those  churches  preach- 
ing a  doctrine  which  had  not  been  received  by  these  brethren. 

"  The  trouble  commenced  by  these  different  brethren  being 
called  upon  to  ordain  a  deacon,  when  Eld.  Warder  refused  to 
officiate  with  Eld.  Farmer,  not  believing  him  sound  in  the  faith. 
They  now  began  to  introduce  practices  not  heretofore  known 
among  Baptists,  to  which  Eld.  J.  Warder  and  others  objected. 
In  fact  all  the  ministers  who  were  in  the  constitution  of  the  as- 


;il2  BLUE   RtVER   ASSOCIATION. 

sociatioii,  except  two,  stood  upon  the  original  platform,  refus- 
ing to  affiliate  with  the  ideas  and  practices  of  the  preachers  on 
the  other  side. 

"■  During  the  next  year  the  missionary  party  worked  hard 
amongst  the  churches,  a  few  of  which  gave  them  a  small  major- 
ity. The  next  association  was  held  at  Little  Blue,  when  the  split 
took  place,  parties  standing  about  as  they  did  the  year  before." 
(As  quoted  in  Martin  Rice's  History,  Repository,  Vol.  XXI,  pp 
176-7.) 

By  comparing  these  extracts  with  the  records  and  fads  as  here- 
inbefore given,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  "memory"  of  the  above 
''writer"  is  very  much  at  fault.  No  man  can  write  history  from 
memory,  as  he  undertook  to  do.  His  sketch  contains  at  least 
three  gross  misrepresentations  (occasioned,  charity  would  lead 
us  to  suppose,  by  an  unreliable  memory),  viz. : 

1st.  That,  by  allowing  every  one  liberty  of  conscience  on  the 
missionary  question,  the  association  introduced  "a  practice  here- 
tofore unknown  amongst  the  Baptists."  This  is  misrepresenta- 
tion No.  1.  For  we  uneqiiivocally  affirm  that  from  the  most  re- 
mote ages  the  Baptists  have  been  a  missionary  people,  and  that 
the  first  Baptist  association  ever  formed  on  American  soil  has 
from  the  beginning  been  a  missionary  body. 

2d.  That  "all  the  preachers,  except  two,  stood  upon"  what  he 
called  "the  original  platform."  This  is  misrepresentation  No.  2. 

3d.  "That  the  missionary  party  worked  hard  amongst  the 
churches,  a  few  of  which  gave  them  a  small  majority."  This  is 
a  wonderful  misrepresentation,  and  No.  3.  By  referring  back, 
the  reader  may  see  how  many  churches  remained  true  to  the 
original  constitution,  and  how  many  went  off  with  the  anti-mis- 
sion party. 

After  the  division  in  1841,  the  association  moved  forward  in 
peace,  harmon}^  and  prosperity.  Eld.  John  Farmer  was  elected 
moderator  and  James  Waddell  clerk.  The  preachers  now  were 
Joab  Powell,  John  Jackson,  Joseph  White,  Wm.  White,  Benjamin 
White,  J.  T.  Hicketts,  John  Farmer,  Henry  Farmer,  Jeremiah 
Farmer,  A.  P.  Williams  and  Lewis  Franklin. 

She  laid  aside  her  non-committal  policy,  and,  in  1843,  recom- 
mended that  the  churches  make  contributions  to  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society ;  and  that  each  church  form  a  Sab- 
bath-school at  some  convenient  place  in  their  bounds. 

Basin  Knob  (now  Lone  Jack),  Mound  Prairie,  West  Fork  of 
Little  Blue,  and  First  Baptist  Church  in  Richmond,  Ray  County, 


BLUE   RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  olo 

Were  admitted  at  this  session.  There  were  now  19  churches  and 
1,181  members.  This  year  the  Fishing  Eiver  Association  refused 
to  receive  the  letter  or  to  recognize  the  messengers  of  Blue  Eiv- 
er as  Baptists,  on  account  of  her  action  on  the  mission  ques' 
tion  in  1841.  At  this  the  Blue  River  Association  expressed  her 
deep  mortification  and  there  let  the  matter  rest. 

A  still  more  practical  policy  was  adopted  in  1846,  and  Eld. 
Jeremiah  Farmer  was  elected  to  travel  as  an  itinerant  in  the 
bounds  of  the  association.  This  marks  another  era  in  the  asso- 
ciation. Bro.  Farmer's  labors  were  much  blessed,  and  all  were 
strengthened  in  the  faith  and  in  the  enterprise,  and  decided  ad- 
vance in  the  cause  was  plainly  perceptible.  ''  In  1846  there  were 
22  churches  and  1,494  members.  The  association  continued  to 
prosper  in  different  degrees,  increasing  in  churches  and  members 
until  1855,  when  about  12  churches  were  dismissed  to  form  a  new 
association,  which  they  did,  and  called  it  Tebo."  (Durfey's  Hist., 
Repository,  Yol.  YIII,  pp.  929-'30.) 

The  association  continued  her  meetings  without  interruption 
until  the  year  1860.  She  continued  her  system  of  missions, 
keeping  an  itinerant  in  the  field,  for  the  whole  or  a  part  of  his 
time,  who  generally  confined  his  labors  to  the  feebler  churches 
and  destitute  neighborhoods.  This  year  305  baptisms  were  re- 
ported.    Total  churches  in  the  union,  38  ;  members,  3,175. 

Ministers. — B.  M.  Adams,  Jer.  Farmer,  S.  G.  Allen,  A.  Gr.  New- 
gent,  Henry  Farmer,  H.  Chism,  J.  J.  Eobinson,  W.  A.  Durfey, 
Lewis  Franklin,  F.  German,  Edward  Wood,  J.  M.  Ashburn,  J.  H. 
Luther,  J.  W.  Mimms,  J.  Lykins,  D.  S.  Miller,  J.  W.  Warder,  J. 
A.  Hollis,  E.  Eoth,  Geo.  Minton,  James  White,  Amos  Horn,  W. 
H.  Duvall,  Wm.  Thompson,  W.  P.  C.  Caldwell,  B.  F.  Goodwin, 
Z.  B.  Adams,  J.  W.  Mitchell,  J.  Gott,  C.  G.  T.  Gibbon,  G.  S.  Kes- 
terson  and  A.  H.  Dean. 

This  year  great  harmony  prevailed,  and  the  meeting  adjourn- 
ed with  bright  hopes  for  the  future.  The  next  year  only  a  few 
met  at  Austin  in  Cass  County,  and  adjourned  to  meet  the  follow- 
ing 3^ear  at  Big  Creek.  But  the  tocsinof  war  was  heard  through- 
out the  borders  of  the  land,  men's  hearts  began  to  fail  them  for 
fear,  and  no  more  meetings  were  held  until  1866.  The  famous 
''Order  No.  11 "  almost  depopulated  the  three  border  counties 
of  Jackson,  Cass  and  Bates;  only  about  600  of  the  10,000  inhab- 
itants remaining,  they  gathered  about  the  military  posts  of  Har- 
risonville  and  Pleasant  Hill,  so  that  associational  meetings 
could  not  be  thought  of. 


314  BLUE    BIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

After  the  war-cry  had  hushed  itself,  in  the  spring'  of  1866  the 
executive  board  requested  Elds.  Wm.  A.  Durfey  and  Kimbro 
Thompson  to  visit  and  gather  together  the  scattered  remnants 
of  the  churches,  which  they  did,  and  in  September  of  the  same 
year  27  churches  sent  messengers  and  a  session  was  held  at  Lone 
Jack,  representing  a  membership  of  1,829.  During  this  interval 
five  ministers  had  been  called  home  by  death,  viz.:  John  Jack- 
son, Joseph  White  (these  two  were  the  last  of  the  original  list), 
Lewis  Franklin,  H.  Chism  and  Z.  B.  Adams. 

Her  system  of  domestic  missions  was  now  revived  and  prose- 
cuted more  vigorously  than  ever.  William  Jewell  College  was 
the  subject  of  conference,  prayer  and  beneficence  among  the 
churches,  some  of  its  warmest  and  most  devout  friends  being  in 
this  association,  as  Buckner,  Wornall  and  others. 

In  1874  the  association  had  become  too  large  for  convenience, 
and  the  churches  of  Lafayette  and  Johnson  Counties  were  dis- 
missed to  form  another  association.  (See  Lafayette  and  John- 
son Association.) 

Kansas  City,  a  remarkably  thrifty  and  rapidly  growing  city, 
is  in  the  bounds  of  this  association.  Being  destined  to  be  a  grand 
commercial  centre,  it  is  a  very  important  field  of  labor.  The 
association  has  been  a  very  prolific  body,  and  although  she  is 
the  mother  of  associations,  in  the  great  Southwest,  she  is  yet  a 
large,  aggressive  and  influential  body  of  Baptists,  many  of  her 
churches  contributing  not  only  to  home  missions  in  the  various 
departments  thereof,  but  also  statedly  to  foreign  missions.  She 
now  numbers  33  churches  and  2,856  members,  and  has  an  able, 
earnest  and  consecrated  ministry. 

The  first  part  of  this  chapter  contains  a  brief  account  of  Big 
Sniabar,  Little  Sniabar,  Six  Mile,  Pleasant  Grove,  Salem  and 
Round  Grove  Churches. 

First  Baptist  Church,  Lexington  —  was  one  of  the  early 
churches,  existing  for  some  fifteen  years,  about  three  miles  from 
town,  under  the  appellation  of '' Little  Sniabar"  (see  former 
sketch). 

Little  Blue. — This  church  was  formed  in  1832.  Ten  years  after 
it  was  rent  in  twain  on  the  mission  question,  a  minority  of  15 
being  on  the  mission  side.  It  gave  up  its  house,  met  for  some 
time  in  the  open  air  or  in  private  houses,  and  finally  built  a  good 
house  and  enjoyed  prosperity. 

HioH  Point. — This  church,  also,  was  constituted  in  1832. 

Big  Creek — (now  Index,  M.  R.)    was  constituted  at  the  house 


BLUK    RIVER    ASSOCIATIOISJ.  315 

of  William  Smith,  in  what  was  then  Van  Buren  County,  July  16, 
1842. 

Greenton  Valley — was  organized  August  13,  1842. 

Basin  Knob  (now  Lone  Jack) — was  formed  October  29,  1842, 
of  14  members. 

Black  Water — dates  the  time  of  her  constitution  on  the  15th 
of  July,  1832. 

Liberty — was  organized  May,  1836,  of  10  members. 

Hopewell  (now  Harrisonville).  —  Elds.  J.  Warder  and  Thos. 
Stayton  organized  this  church  the  8th  of  October,  1835. 

Union. — This  church  was  organized  December  9,  1837 

Clear  Creek — was  organized  August  17,  1839. 

Big  Blue,  Westport. — Elds.  Thorp,  Stayton  and  Fitzhugh 
constituted  this  a  Eegular  Baptist  Church.  Li  1842  ten  mem- 
bers were  excluded  for  being  favorable  to  missions.  The  pres- 
ent church  was  subsequently  organized  out  of  these  excluded 
members. 

Post  Oak, — This  church  was  constituted  by  Elds.  John  Farm- 
er, J.  White,  J.  Jackson  and  Jer.  Farmer,  in  August,  1840. 

ISTew  Hope, — a  prosperous  body,  was  formed  of  16  members, 
in  1841. 

Mound  Prairie, — the  fruit  of  a  protracted  meeting  held  by 
Eld.  A.  P.  Williams,  was  organized  with  50  members  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1842. 

West  Fork  of  Little  Blue — was  organized  December  2,  1842, 
of  16  constituent  members,  they  having  been  dismissed  from 
Pleasant  Grove  for  the  purpose. 

Brin  Zion — was  organized  December  26,  1843,  of  6  members. 

Grand  Eiver. — This  church  was  organized  April  4th,  1844,  of 
32  members. 

First  Church,  Independence, — was  organized  April  3,  1845, 
by  Elds.  Franklin,  Thompson  and  A,  P.  Williams. 

Pleasant  Hill  (Cass  County) — was  organized  by  Eld.  Jer. 
Farmer  and  A.  Machett,  June  23,  1867. 

Lee's  Summit. — This  church  was  first  organized  April  14,  1866. 

As  a  Baptist  City,  Kansas  City  is  yet  in  its  infancy.  As  a  com- 
mercial center  the  place  itself  is  young.  It  was  incorporated  in 
March,  1853. 

The  First  Baptist  Church, — Kansas  City,  was  organized  in 
April,  1855,  and  Eev,  E.  S.  Thomas  became  the  first  pastor.  He 
served  the  church  until  the  house  of  worship  (a  brick,  corner  of 
Eighth  and  May  Streets)  was  built,  1859;  and  his  first  sermon  in 


316  BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

the  new  building,  yet  unplastered,  was  his  last  sermon  on  earth. 
The  original  deacons  of  the  church  (T.  M.  James  and  Eobert 
Holmes)  still  live.  The  cost  of  the  aforesaid  house  of  worship 
was  about  ^12,000,  The  present  First  Baptist  Church,  Kansas 
City,  is  the  successor  of  the  old  First  Church  only  in  name,  the 
constituent  membership  of  the  Calvary  Church  having  been 
largely  the  constituent  and  active  membership  of  the  old  First 
Church  ;  and  the  active  membership  of  the  present  First  Church 
having  been  the  constituent  and  active  membership  of  the  Third 
or  Central  Church.  In  1865  certain  members  emigrated  from  the 
First  Church  without  letters  and  organized 

The  Walnut  Street  Baptist  Church. —  Not  long  after  the 
name  of  this  church  was  changed  to  that  of  Grand  Avenue,  and 
because  of  "  irregularity  in  its  original  organization  "  it  was  re- 
organized, "  by  those  holding  letters  from  other  churches,"  in 
1869,  as  the  Third  Baptist  Church  of  Kansas  City.  The  follow- 
ing were  adopted : 

'^Whereas,  The  Grand  Avenue  Baptist  Church  was  constituted 
in  the  year  1865,  of  members  excluded  by  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Kansas  City,  and  have  continued  to  do  business  up  to 
this  time  as  a  regular  Baptist  Church;  and, 

"  Whereas,  Questions  have  arisen  as  to  the  legality  of  the  organ- 
ization of  said  church;  and, 

"  Whereas,  The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Kansas  City  has  not 
regarded  said  church  as  a  regularly  organized  church  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  and, 

^^  Whereas,  We  believe  that  harmony  should  prevail  among  our 
Baptist  brethren  of  this  city,  and  further,  we  believe  that  a 
Third  Baptist  Church  organized  under  such  circumstances  would 
settle  many  of  the  questions  dividing  the  Baptists  of  this  city; 
therefore, 

'^Resolved,  That  we  proceed  to  organize  ourselves  into  a  Bap- 
tist church  to  be  known  as  the  Third  Baptist  Church  of  Kansas 
City,  Missouri." 

This  church  was  duly  recognized  by  the  First  and  other  sur- 
rounding churches,  and,  in  1872,  the  name  was  changed  to  the 
"  Central  Church."  In  January,  1873,  the  Central  Church  was 
merged  into  the  First  Church,  and  all  the  Baptists  in  Kansas 
City  then  worked  in  one  church  for  three  years.  At  a  full  con- 
sultation of  the  male  members  of  the  church  in  February,  1876, 
the  conclusion  was  reached  that  another  church  organization  was 
needed  in  Kansas  City,  and  at  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  church 


BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  317 

the  matter  was  discussed  and  approved,  and  certain  members  ob- 
tained letters  of  dismission,  immediately  thereafter  organizing 
the 

Calvary  Baptist  Church. — This  was  consummated  February  6, 
1876.  There  were  38  constituent  members,  who  at  once  chose 
Eev.  J.  E.  Chambliss  as  pastor,  and  T.  M.  James,  Eobt.  Holmes, 
J.  L.  Peak  and  Pressly  G.  Wilhite  deacons.  The  church  has 
since  built  a  neat  church  edifice  of  brick,  situated  on  Grand  Av- 
enue, at  a  cost,  including  ground,  of  about  ^11,000.  Mr.  Cham- 
bliss  continued  to  serve  the  church  until  the  fall  of  1881,  when 
he  resigned  and  moved  south.  Eev.  J.  O.  B.  Lowry,  his  success- 
or, was  installed  j)astor  early  in  the  year  1882. 

The  following  have  been  pastors  of  the  First  Church  :  E.  S. 
Thomas,  E.  S.  Dulin,  J.  B.  Fuller,  J.  C.  Maple,  J.  W.  Warder, 
F.  M.  Ellis,  J.  E.  Chambliss,  J.  C.  Bonham,  C.  Montjeau  and  J. 
E.  Eoberts. 

Of  the  Walnut  Street,  Third  and  Central  Churches,  the  follow- 
ing served  in  the  pastoral  ofiice :  J.  B.  Fuller,  S.  D.  Bowker,  J. 
S.  Bostwick,  Wm.  Hildreth  and  F.  M.  Ellis.  (From  a  sketch  by 
T.  M.  James  and  F.  M.  Furgason.) 

John  Farmer. — To  this  man  of  God  much  is  due  for  the  early 
prosperity  of  Blue  Eiver  Association.  He  was  born  July  4, 1784, 
in  Halifax  County,  Virginia.  His  father,  Henry  Farmer,  was  a 
Baptist.  His  mother  was  a  Quaker.  Having  few  advantages  for 
education,  he  grew  up  with  little  learning.  His  son  Jeremiah 
taught  him  the  English  grammar  after  he  was  forty  years  old. 
In  early  manhood  he  embraced  the  Savior,  after  a  season  of  deep 
and  pungent  conviction  of  sin  and  agonizing  prayer;  and  was 
afterwards  admitted  to  membership  in  the  New  Salem  Baptist 
Church.  He  married  Miss  Abigail  Eead,  a  very  pious  woman,  in 
1809.  It  is  believed  that  through  their  entire  life  no  unkind  word 
ever  passed  between  them.  She  became  the  mother  of  eleven 
children,  lived  to  see  the  most  of  them  church  members,  and  died 
July  28,  1840. 

His  ministry  began  soon  after  his  marriage,  in  which  profes- 
sion he  spent  the  prime  of  his  life  in  Tennessee,  to  which  state 
he  had  moved  when  about  12  years  old.  He  and  a  contemporary 
established  and  built  up  a  large  church  near  his  home  in  Eoane 
County.  In  1821  he  moved  to  Hiwassee  Purchase  in  Ehea 
County,  and  soon  after  built  up  and  became  pastor  of  four  church- 
es, viz.:  Pisgah,  Goodfield,  Bethel  and  Fellowship,  all  of  which 
flourished  under  his  ministry. 


318  BLUE    RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

He  \Tas  a  very  industrious  man.  He  worked  hard  and  sup- 
ported an  increasing  family,  preached  Saturdays  and  Sundays, 
and  often  made  preaching  tours  for  several  weeks,  holding  meet- 
ings. He  was  the  owner  of  iron  works  and  mills,  on  the  pro- 
ceeds of  which  he  supported  his  family;  as  in  his  early  times 
ministers'  salaries  were  very  meager.  He  has  been  heard  to  say 
that  he  never  received  but  50  cents  for  preaching,  and  somebody 
put  that  in  his  pocket  when  he  knew  nothing  of  it.  He  visited 
the  Cherokee  Indians  and  organized  a  church  among  them,  liv- 
ing only  about  twenty  miles  from  their  reserve.  During  his  labors 
among  them  that  remarkable  man,  Jesse  Bushyhead,  was  con- 
verted, baptized  and  became  a  colaborer  with  Farmer. 

Though  not  a  man  of  the  highest  culture,  he  Avas  self-taught  in 
a  degree  that  made  him  eminently  useful.  A  man  of  an  active 
and  comprehensive  mind,  he  could  grasp  the  highest  and  the 
deepest  doctrines  of  the  Bible  and  with  tremendous  power  preach 
them  to  the  people;  and  few  men  of  his  da}^,  whether  learned  or 
unlearned,  accomplished  more  than  he.  His  preaching  was  fervid 
and  persuasive,  and  for  years  there  was  almost  a  constant  revival 
influence  under  his  labors,  and  baptisms  would  occur  at  nearly 
every  meeting. 

But  those  joyous  days  had  an  end.  Strife  followed  in  quick 
succession.  The  questions  of  temperance,  Bible  and  mission  so- 
cieties became  the  bone  of  contention.  Although  the  Baptists 
had  always  been  a  missionary  people,  some  were  found  who  op- 
posed all  benevolent  institutions  as  innovations.  Farmer  was 
on  the  side  of  missions  and  temperance,  and  contended  for  the 
primitive  faith  and  practice.  In  1836  the  Hiwassee  Association, 
Tennessee,  was  rent  asunder,  and  the  minority  organized  a  new 
body  and  elected  John  Farmer  as  moderator.  This  separated 
him  from  a  few  old  and  tried  friends,  which  gave  him  great  pain. 

In  1839  he  removed  to  Cass  County,  Missouri,  and  became  a 
member  of  Union  Church  near  Pleasant  Hill.  At  this  time  some 
of  the  leading  ministers  and  members  of  Blue  River  Association 
were  opposed  to  missions  and  Bible  societies ;  and  his  arrival 
produced  not  a  little  sensation  among  this  class,  and  led  to  the 
introduction  of  a  list  of  questions  in  the  association  in  1841, 
which  terminated  in  the  division  heretofore  spoken  of  in  that 
body.  Eld.  Farmer  was  now  called  to  preside  in  the  association 
and  was  continued  in  this  relation  to  the  end  of  his  useful  life. 
About  this  time  his  usual  good  health  began  to  decline.  He  con- 
tinued, however,  to  preach,  but  not  as  pastor  of  churches.     This 


BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  319 

he  cheerfully  left  for  the  "young  men  who  were  strong"   to  do. 

He  departed  this  life  on  the  2d  day  of  May,  1845,  not  having 
quite  completed  his  sixty-first  year. 

Eld.  John  Farmer  was  very  highly  respected  in  a  large  circle 
of  admiring  friends  and  brethren.  He  was  an  able,  earnest  and 
efficient  gospel  preacher ;  and  though  only  a  few  years  in  the 
bounds  of  Blue  Eiver  Association,  he  did  a  noble  work  in  giving 
proper  tone  to  Baptist  principles  among  her  people.* 

Johnston  Lykins,  M.  D., — was  for  years  actively  engaged  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  He  was 
born  in  Franklin  County,  Virginia,  April  15,  1800.  With  his 
parents  he  emigrated  to  Kentucky ;  thence  to  Indiana  in  1816, 
and  for  a  time  was  engaged  in  teaching  school  and  studying  med- 
icine at  Fort  Wayne.  In  1822  he  united  with  the  Mission  Bap- 
tist Church  and  was  appointed  a  laborer  in  the  Indian  field. 
From  the  winter  of  1822-'3  to  the  winter  of  1828-'9  he  was  con- 
nected with  what  was  subsequently  known  as  the  Carey  mission, 
in  Michigan,  except  a  period  of  time  he  spent  as  teacher  of  the 
Ottoways,  at  the  rapids  of  Grand  Eiver. 

With  a  joint  commission  from  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Board 
of  Missions,  he  reached  the  Indian  agency  near  Westport,  Mis- 
souri, in  July,  1831,  where  he  engaged  in  negotiations  for  the  in- 
troduction among  the  Indians  of  manual  labor,  schools  and  mis- 
sions. He  brought  with  him  a  printing  press  and  commenced  at 
once  the  publication  of  "  first  books,"  hymns  and  translations  in 
various  Indian  dialects.  In  this  work  he  continued  for  20  years, 
and,  in  1851,  located  permanently  in  Kansas  City,  on  a  portion 
of  the  city  site  purchased  by  him  in  1836. 

Here  he  was  connected  with  every  project  for  the  welfare  of 
the  city,  and  was  its  first  mayor.  He  was  active  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Journal  of  Comynerce ;  called  together  and  pre- 
sided over  the  first  railroad  meeting  ;  was  first  president  of  the 
Mechanics'  Bank  and  was  one  of  the  constituent  members  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  the  city. 

Dr.  Lykins  was  a  thoroughly  public-spirited  citizen,  a  useful 
man  in  all  positions  of  life,  strong  in  energy,  morality  and  intel- 
lect. (From  Campbell's  Gazetteer  of  Missouri,  p.  272,  k.)  He  was 
ordained  as  a  minister  about  the  year  1835,  and  died  only  a  few 
years  ago.  His  name  appears  for  the  last  time  in  the  minutes  of 
Blue  Eiver  Association  in  1874. 

G.  W.  Sparks. — This  gifted,  devoted  and  successful  pastor  at 

"■•■  The  facts  of  this  sketch  were  furnished  by  Eld.  Jeremiah  Farmer,  a  bod. 


320  BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

Lee's  Summit  closed  his  work  and  entered  upon  his  rest  the  10th 
of  August,  1871.  He  died  at  his  mother's  home  in  Georgia, 
whither  he  had  been  moved  about  a  month  before. 

Bro,  Sparks  was  a  noble  young  man.  He  was  a  graduate  of 
Georgetown  College,  Ky.,  came  to  Missouri  in  1868,  and  spent 
two  and  a  half  years  here,  as  joint  pastor  most  of  the  time  of 
Harrisonville  and  Lee's  Summit  Churches.  He  was  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  modest  and  re- 
tiring, but  faithful  to  a  fault. 

Jeremiah  Farmer. — 'No  one  ever  enjoyed  a  more  enviable  rep- 
utation than  Jeremiah  Farmer.  He  is  now  quite  an  old  man, 
though  still  preaching  some.  The  following  account  of  his  use- 
ful life  is  condensed  from  a  sketch  published  in  The  United  States 
Biographical  Bictiojiary ,  pp.  221-'2, 

Jeremiah  Farmer  was  born  March  26,  1810,  in  Anderson  Coun- 
ty, Tennessee.  His  great-grandfather,  Henry  Farmer,  and  his 
father,  John  Farmer,  were  both  members  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination, and  the  last  named  was  an  eminent  and  a  useful  minister. 

When  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  five  years  old,  his  father 
built  mills  and  iron  works  in  Knox  County,  Tennessee,  having 
moved  from  Anderson  County  that  year.  Here  he  remained 
three  years,  when  he  removed  to  Roane  County,  and  thence  to 
Meigs  County,  engaging  in  the  same  business.  During  this  time 
Jeremiah  Farmer  was  receiving  such  an  education  as  the  com- 
mon schools  supplied,  and  was  well  advanced  in  the  English 
branches,  considering  his  age  and  the  advantages  he  enjoyed. 
At  eighteen  he  quit  going  to  school  and  began  to  superintend 
his  father's  business,  continuing  thus  to  do  for  two  years.  In  1830 
his  father  gave  him  an  interest  in  the  business  and  he  pursued  it 
for  four  years.  January  1,  1833,  he  was  married  to  Eliza  Bailey, 
by  Rev.  Daniel  Briggs,  by  whom  also  he  was  baptized  the  fol- 
lowing month,  his  wife  having  been  a  member  of  the  church  for 
several  years  previous. 

In  June,  1837,  Rev.  Jeremiah  Farmer  removed  to  Cass  County, 
Missouri,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  He  has  reared  elev- 
en children — two  sons  and  nine  daughters — to  manhood  and  wO' 
manhood,  all  of  whom  were  married,  and  ten  of  whom  are  still 
living.  Mr.  Farmer  has  thirty-five  grand-children  and  two  great- 
grand-children  living. 

Soon  after  coming  to  Missouri  he  commenced  preaching  as  a 
Baptist  minister,  and  for  thirty  years  supplied  four  churches,  each 
once  per  month  j  the  distance  between  the  churches  being  often 


BLUE    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  321 

thirty  to  forty  miles.  The  country  was  new,  the  congregations 
poor,  and  most  of  the  labor  was  performed  without  compensation. 
And  although  he  was  compelled  to  cultivate  other  resources  for 
the  maintenance  of  his  family,  yet  these  obstructions  did  not  de- 
ter this  faithful  follower  of  the  Cross  from  preaching  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  the  blood  of  the  Redeemer.  He  has  for  a 
number  of  years  been  moderator  of  the  Blue  Eiver  Association. 
His  labors  have  been  blessed  and  his  efforts  crowned  with  em- 
inent success,  having  baptized  about  two  thousand  persons  dur- 
ing a  ministry  of  forty  years.  Though  getting  old  he  still  car- 
ries the  good  tidings  to  his  fellow  men  with  the  same  self-sacri- 
ficing devotion  that  characterized  his  younger  days. 


Note. — Since  the  preparation  of  the  above  sketch  Eld.  Farmer  has  fallen  asleep. 
He  died  October  27,  1881. 
21 


CHAPTER  III. 


BETHEL  ASSOCIATIOX  (N.  E.)* 

Organization  unci  Faith  of — The  Confhft  on  Missions  and  Ultimate  Division  of — 
Prosperity  and  Growth — Mission  "Work — ^Ministerial  Education  Society — IMale  and 
Female  College,  Palmyra — History  of  the  Churches — William  Carson — Jer.  Taylor 
— Christy  Gentry — "William  Hurley — Tlohert  Hendren — J.  S.  Green — Mt.  Salem 
Association. 

BY  appointment  of  the  Salt  Eiver  Association,  the  churciies 
named  below,  situated  in  the  counties  of  Marion,  Lewis  and 
Monroe,  and  dismissed  from  said  body,  met  in  convention  at 
Bethel  meeting-house,  Marion  County,  on  the  17th  of  October, 
1834,  and  organized  the  Bethel  Association.  Eld.  C.  G-entry 
was  made  moderator,  and  Hon.  Wm,  Carson  clerk. 

Names  of  Churches. — Bethel,  Little  Union,  Palmyra,  Bear  Creek, 
Pleasant  Hill,  Salt  River,  Providence,  South  River,  "Wyaconda, 
Gilead,  Indian  Creek,  North  Fork,  Paris  and  Elk  Fork.  The 
total  membership  of  these  churches  was  589.  The  contributions 
for  minutes  were  S7.60,  besides  $6.28  from  the  Salt  River  Asso- 
ciation. 

Ministers  Present. — Robert  Hendren,  Jer.  Taylor,  W.  Fuqua,  C. 
Gentry,  E.  Turner  and  J.  M.  Lillard  ;  also,  J.  H.  Keach,  as  a 
licentiate. 

Correspondence  was  opened  with  the  three  sister  associations, 
viz. :  Salt  River,  Salem  and  Mount  Pleasant.  Union  or  yearly 
meetings  were  appointed  in  the  following  churches:  Little 
Union,  Bear  Creek,  Indian  Creek,  Palmyra  and  Elk  Fork.  The 
object  of  these  meetings  was  to  cultivate  brotherly  love  and  com- 
munion among  the  membership  of  the  different  churches,  and  to 
this  end  they  were  very  helpful.  Visiting  ministers  and  members 
from  neighboring  churches  always  attended  these  meetings, which 
continued  from  two  to  three  days. 

The  object  of  the  association  is  thus  expressed  in  its  8th  Rule 
of  Decorum:  "The  association  shall  provide  for  the  general 
union  of  the  churches  ;  and  to  preserve  a  chain  of  union  among 
tlicm,  give  them  advice  in  matters  of  difficulty;  inquire  why 
churches  fail  in  representation  ;  but  shall  not  enter  into  or  con- 

*  From  the  Sketdi  ufEid.  11.7.1.  Khodcs,  in  Missuia-i  Ilaptint  JournaL  \\i\.  I. 


BETHKL    ASSOCIATION    (n.  K.)  32^ 

tinue  a  correspondence  with  any  church,  board,  or  body  of  peo- 
ple,   without  the  consent  of  each   church  in    the   association." 

The  faith  of  the  association  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  Bap- 
tists generally  of  that  day. 

The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Providence  meeting- 
house, Marion  County,  in  September,  1835.  Three  new  churches, 
Clear  Creek,  S.  F.  SaltEiver  and  Fox  River,  were  added  at  this 
session,  and  Eld.  Wm.  Hurley  appears  as  a  minister;  also  N. 
Flood  and  T.  E.  Hatcher  as  licentiates  ;  81  baptisms  during  the 
year,  and  the  membership  of  the  association  increased  to  724. 

The  circular  letter  on  the  "  Pastoral  Relation,"  written  by 
Hon.  Wm.  Carson,  then  in  his  prime,  and  published  in  the  min- 
utes of  this  session,  struck  the  key-note  on  benevolent  itinerant 
work.  The  churches  were  for  the  most  part  feeble  bands,  and 
no  other  action  was  taken  looking  toward  itinerant  work,  than 
this  circular  letter.  At  that  time  there  was  a  large  tract  of 
country  in  the  northern  and  western  boundaries  of  the  associa- 
tion, almost  wholly  destitute.  In  the  circular  an  appeal  was 
made  for  ministers  to  go  and  preach  to  the  peoj^le,  and  the  church- 
es were  urged  to  sustain  them.  It  was  a  thorough  and  genuine 
evangelical  document.  By  jicrmission  of  the  association  the  fol- 
lowing brethren  had  their  names  recorded  on  the  minutes  as  vo- 
ting against  the  circular  letter,  viz. :  Edward  Turner,  Grabriel 
Turner,  Isaac  Ely,  Ezra  Fox,  W.  Arnold,  A.  Creed,  A.  King 
and  R.  Vanschoike. 

The  session  in  1836  was  held  at  Paris,  Monroe  County.  Here 
there  was  a  conflict  between  the  friends  and  the  opponents  of 
missions.  The  9th  Rule  of  Decorum  adopted  at  the  first  meeting 
declared  :  "That  no  church  or  member  shall  be  called  to  account 
for  believing  or  promulgating  the  doctrine  of  either  a  special  or 
general  provision  in  Christ."  The  majority  of  the  association 
held  to  the  doctrine  of  a  special  provision.  Some  who  held  to 
this  doctrine  were  opposed  to  missions,  and  by  some  one  of  this 
feeling  a  resolution  was  introduced  declaring  "a  non-fellowship 
for  all  who  held  the  doctrine  of  a  general  provision."  This  was 
regarded  as  an  ingenious  attempt,  under  disguise,  to  kill  the  mis- 
sionary spirit,  by  bringing  on  a  contest  between  those  believing 
in  a  special  provision,  and  those  believing  in  a  general  provi- 
sion in  Christ.  But  the  friends  of  missions  saw  the  point,  and 
the  whole  thing  was  a  failure.  A  large  number  who  held  to  the 
doctrine  of  a  special  j^rovision,  possessed  a  genuine  missionary 
spirit. 


324  BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (n.  E.) 

South  Eiver  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1837.  The  member- 
ship of  the  association  had  now  increased  to  882.  The  threat- 
ened storm  came  on  this  year  and  the  association  was  rent 
asunder.  Some  members  had  joined  the  Central  Society  (Gen- 
eral Association).  Eelative  to  this  the  Elk  Pork  Church  sent 
up  the  following  quer}' : 

"We  wish  the  association  to  give  us  their  advice  and  opinion 
whether  those  of  our  brethren  who  have  joined  the  Baptist  Cen- 
tral Society  (General  Association),  the  Bible  and  tract  societies, 
and  who  have  taken  it  on  themselves  to  appoint  and  send  out 
evangelists,  have  not  departed  from  the  constitution,  which  says 
the  word  of  God  is  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice;  and 
whether  they  have  not  violated  the  latter  clause  of  the  8th  arti- 
cle of  the  rules  of  decorum  which  says:  The  association  shall 
not  enter  into,  or  continue,  a  correspondence  with  any  church, 
body  or  board  of  people,  without  the  consent  of  each  church  in 
the  association."  The  association  promptly  answered  as  follows: 

^'■Resolved,  That  in  our  opinion  the  latter  clause  of  the  8th  ar- 
ticle of  the  rules  of  decorum  has  not  been  violated,  as  this  asso- 
ciation has  not  entered  into  a  correspondence  with  any  church, 
body  or  board  of  people,  without  the  consent  of  each  church  in 
the  association. 

"  Resolved,  Furthermore,  that  the  brethren  who  have  joined 
these  societies  are  amenable  to  their  respective  churches,  and 
not  to  this  association." 

The  missionary  element  of  the  association  were  unwilling  to 
see  a  division  take  place.  Hence  the  compromising  character  of 
these  resolutions.  They  were,  too,  unwilling  to  compromise  the 
truth.  Hence  the  firm  and  decided  stand  they  took  in  these 
resolutions.  But  opposition  was  aroused.  They  determined  to 
test  the  matter  fairly  and  squarely.  This  expression  of  the  as- 
sociation, with  its  antecedents,  was  too  ambiguous,  hence  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  offered  by  Eld.  H.  Louthan  : 

"  Resolved,  That  this  association  discountenances  and  declares 
non-fellowship  with  the  mission  system  and  all  its  kindred 
branches,  and  with  all  churches  and  associations  that  aid  and 
support  them  as  religious  institutions." 

This  resolution  was  lost  by  a  large  majority,  whereupon 
Looney's  Creek  and  Elk  Fork  Churches,  through  their  messen- 
gers, asked  for  letters  of  dismission,  which  were  granted.  The 
work  of  division  was  now  accomplished  ;  henceforth,  in  the 
bounds  of  Bethel  Association  there  were  to  be  two  associations^ 


BETHEti  ASSOCIATION  (N,  E.)  325 

the  one  seeking  to  send  the  gospel  into  all  the  world,  the  other 
opposing  this  work. 

The  fourth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Wyaconda,  Lewis 
County,  in  1838.  On  account  of  the  action  of  the  association  the 
preceding  year,  two  churches.  Bear  Creek  and  Providence,  ask- 
ed leave  to  withdraw,  whereupon  the  following  were  unani- 
mously adopted : 

"  Whereas,  The  churches  at  Bear  Creek  and  Providence  have 
declared  non^fellowship  with  all  brethren  who  may  co-operate  in 
missionary  ojjerations ;  and 

"  Whereas,  "We  hold  that  the  subject  of  missions  is  one  in  which 
brethren  should  be  perfectly  free  ;  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  we  withdraw  from  said  churches. 

*'  Resolved,  That  said  churches,  in  intimating  that  this  associa- 
tion is  corrupt  in  doctrine,  made  use  of  an  unwarrantable  and 
uncharitable  assertion  j  and  that  this  association  stands  un- 
changed in  her  original  constitution,  which  said  churches  at 
Bear  Creek  and  Providence  assisted  in  forming." 

Four  other  churches,  viz. :  South  Fork,  North  Fork,  Clear 
Creek  and  South  River,  withdrew  from  the  association  on  ac- 
count of  missions,  making  eight  in  all,  leaving  seventeen  in  the 
original  organization,  with  a  total  membership  of  719.  In  1839 
and  '40  five  new  churches  were  added,  which  increased  the  mem- 
bership of  the  association  to  822. 

The  seventh  annual  meeting  (1841),  held  at  Bethel,  Marion 
County,  began  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  the  association.  Three 
new  churches  came  in,  and  184  were  baptized.  The  association 
began  the  work  of  missions  through  its  own  organization.  It 
elected  a  missionary  board  and  became  a  working  missionary 
society.  Public  collections  were  taken  up  at  the  meeting,  and 
churches  requested  to  make  collections  for  missions  in  the 
bounds  of  the  association.  The  executive  board  consisted  of 
Jer.  Taylor,  C.  Gentry  and  A.  Broadus.  Elds.  P.  jST.  Haycraft 
and  B.  Stephens  were  employed  as  itinerant  missionaries  at  $18 
per  month.  The  amount  of  public  collection  for  missions  at 
this  meeting  was  $41.  (Thus  far  we  are  greatly  indebted  to 
History  of  Bethel  Association,  by  E.  M.  Rhodes,  in  Mo.  Bap.  Jour., 
Yol.  I,  Nos.  39,  41.) 

The  records  show  that  for  the  years  1842  and  '43  the  associa- 
tion enjoyed  great  prosperity,  1,004  were  baptized  as  the  fruit 
of  revivals  throughout  almost  the  entire  bounds,  and  a  number 
of  new  churches  were  formed  and  united  with  the  association. 


326  BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.) 

Total  number  of  churches,  33;  total  membership,  2,123.  Her 
boundary  now  embraced,  in  whole  or  in  part,  the  counties  of 
Mai-ion,  Ealls,  Monroe,  Lewis,  Clarke.  Scotland,  Audrain  and 
Shelby. 

From  this  time  the  association  continued  with  a  steady  hand 
to  hold  up  the  banner  of  Prince  Emanuel.  Her  state  and  con- 
dition were  like  all  other  such  institutions,  variable.  The  church- 
es had  their  harvests,  when  converts  were  gathered  in.  Then, 
again,  would  come  those  seasons  when  but  little  progress  in  this 
way  was  made;  seasons  when  we  often,  though  improperly  say, 
"  coldness  and  barrenness  seem  to  pervade  all  our  churches." 
Such  seasons  or  times  are  generally  of  the  highest  importance, 
giving  opportunity  for  the  planting,  cultivating  and  developing 
processes,  so  much  needed  in  the  churches. 

At  the  session  of  1844  eight  churches  were  dismissed  to  form 
a  new  association  (see  Wyaconda  Association).  The  year  prev- 
ious to  this  the  ministers  of  the  association  were  16,  viz. :  J.  Tay- 
lor, J.  H.  Keach,  C.  Gentry,  B.  M.  Parks,  N.  Parks,  A.  Broad- 
us,  B.  Stephens,  P.  N.  Haycraft,  J.  Shumate,  W.  M.  Jesse,  J.  M. 
Lillard,  J.  S.  Smith,  E.  Hendren,  S.  Elmore,  A.  T.  Hite,  W.  T. 
Barnes ;  licentiates,  L.  S.  Hatcher  and  J.  F.  Smith. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  association  in  1854,  held  at  Paris,  the 
"Bethel  Baptist  Ministerial  Educational  Society"  was  formed. 
Its  object  was  to  aid  young  men  called  of  God  and  approved  by 
the  churches,  in  studying  for  the  ministry.  During  a  recess  in 
the  association  $118  were  raised  for  this  purpose. 

In  1855,  in  response  to  a  proposition  submitted  by  Eld.  Nathan 
Ayres,  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees,  the  Baptist  Male  and 
F'emale  Seminary  at  Palmyra  was  adopted  and  made  the  school 
of  the  association. 

The  twenty-second  annual  session  was  held  at  Ebenezer  Church, 
Marion  County,  commencing  September  6,  1856.  By  ballot, Wm. 
Carson  was  elected  moderator  and  Thos.  E.  Hatcher,  clerk.  They 
were  re-elected  the  following  year  when  the  association  was  held 
at  Providence.  Marion  County.  On  Sunday  of  the  session  of  1856, 
Rev.  Wm.  M.  Bell  baptized  28  candidates,  13  of  whom  were 
young  ladies  and  15  of  whom  were  young  gentlemen.  It  was 
said  to  have  been  the  most  interesting  baptismal  scene  ever  wit- 
nessed in  that  section  of  the  state. 

Long  Branch,  Monroe  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting  in 
1858.  The  body  then  numbered  27  churches  and  2,017  members; 
and  contained  the  following  ministers  :  C.  Gentry,  Sen.,  N.  Ay- 


bEtltEti  ASSOCIATION  (n.  e.)  827 

l*es,  Eber  Tucker,  Eobt.  Kay  lor,  P.  N.  Hay  craft,  B.  Stephens, 
W.  C.  Busby,  J.  S.  Green,  Henson  Thomas,  A.  C.  Goodrich,  J. 
Shumate,  E.  C.  Snyder,  J.  W.  Haines,  M.  Powers,  D.  V.  Inlow,  J. 
W.  Mitchell,  H.  H.  Tilford,  Thomas  H.  Storts  and  G.  W.  Eobey, 
From  1858  to  1859  the  association  had  a  net  increase  of  218.  Be- 
tween the  meetings  of  1858  and  1859  the  Bethel  Male  and  Female 
Seminary  changed  its  name  to  "  Bethel  College,"  by  an  act  of 
the  legislature.  The  association  passed  through  the  war  period 
without  any  great  loss ;  its  table  in  1865  showing  an  aggregate 
membership  of  1,950,  and  an  expenditure  of  $344forassociation- 
al  purposes.  From  the  records  we  note  nothing  of  special  inter- 
est for  some  years  past  in  the  doings  of  this  fraternity.  The 
Bethel  is  one  of  the  strong  associations  in  the  state,  numbering 
in  1881  27  churches  and  2,755  members.  The  largest  church  was 
Hannibal  with  227  members.  Pev.  W.  C.  Busby  has  for  several 
years  been  the  moderator. 

Bethel  Church. — This  is,  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn, 
the  oldest  Baptist  Church  north  of  Salt  River,  having  been  or- 
ganized prior  to  March  15th,  1823.  It  is  some  six  or  eight  miles 
northwesterly  from  Palmyra,  Marion  County.  In  1823  there 
were  23  members,  six  of  whom  were  colored.  This  was  the  home 
church  of  the  old  pioneer  preacher,  Eld.  Jer.  Taylor,  and  of  it 
he  was  pastor  from  its  organization  until  his  death  in  1848.  The 
church  now  numbers  167  members  and  has  preaching  twice  a 
month. 

Crooked  Creek — was  organized  in  March,  1840,  by  A.  Woods 
and  B.  Stephens  of  eleven  members.  It  is  in  Monroe  County. 
Eld.  A.  Woods  was  the  first  pastor. 

Ebenezer — is  situated  in  Marion  County,  and  was  organized 
December,  1843,  of  20  constituent  members.  Eld.  J.  F.  Smith 
was  the  first  pastor.  This  church  has  one  mission  Sunday-school. 

Emerson, — under  the  name  of  Houston,  was  organized  in  1846, 
by  P.  N.  Haycraft  and  J.  H.  Keach.  The  latter  was  the  first  pas- 
tor. 

Long  Branch. — This  church  is  located  ten  miles  south  of  Par- 
is, county  seat  of  Monroe  County,  and  was  founded  in  1843. 

Monroe  City — was  organized  January  23,  1869,  by  B.  P.  Hix- 
son. 

Mount  Pleasant — was  formed  in  December,  1842,  by  Keach 
and  Haycraft,  with  12  members. 

Mount  Prairie — was  organized  by  Woods  and  Gentry,  April 
15,  1837. 


32!^  BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.) 

Mount  Zion — is  in  Shelby  County,  and  was  organized  by  Elds, 
Hurley  and  J.  Taylor,  August  26,  1838;  C.  Gentry  was  the  first 
pastor. 

North  Eiver  —  was  organized  October  29,  1843  in  Shelby 
County;  the  first  pastor  was  Eld.  J.  P.  Smith. 

Palmyra. — Jer.  Taylor  organized  this  church  with  ten  mem- 
bers in  1832,  and  Spencer  Clack  was  the  first  pastor. 

Philadelphia. — This  church,  situated  in  Marion  County,  was 
organized  by  N.  Ayres  and  J.  Shumate,  May  3,  1851,  of  31  con- 
stituent members. 

Pleasant  Hill. — This  is  an  old  community,  and  was  organ- 
ized in  August,  1833,  of  14  members. 

Salem, — four  miles  north  of  Paris,  was  formed  May,  1857. 
This  church  ordained  W.  J.  Patrick  to  the  ministry  in  September, 
1863. 

Shelbina — was  organized  in  December,  1864,  by  S.  A.  Beau- 
champ,  of  6  constituent  members.  It  now  has  a  brick  church 
edifice  worth  84,000. 

Union. — This  pioneer  community,  eight  miles  west  of  Palmy- 
ra, was  organized  in  1833;  Jer.  Taylor  was  its  pastor  the  first 
fourteen  years  of  its  historj'. 

First  Baptist  Church,  Hannibal. — This  is  the  largest  church 
in  the  association,  having  a  total  membership  of  227.  It  has 
an  excellent  church  edifice,  elegantly  and  tastefully  arranged, 
and  beautifully  located  just  west  of  the  public  square. 

The  following  sketch  of  the  church  is  from  the  MS.  of  Eld.  E. 
Hendren,  who  was  in  the  constitution. 

Soon  after  the  meeting  of  the  Bethel  Association  in  1837,  the 
Bear  Creek  Baptist  Church,  a  member  of  said  association,  passed 
resolutions  denouncing  missions,  one  of  which  was  as  follows: 

^' Besolved,  That  no  member  of  this  church,  or  of  any  other 
church  or  body  of  people,  believing  in,  or  in  any  wise  encourag- 
ing the  missionary  institutions,  shall  have  any  communion  or 
fellowshij^  with  this  church." 

Upon  the  adoption  of  said  resolutions,  Eld,  Robert  Hendren, 
the  former  pastor,  with  a  number  of  others,  called  for  and  ob- 
tained letters  of  dismission. 

On  the  25th  of  November  of  the  same  year  (1837)  eight  of  the 
above  named  members  met  at  the  house  of  S.  Self,  near  Hanni- 
bal, and  were  formed  into  a  Baptist  church  by  Eld,  E,  Hendren, 
under  the  appellation  of  Zoar,  The  constituent  members  were 
B.  Hendren,  S.  Self,  Wm.  Halsey,  Mary  A.  Hendren,  Francis  A. 


BETHEL  Association  (n.  e.)  329 

-Davis,  Xancy  Self,  and  two  coloi'ed  women  named   Providence 
and  Maria. 

The  articles  of  faith  were  Calvinistic,  yet  "  a  persuasion  of  a 
general  provision  for  all  men  was  no  bar  to  communion.'^  The 
constitution  provided  that  "  all  should  be  left  free  to  act  accord- 
ing to  their  pleasure  on  the  subject  of  missions." 

This  church  was  admitted  as  a  member  of  Bethel  Association 
in  1839  under  the  name  Zoar.  For  several  years  it  made  but  lit- 
tle progress.  In  July,  1841,  it  was  moved  into  the  town  of  Han- 
nibal, and  was  afterwards  called  by  that  name.  In  the  year  fol- 
lowing (Jan.,  1842)  a  meeting  was  held  by  Elds.  A.  Broadus, 
Norman  Parks  and  Christie  Gentry.  A  revival  was  then  the  re- 
sult and  five  professed  conversion.  Among  the  converts  were 
three  daughters  of  Eld.  Hendren — one  of  whom  was  a  deaf  mute. 
This  occasion  of  baptism,  administered  by  Eld.  Hendren  in  the 
Mississippi  Eiver,  was  the  first  time  this  primitive  rite  was  wit- 
nessed in  Hannibal,  and  made  a  deep  impression  on  many  who 
witnessed  it.  The  church  continued  to  prosper  under  the  joint 
labors  of  Elds.  Hendren  and  A.  Broadus,  until  in  1843  it  num- 
bered 64  members. 

Hon.  William  Carson. — This  servant  of  Christ  was  one  of  the 
fathers  of  Bethel  Association.  Though  not  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel  he  was  a  remarkably  useful  man.  He  was  born  near  Win- 
chester, Virginia,  May  14,  1798,  and  was  of  Irish  and  AYelsh  pa- 
rentage. At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  he  embraced  the  Christ- 
ian faith  and  united  with  the  Baptist  denomination,  whose  inter- 
ests he  industriously  promoted  for  more  than  half  a  century.  In 
the  fall  of  1819  he  emigrated  to  Missouri,  settled  in  !N"ew  London 
(then  in  Pike  County),  and  was  from  time  to  time  called  to  fill 
stations  in  which  he  made  himself  useful  to  his  country.  From 
1824  he  was  for  six  years  Register  of  the  United  States  Land 
OflSce  at  Palmyra ;  and  for  fourteen  years  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  of  Missouri — four  years  of  the  time  in  the  Senate. 

But  we  note  particularly  and  briefly  his  life  as  a  Baptist.  He 
was  endowed  with  fine  intellectual  powers,  a  genial  disposition 
and  a  good  education ;  all  of  which  he  used  to  promote  the  best 
interests  of  his  people.  He  aided  in  the  organization  of  the  first 
Baj)tist  church  in  New  London  in  1823  or  '24 ;  was  a  constituent 
member  and  clerk  of  Salt  River  Association  in  1823.  In  1834  he 
was  present  at  the  Bethel  Association,  aided  in  the  organization, 
and  acted  as  first  clerk  ;  and  for  twenty  years  served  in  this  ca- 
pacity or  as  moderator. 


830 


BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.) 


The  early  Baptists  of  Bethel  Association  had  a  most  powerful 
and  formidable  Presbyterian  element  to  contend  with.  About 
the  year  1830  Dr.  D.  Nelson  settled  in  Marion  County,  and 
commenced  the  establishment  of  Marion  College.  He  called 
around  him  a  number  of  Presbyterian  ministers,  like  himself, 
eminent  for  talent.  A  most  determined  effort  was  made  to  rout 
the  Baptists.  One  method  resorted  to  by  Dr.  Nelson  was  to 
assail  and  denounce  the  Baptists  through  the  public  press.  He 
wrote  a  letter  to  the  JVeio  York  Evangelist,  in  which  he  charged  the 
Baptists  with  being  drunkards,  Sabbath-breakers,  &c.     Carson, 

then  proba- 
ly  the  only 
man  in  north- 
east Missouri 
able  to  meet 
him,  entered 
the  fi  eld 
against  D  r . 
Nelson,  and 
in  a  manly. 
Christian  and 
dignified 
manner  re- 
plied to  him, 
denouncing 
his  state- 
ments as  a 
slander  on 
the  Baptists. 
Carson  com- 
pletely rout- 
HON.  WILLIAM  CARSON.  cd  his  antag- 

onist and  vindicated  his  brethren.  In  about  ten  years,  Marion 
College  and  the  preparatory  schools  at  East  Ely  and  West 
Ely  were  abandoned,  and  the  Baptists  are  now  scarcely,  if  at  all, 
second  in  efficiency  to  any  denomination  in  those  bounds. 

William  Carson  was  present  and  participated  in  the  formation 
of  the  Central  Society  in  1834;  and  was  also  a  member  of  the 
convention  at  Boonvillein  1850  to  locate  William  JeAvell  College. 
After  a  short  illness  he  died  at  his  home  in  Palmyra,  Novem- 
ber 3,  1873.  ''  Diligent  in  business,  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the 
Lord,"  expresses  the  life  work  of  this  good  man. 


BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.)  331 

Jeremiah  Taylor — was  one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  jVIar- 
ion  County,  having  come  to  Missouri  in  1822.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  useful  preachers  of  his  day — not  an  educated  man,  but  "  his 
life  was  a  liring  epistle,  known  and  read  of  all  men  "  who  knew 
him.  His  doctrinal  views  were  about  those  held  by  the  great 
Andrew  Fuller  of  England.  These  he  would  press  with  great 
earnestness  and  zeal. 

He  was  born  in  Buncombe  County,  North  Carolina,  February 
27,  1774,  and  after  a  useful  life  of  half  a  century  as  a  Baptist 
minister,  he  died  May  21,  1848.  He  was  present  and  preached 
the  introductory  sermon  at  the  organization  of  Salt  River  Asso- 
ciation in  1828.  He  also  aided  in  the  formation  and  became  a  con- 
stituent member  of  the  Bethel  Association  in  1834.  "  The  strong 
Baptist  influence  in  and  around  Palmyra  is  due,  in  no  small  de- 
gree, to  the  foundation  laid  by  this  good  man.  He  was  not  a 
pleasant  speaker,  nor  was  his  success  due  so  much  to  his  pulpit 
labor  as  to  his  pastoral  work;  for  as  a  pastor  he  greatly  excelled. 
He  was  one  of  the  best  pastors  I  ever  knew."  * 

He  filled  the  oflfiee  of  pastor  in  the  churches  of  Bethel  and  Un- 
ion, in  Marion  County,  for  many  years,  and  was  very  much  lov- 
ed and  honored  by  his  churches. 

He  was  a  man  of  large  property  in  land  and  negroes,  hence 
would  preach  without  much  remuneration,  as  was  common  with 
the  pioneer  preachers. 

All  the  ministers  of  Bethel  Association  were  j)resent,  by  invi- 
tation, on  the  occasion  of  his  funeral.  Two  sermons  were  preach- 
ed, one  by  Eld.  William  Hurley,  the  other  by  Eld.  James  F. 
Smith. 

Eld.  C.  S.  Taylor,  now  of  Bethel  Association,  is  a  grandson 
of  his,  and  is  a  minister  of  promising  and  useful  talent. 

Christy  Gentry — was  born  October  14, 1790,  in  Madison  Coun- 
ty, Kentucky.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Yirginia,  and  brought 
up  in  the  Presbyterian  faith.  In  early  life  Christy  was  said  to 
be  fond  of  the  chase,  and  somewhat  inclined  to  be  reckless.  He 
married  Miss  Lucy  Christy,  of  Clark  County,  Kentucky,  when 
about  twenty-two  years  of  age.  Four  or  five  years  subsequent 
to  this  event,  after  a  season  of  deep  sorrow  for  sin,  he  found  fa- 
vor with  God  and  soon  after  united  with  the  Round  Top  Baptist 
Church,  in  Kentucky.  Even  before  his  union  with  the  church  he 
seemed  to  have  been  selected  for  the  ministry,  as  the  following 
incident  will  show.     He  says:    "One  day  my  wife  and  I  saw  a 

*From  the  MS.  Sketch  of  Jer.  Taylor,  by  Eld.  J.  F.  Sniitlu 


382  BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (ti.  E.) 

company  of  young  people  approaching  our  house,  and,  as  usual, 
we  advanced  to  the  front  fence  to  meet  them.  They  proved  to 
be  a  company  of  weeping  mourners  pleading  for  mercy.  As  they 
advanced,  one  of  the  company  signified  that  they  had  come  to  so- 
licit me  to  pray  for  them.  We  all  at  once  knelt  upon  the  ground, 
while  I  tried  to  pray  for  the  heart-broken  penitents  who  wept 
around  me."  Reader,  what  a  scene  !  Did  you  ever  witness  a 
grander  one  ? 

After  preaching  about  ten  years  in  Kentucky  he  moved  to 
Missouri  in  1830,  settled  in  Ralls  County,  and  united  with  Salt 
Eiver  Church.  In  1834  he  was  in  the  organization  of  Bethel  As- 
sociation and  presided  as  moderator,  and  was  for  some  years  con- 
tinued in  the  same  oflfice.  He  made  many  sacrifices  in  labors  for 
the  Master.  Much  of  his  labor  was  with  feeble  churches  or  in 
destitute  or  newly  settled  parts  of  the  country :  hence  he  was 
poorly  remunerated.  Man}'  of  the  churches  were  no  more  than 
little  mission  stations;  but  they  grew  larger,  and  as  they  gained 
strength  he  labored  to  promote  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  "  in 
the  regions  beyond."  When  this  was  commenced  the  contest 
about  missions  began.  It  was  said  by  the  opponents  of  the  mis- 
sionary work  that  this  was  a  new  doctrine  among  the  Baptists, 
although  the  Old  Particular  Baptists  of  England  and  Wales  had 
been  engaged  in  missions  for  150  years. 

Christy  Gentry  stood  firm  in  the  contest.  He  was  with  the 
missionaries  contending  for  the  ancient  order  of  things.  He  la- 
bored thirty-two  j-ears  in  this  state,  and  was  a  faithful  servant 
of  Christ  and  the  churches.  He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  March  14, 
1866,  in  the  arms  of  his  affectionate  son,  Christy.  Eld.  James 
F.  Smith  preached  his  funeral  sermon  to  an  immense  concourse 
of  people. 

William  Hurley. — There  are  yet  living  many  persons  who  can 
bear  witness  to  the  eloquence  and  eminent  usefulness  of  this  ser- 
vant of  Christ.  William  Hurley  was  born  in  England  in  1795. 
His  parents  were  Episcopalians  and  he  was  brought  up  in  this 
faith.  At  about  the  ago  of  eighteen  years  he  was  "  brought  to 
see  himself  a  wretched,  helpless  and  vile  sinner.  He  prayed 
earnestly  for  pardon  and  peace,  and  gradually  the  light  of  life 
spread  over  his  mind,"  and  he  enjoyed  reconciliation  with  God. 
He  commenced  the  same  year  to  preach  in  his  native  village,  was 
ordained  in  1822,  and  spent  six  years  after  this  event  in  preach- 
ing in  different  parts  of  England,  both  as  pastor  and  evangelist. 

He  emigrated  to  America  in  1828,  and  itinerated  through  most 


BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (n.  E.)  333 

of  the  eastern  and  southern  states ;  then  came  to  Missouri  in  1832, 
made  his  home  in  St.  Louis  County,  and  for  two  years  was  pas- 
tor of  the  old  Fee  Fee  Church.  During  this  period  of  his  life  he 
visited  St.  Charles,  found  a  few  Baptists,  continued  to  preach 
there  once  a  month,  baptized  ten  or  twelve  persons  during  the 
summer  of  1832  and  formed  the  Second  Baptist  Church  in  St. 
Charles  the  same  year;  which,  after  a  brief  period,  disbanded 
for  want  of  regular  ministerial  succor. 

In  1834  he  attended  the  preliminary  meeting  of  the  Central 
Society,  and  was  present  the  following  year  at  Little  Bonne 
Femme  Church  when  the  organization  was  perfected.  From  this 
meeting,  upon  the  solicitation  of  Hon.  Wm.  Carson  and  others, 
he  visited  Palmyra,  Marion  County,  soon  after  which  he  was 
called  to  be  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  that  place.  From 
1835  to  1853  his  labors  were  mostly  confined  to  Marion  County 
and  Northeast  Missouri.  He  was  very  fond  of  itinerating,  and 
often  during  the  entire  period  of  his  ministry  he  would  make 
preaching  tours  among  the  churches  and  destitute  settlements. 
For  two  years  he  served  as  pastor  in  Bethel  Church,  Marion 
County,  having  been  called  to  that  office  in  1851.  He  was  re- 
called in  1853,  but  declined  on  the  ground  that  he  wished  to 
itinerate  and  preach  the  gospel  among  the  poor  churches.  His 
connection  with  this  church  was  a  pleasant  and  happy  one.  He 
was  much  loved,  had  large  congregations,  and  his  labors  were 
greatly  blessed.  After  he  severed  his  connection  with  this  church 
he  was  called  to  the  care  of  Bethel  Church,  Ealls  County,  which 
he  retained  until  the  time  of  his  lamented  death. 

For  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  Elder  Hurley  was  an  able 
and  efficient  minister  in  Missouri,  laboring  untiringly  as  j)astor, 
missionary  and  evangelist.  "  Eternity  alone  will  unfold  the  re- 
sults of  his  labors.  But  something  may  be  said  of  them  even  now; 
for  '  his  praise  is  in  all  the  churches.'  Would  you  receive  but  an 
inadequate  conception  of  his  labors  and  their  results,  then  sum 
up,  if  you  can,  the  number  of  churches  he  has  organized,  and 
call  up  to  your  mind's  eye  the  hundreds  of  souls  that  have  been 
by  his  instrumentality  gathered  into  those  churches  ;  aye,  listen 
totheharpingsof  many  of  them  before  the  throne  of  God.  Think 
too  of  the  Sabbath-school  influence  which  he  has  sent  forth,  and 
the  influence  in  favor  of  temperance,  and  of  all  good  morality. 
Think  of  the  power  which  he  has  wielded  for  the  right,  shaping, 
and  duly  cementing,  the  foundations  of  society  in  this  portion 
of  the  '  Great  West/  "     (Memoir  of  Wnu  Hvrleij,  p.  12.) 


334  BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.) 

Hurley  was  a  Freemason;  and  was  made  such  in  Union  Lodge 
No.  19,  at  Paris,  about  the  year  1838  or  '39.  In  1842  he  received 
the  degree  of  Eoyal  Arch  Mason  in  Palmyra  Chapter,  No.  2.  He 
was  regarded  by  the  fraternity  as  one  of  its  brightest  ornaments, 
and  for  many  years  filled  the  office  of  Grand  Chaplain  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Missouri. 

He  was  below  the  medium  height,  heavy  set,  good  looking, 
but  not  a  handsome  man.  His  voice  was  harsh  or  gutteral — not 
musical ;  but  his  elegant  and  logical  arrangement,  and  his  chaste 
and  appropriate  language  never  failed  to  secure  the  profound 
attention  of  his  auditors. 

Eld.  Hurley's  doctrinal  views  were  strictly  Calvinistic.  He 
delighted  to  defend  the  Divine  purpose  in  man's  salvation.  The 
following  anecdote  will  illustrate,  somewhat,  his  doctrinal  views: 

"A  number  of  brethren,  preachers  and  others,  had  stopped  at 
the  hospitable  home  of  Eld.  Anderson  Woods  for  the  night,  after 
the  adjournment  of  the  association  at  Paris.  The  conversation 
turned  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement.  Jeremiah  Vardeman, 
who  held  views  much  in  accordance  with  the  great  Dr.  Fuller, 
after  criticising  the  Calvinistic  views  of  Hurley,  challenged  him 
to  reconcile  his  theory  of  God's  sovereignty  with  the  free  agency 
of  man,  &c.  Hurley  rallied  upon  Bro.  V.,  and  said:  'Let  me  ask 
you,  Bro.  Yardcman,  if  there  are  no  difficulties  or  crooks  in  your 
theory  ? '  <  No,  God  bless  you  (a  common  expression  with  Bro.  V.) ; 
my  theory  is  as  straight  as  a  gun-barrel.' "  (Wm.  Carson,  in  Mo. 
Bap.  Jour.,  Vol.  I,  No.  23.) 

On  one  occasion,  a  gentleman  in  the  presence  of  Hurley  was 
somewhat  severely  criticising  the  tenets  of  Freemasonry.  Hur- 
ley turned  to  him  and  said,  "  My  friend,  do  you  know  much  about 
Masonry  ?  "  "No  sir,  not  very  much,"  was  the  reply.  "  Then 
I  would  suggest  that  you  do  not  say  much,"  said  Hurley. 

He  was  cool  and  determined.  At  the  time  of  the  division  in 
Bethel  Association  he  was  moderator.  A  brother  who  ranked 
high  with  the  anti-mission  party  introduced  a  resolution  declar- 
ing non-fellowship  for  those  engaged  in  Bible  societies,  mis- 
sions, &c.  Eld.  Hurley  hesitated  to  put  the  motion  on  the  ground 
that  it  was  not  in  order.  The  mover  insisted  that  the  moderator 
put  the  motion,  or  leave  the  chair  and  let  them  elect  one  who 
would.  To  this,  Hurley  playfully  and  coolly  replied-:  "It  is 
not  often  that  honors  are  conferred  upon  me  and  I  shall  not  sur- 
render them  so  readily." 

The  last  public  act  of  his  life  was  the  delivery  of  an  address  at 


BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.)  335 

the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  an  educational  edifice  in  Troy 
Lincoln  County,  July  30,  1856.  He  reached  the  town  the  da}- 
before,  delivered  the  address  in  his  own  peculiarly  characteristic 
style,  and  in  the  afternoon  complained  of  some  slight  indisposi- 
tion. No  one  thought  him  dangerously  ill  until  the  afternoon  of 
August  2d,  three  days  from  the  commencement  of  his  illness. 
He  grew  rapidl}"  worse,  and  on  Sunday  morning,  August  3,1856, 
he  died  at  the  residence  of  his  intimate  and  esteemed  friend, 
Hon.  John  Snethen,  and  was  buried  by  the  Freemasons  in  the 
Troy  Cemetery. 

Trul}^  could  it  be  said,  "  a  great  man  in  Israel  has  fallen," 

Egbert  Hendren. — This  member  of»the  pioneer  brigade  of  min- 
isters in  Missouri  was  born  Dec.  29,  1779,  in  what  was  then  called 
the  l^orthern  Neck,  now  Eichmond  County,  Virginia.  His  parents 
being  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  he  was  brought  up  in 
the  tenets  of  that  establishment.  When  about  11  years  old  he 
was  left  an  orphan,  and  was  cared  for  by  an  uncle  with  whom  he 
lived  until  his  maturity.  Having  grown  up  in  a  day  when  there 
were  few  educational  advantages,  he  obtained  but  little  help  from 
the  schools;  but  being  a  man  of  industrious  habits  and  indepen- 
dence of  thought,  he  gained  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  rudi- 
mentary principles  of  an  English  education  to  make  him  a  useful 
minister  of  the  gospel. 

As  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  he  commenced  the  ministry 
in  1824,  and  was  pastor  of  several  churches  in  his  native  state 
until  1831,  in  the  spring  of  which  year  he  moved  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Missouri,  and  located  in  Marion  County,  some  four  miles 
west  of  Hannibal.  After  settling  his  family  comfortably,  being 
a  man  of  good  property,  though  not  rich,  he  gave  his  time  to 
the  ministry.  The  country  being  then  sparsely  settled,  and 
there  being  but  few  houses  of  worship,  he  preached  the  gospel 
in  log  school-houses,  private  residences  and  under  trees  of  the 
forest,  to  the  people  of  his  day. 

When  the  controversy  on  missions  resulted  in  the  division  of 
Bethel  Association  in  1837,  Eld.  Hendren  was  pastor  of  Bear 
Creek  Church,  and  upon  the  adoption  of  resolutions  by  a  major- 
ity of  said  church  denouncing  missions,  he,  with  the  minority, 
got  letters  of  dismission  and  formed  the  present  Hannibal 
Church.     (For  a  fuller  account,  see  history  of  said  church.) 

He  had  a  stroke  of  paralysis  early  in  the  year  1858.  This  set- 
tled into  hasty  consumption,  and  in  a  few  weeks  it  terminated 
fatally.    He  died  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  March  30,  1858, 


336  BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.) 

James  S.  Green. — The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  July  5, 
1819,  in  Fauquier  County,  Ya.,  in  which  state  he  was  educated  in 
select  schools  and  academies.  Although  he  never  took  a  full 
collegiate  course,  his  education  is  superior  to  many  who  have. 
He  is  an  accurate  and  critical  English  scholar,  and  has  studied 
and  read  extensively  the  Latin  and  Greek  classics.  His  bap- 
tism by  Eld.  C.  Huff  occurred  July  17,  1842,  and  the  same  year 
he  removed  to  Marion  County,  Mo.,  and  by  letter  united  with  the 
Bethel  Baptist  Church,  by  which  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
following  year.  In  ISTovember,  1847,  he  was  ordained  to  the  gos- 
pel ministi-y  by  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Hannibal,  Mo.,  the  or- 
daining presbytery  consisting  of  Elds.  W.  Hurley,  B.  Stephens 
and  L.  Granger;  and  with  this  church  he  spent  his  first  pastoral 
period.  In  1850  he  moved  to  Cape  Girardeau  and  labored  as 
pastor  for  a  time;  and  in  November,  1851,  was  elected  pastor 
First  Baptist  Church,  Palmyra,  Mo.  Here  he  spent  nine  years  in 
a  pleasant  and  successful  pastorate,  when  he  resigned  and  took 
charge  of  several  churches  in  the  country.  He  was  again  pastor  at 
Palmyra  about  four  years,  and  again  resigned.  Then  he  be- 
came pastor  of  Paris,  Monroe  County,  and  Bethel,  Marion  Coun- 
ty. For  years  he  has  filled  the  pastoral  office  at  Monroe  City, 
and  for  a  part  of  that  period  has  labored  in  the  same  capacity 
at  Providence  and  Little  Union,  both  in  Marion  County. 

December  13,  1853,  Eld.  Green  was  married  to  Martha  J.  Car- 
son, daughter  of  Hon.  Wm.  Carson  of  Marion  County.  Four 
children  were  the  fruit  of  this  union,  but  all  of  them  have  passed 
over  the  river,  leaving  the  father  and  the  mother  alone,  waiting 
to  join  their  dear  ones  above, 

"  "\\niere  life  is  not  a  breath, 

Nor  life's  affections  transient  fire, 
Whose  sparks  fly  upward  and  expire." 

MOUNT  SALEM  BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION. 
This  infant  fraternity  was  organized  of  churches  dismissed 
from  Bethel  Association,  at  Mount  Salem  Church,  Knox  County, 
October  19,  1878.  The  constituent  churches  were  seven  in  num- 
ber, viz. :  Mount  Salem,  Eock  Creek,  Mount  Pleasant,  Mount 
Zion,  North  Eiver,  Shiloh  and  Walkersville.  The  two  first 
named  are  in  Knox  County;  the  next  is  in  Lewis  County;  and 
the  four  last  named  are  in  Shelby  County.  The  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  these  churches  was  513.  This  association  occupies  an 
important  field,  and  has  fair  prospects  of  success.  $100  werecoAr 
tributed  for  mission  work  on  Sunday  of  the  first  meeting. 


BETHEL  ASSOCIATION  (N.  E.)  337 

The  second  session  was  held  at  Walkersville,  commencing  Au- 
gust 22,  1879.  Black  Creek  Church,  from  Bethel  Association, 
and  Salt  Eiver  Church,  newly  constituted,  were  received  into  the 
union.  The  executive  board  reported  095.50  as  the  amount  of 
money  expended,  and  021  cash  on  hand.  This  body  has  an  earn- 
est corps  of  ministers,  eight  in  all,  and  two  licentiates,  viz. :  J.  P. 
Griffith,  M.  S.  Smith,  John  Eaton,  H.  Eaton,  G-.  W.  Eaton,  O. 
Collins,  P.N.  Hay  craft  and  E.  Kaylor;  licentiates:  Wm.  Brown 
and  J.  A.  Garnett.  Correspondence  was  opened  with  Bethel  and 
Wyaconda  Associations,  and  messengers  appointed  to  attend  the 
meetings  of  the  same.  The  aggregate  membership  of  the  nine 
churches  in  1880  was  627. 


22 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  MISSOUEI  BAPTIST  GENEEAL  ASSOCIATION^. 

How  it  Originated — John  Jackson — Preliminary  Meeting — Violent  Opposition — Hard 
Names — The  Great  Ke^ival  iu  Cooper  County — Change  of  Name — Establishment 
of  The  Missouri  Baptist — Southern  Baptist  Convention — Uriel  Sebree — E.  Hughes 
— D.  H.  Hickman— A.  P.  Williams— Noah  Flood- X.  X.  Buckner— J.  B.  Wor- 
nall— L.  B.  Ely— W.  Pope  Yeaman— J.  T.  AVilliams— L.  M.  BeiTy— Table  of 
Meetings. 

IN  the  fall  of  1833  a  small  group  of  Baptist  ministers  were  seen 
in  prayerful  consultation  at  the  house  of  John  Jackson,  in 
Howard  County.  They  were  Thomas  Fristoe,  Ebenezer  Rogers 
and  Fielding  Wilhoite.  The  great  burden  of  their  praj^er  and 
conversation  was  the  widespread  religious  destitution  of  the  state. 
They  resolved  upon  an  extended  preaching  excursion  at  their 
own  charges.  Fristoe  and  Rogers  journeyed  as  far  as  Paris  in 
Monroe  County,  Wilhoite,  taking  with  him  A.  J,  Bartee,  went 
in  another  direction.  They  returned,  and  being  more  than  ever 
convinced  of  the  destitution  of  the  country,  held  another  meeting 
for  consultation  and  resolved  upon  an  effort  to  form  a  general 
society  for  missionary  purposes.  Letters  were  at  once  sent  to 
leading  men  and  ministers  throughout  the  state,  calling  a  pre- 
liminary meeting  at  the  time  and  place  named  in  the  following 

records : 

''Friday,  August  :29th,  1834. 

"Agreeably  to  general  notice,  the  subscribers,  members  of  Bap- 
tist churches  in  Missouri,  associate  themselves  together  at  Provi- 
dence meeting-house  in  Callaway  County,  to  deliberate  upon  the 
state  of  religion  in  the  bounds  of  the  churches  to  which  they  be- 
long, and  to  consult  if  any  special  measures  are  necessary  and 
practicable  to  promote  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  within  the 
bounds  of  the  state. 

"■Ministers. — Jeremiah  Vardeman,  William  Hurley,  Ebenezer 
Rogers,  James  Suggett,  Jabez  Ham,  J.  C.  McCutchen,  J.  B. 
Longan,  Walter  McQuie,  Noah  Flood,  Kemp  Scott,  J.  W.  Maxey, 
Fielding  Wilhoite,  William  H.  Duval,  Thomas  Fristoe,  Robt.  S. 
Thomas,  Gr.  M.  Bower  and  Anderson  Woods  j  and  J.  M.  Peck, 
from  Illinois,  who  was  invited  to  a  seat. 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST    GENERAL    ASSOCIATION.  339 

'■'Other  Members. — Wm.  Wright,  J.  G.  Berkley,  David  Moore, 
Wm.  Armstrong,  James  M.  Fulkerson,  John  Sweatman,  S.  Hiter, 
M.  D.  Nolin,  W.  Major,  Wm.  Dozier,  Thomas  S.  Tuttle  and  Jer- 
emiah Vardeman,  Jr. 

''Note. — The  above  named  persons  were  from  the  counties  of 
St.  Charles,  Pike,  Ralls,  Marion,  Monroe,  Montgomery,  Calla- 
way, Boone,  Howard,  Chariton,  Cooper  and  Cole.  Eight  or  ten 
more  brethren  had  been  delegated  to  attend  this  meeting  from 
the  southern  parts  of  the  state,  but  were  prevented  by  sickness 
and  other  causes. 

"Jeremiah  Vardeman  was  chosen  moderator  and  E.  S.  Thomas 
clerk. 

"Resolved,  That  Elds.  Rogers,  Scott,  Longan,  Peck  and  R.  S. 
Thomas  be  appointed  a  committee  of  arrangements  to  prepare 
business  for  the  meeting,  and  that  they  be  required  to  draft  rules 
of  decorum  for  its  government. 

"  Saturday,  August  SO,  1834. 

"Assembled,  &c.     Rules  of  decorum  reported  and  adoj)ted. 

"  The  committee  then  offered  for  consideration  the  following- 
resolutions,  upon  which  some  of  the  brethren  addressed  the  meet- 
ing, and  each  resolution  was  adopted  unanimously. 

"Resolved,  That  we  consider  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  the 
great  and  prominent  means  which  God  has  appointed  for  the 
conversion  of  sinners  and  the  upbuilding  of  his  church  on  earth. 

"Resolved,  That  in  accordance  with  the  sentiments  of  our  de- 
nomination, all  preachers  of  the  gospel  whom  God  approves  must 
give  evidence  that  they  are  born  again  by  the  Spirit,  called  of 
God  to  the  work,  and  be  set  apart  by  ordination  by  the  authority 
of  the  church. 

"  Resolved,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  all  Christians  to  promote,  as 
the  Lord  has  prospered  them,  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the 
destitute. 

"  Brethren  from  each  part  of  the  state  were  invited  to  give 
information  on  the  following  subjects: 

"  1.  On  the  state  of  religion  generally,  revivals,  and  success 
in  preaching  the  gospel. 

"  2.  On  the  destitute  churches,  and   fields  of  labor. 

"  3.  What  special  measures  have  the  Baptists  pursued  to  pro- 
mote the  cause,  and  supply  destitute  churches  and  settlements, 
and  what  have  been  the  fruits  of  those  measures  ? 

"After  some  progress  on  the  above  topics,  the  meeting  ad- 
journed  till  Monday. 


340  MISSOURI   BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

"  Monday,  September  1st. 

"  After  prayer  by  the  moderator,  the  business  of  Saturday  was 
resumed  and  considerable  time  spent  in  hearing  communications 
from  brethren  on  the  aforesaid  topics,  on  which  much  valuable 
information  was  obtained."     The  following  were  then  adopted  : 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  meeting,  the  call  for  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  upon  the  frontiers  and  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Salt  River,  Salem,  Mount  Pleasant,  and  Concord  Associ- 
ations, is  imperative;  that  with  a  view  of  cultivating  peace  and 
Christian  affection  with  all  the  brethren  of  the  associations  to 
which  we  belong,  we  are  unwilling  to  take  any  course  of  action 
to  effect  the  object  contemplated  by  us,  without  giving  those 
brethren  and  others  in  Missouri  an  opportunity  to  co-operate,  if 
they  choose.  Therefore,  we  have  appointed  the  Friday  before 
the  first  Lord's  day  in  June,  1835,  when,  with  leave  of  Divine 
Providence  we  will  assemble  at  Bonne  Femme  meeting-house, 
near  the  Two  Mile  Prairie,  in  Boone  County,  to  adopt  a  constitu- 
tion and  enter  upon  such  measures  as  may  be  deemed  expedient. 

"  Resolved,  That  all  who  may  desire  it  may  be  apprised  of  our 
ultimate  object,  the  following  form  be  sent  forth  as  an  outline  of 
what  will  be  the  constitution  of  this  body  when  adopted,  subject 
to  such  amendments  as  brethren  from  different  parts  of  the  state 
may  suggest  at  the  meeting  to  be  held  in  June. 

"  PLAN  OF  A  CONSTITUTION. 

"Article  1.  This  society  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Baptist  Central  Convention  of  Missouri. 

"Art.  2.  The  object  of  this  society  shall  be  to  adopt  means  and 
execute  plans  to  promote  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  the  des- 
titute churches  and  settlements  within  the  bounds  of  the  state. 

"Art.  3.  It  shall  be  composed  of  those  only  who  are  Baptists 
and  in  good  standing  in  the  churches  to  which  they  belong. 

"Art.  4.  The  business  of  this  convention  during  its  recess  shall 
be  conducted  by  an  executive  committee,  consisting  of  a  mod- 
erator, recording  secretary,  corresponding  secretary,  treasurer, 
and  five  other  persons  to  be  chosen  annually,  and  continue  in 
office  until  a  new  election.  The  officers  shall  perform  the  usual 
duties  of  those  officers  without  compensation,  and  the  committee 
shall  fill  vacancies  that  may  occur  in  their  own  body  during  the 
recess  of  the  convention.  Meetings  of  the  committee  shall  be 
held  quarterly,  and  at  any  time,  by  a  call  from  any  three  mem- 
bers, who  shall  notify  the  rest,  if  at  their  usual  residences. 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION.  341 

"Art.  5.  This  society  shall  possess  no  power  or  authority  over 
any  church  or  association.  It  forever  disclaims  any  right  or  pre- 
rogative over  doctrinal  principles  ;  that  every  church  is  sover- 
eign and  independent,  and  capable  of  managing  its  own  affairs 
without  the  interference  or  assistance  of  any  body  of  men  on 
earth. 

"Art.  6.  The  funds  contributed  by  this  society  shall  be  wholly 
derived  from  the  voluntary  contributions  of  those  who  may  feel 
disposed  to  promote  the  objects  of  society. 

"Art.  7.  The  preachers  who  may  be  aided  by  the  society  must 
be  men  of  good  standing  and  tried  piety  and  belong  to  some 
Baptist  church  in  the  state. 

"Art.  8.  This  convention  shall  meet  annually  on  the  Friday 
before  the  third  Saturday  in  May,  at  such  place  as  the  society 
shall  designate. 

"Art.  9.  This  constitution  shall  be  amended  only  by  a  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  an  annual  meeting. 

"  Appointed  the  following  correspondents,  to  whom  we  hope 
other  Baptists  will  communicate  their  views :  Eobert  S.  Thomas, 
Columbia,  Mo. ;  William  Wright,  Palmyra,  Mo.;  Jordan  O'Bry- 
an,  Pisgah,  Cooper  County ;  and  Thomas  P.  GJ-reen,  Jackson, 
Cape  Girardeau  County. 

"  Note. — Our  brethren  who  were  not  present  will  notice  that 
the  constitution  has  not  been  adopted,  nor  the  contemplated 
body  yet  organized.  This  has  been  left  for  the  next  meeting,  to 
be  held  at  Little  Bonne  Femme  in  June,   1835. 

"It  is  hoped  that  our  brethren  will  give  the  proposed  consti- 
tution a  fair  and  candid  examination,  and  suggest  such  altera- 
tions as  they  may  deem  advisable." 

This  meeting  was  largelj^  attended.  Brethren  Yardeman, 
Longan,  Peck,  Eogers,  Ham,  Wilhoite  and  Hurley  did  the 
preaching.  Numbers  came  forward  for  prayer,  and  several  con- 
verts were  baptized. 

Eld.  Theo.  Boulware,  T.  P.  Stephens  and  others  were  present 
at  the  meeting  at  Providence,  but  did  not  have  their  names  en- 
rolled. They  (Boulware  and  Stephens)  opposed  the  organiz- 
ation of  the  Central  Convention  or  Society  with  all  their  pow- 
ers. They  afterwards  became  the  leaders  of  the  anti-mission 
element  in  Central  Missouri.  Boulware  says,  "We  advised  and 
entreated  these  brethren  to  disperse  and  not  establish  this  cock- 
atrice's den  among  us,  from  which  will  emanate  a  serpentine 
brood,  marring  the  peace  of  Grod's  children  and  bringing  scan- 


ol2  MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

dal  on  the  cause  of  Christ,  for  we  feel  assured  you  have  much 
more  in  view  than  the  happiness  of  the  church  and  the  salvation 
of  men.  We  fear  you  are  deceptive."  (Autobiography  of  Eld.  Theo. 
Bouhoare.) 

Strange  that  men  who  profess  a  godly  life  can  be  so  complete- 
ly filled  with  prejudice.  Such  language  as  the  above  from  a  Bap- 
tist preacher !  Why  should  he  call  a  missionarj^  society,  formed 
of  Baptists  in  good  and  regular  standing,  a  ''  cockatrice's  den," 
"  a  serpentine  brood?"  Baptist  societies  had  then  been  promo- 
ting missions  for  nearly  two  hundred  j'^ears,  and  had  proven 
that  they  sought  only  the  good  of  men.  Prejudice  alone  can 
drive  men  to  such  extremes. 

In  June,  1835,  pursuant  to  the  appointment  of  the  convention 
of  1834,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Little  Bonne  Femme  Church, 
Boone  County.  The  constitution  previously  submitted  was  adopt- 
ed, with  only  a  few  unimportant  changes,  and  the  Central  Soci- 
ety (now  General  Association)  of  Missouri  was  organized.  The 
first  article  of  the  constitution  was  altered  to  read  "Central 
Society,"  instead  of  "  Central  Convention." 

"The  anti-missionary  spirit  now  developed  itself  by  making 
favor  to  the  missionary  enterprise  a  test  of  church  fellowship. 
The  liberty  of  bestowing  their  means  to  the  supjiort  of  the  gos- 
pel was  denied  the  friends  of  missions.  All  the  arguments  that 
the  opposers  were  capable  of  presenting  to  the  sordid  and  sel- 
fish propensities  of  depraved  human  nature  were  resorted  to,  to 
overthrow  the  new  organization.  Politicians  were  warned  to 
be  on  their  guard — that  this  was  the  entering  wedge  for  a  union 
of  church  and  state,  and  that  nothing  short  of  a  system  of  taxa- 
tion would  satisfy  these  friends  of  mammon."  (Wade  M.  Jack- 
son, in  Amer.  Bap.  Begistcr,  1852,  p.  189.) 

Such  were  the  circumstances  under  which  the  Greneral  Associa- 
tion was  organized.  Opposition  continued  from  year  to  j'^ear, 
but  those  devoted  servants  of  Grod  gave  themselves  diligently  to 
the  work;  and  there  being  but  a  small  fund  on  hand,  the  minis- 
try proved  their  sincerity  by  going  into  the  destitute  fields  and 
preaching  the  gospel  at  their  own  charges. 

The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Bethlehem  Church,  Boone 
County,  commencing  June  3,  1836.  John  B.  Longan  was  moder- 
ator and  G.  M.  Bower  clerk.  The  names  of  seven  ministers  and 
nine  laymen  were  added  to  the  former  list  of  members.  On  the 
Sabbath  Eld.  Longan  preached  and  explained  the  objects  of  the 
society,  after  which   a  collection  of  $51.75  was  taken.     S.  Wil- 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL    ASSOCIATION.  348 

hoite  was  elected  treasurer,  and  the  minutes  show  a  balance  on 
the  subscription  list  of  $17.50,  which,  with  the  Sunday  collection, 
was  the  whole  amount  of  funds. 

"Eld.  Anderson  Woods  was  elected  general  agent  to  preach 
throughout  the  state  and  promote  the  objects  of  the  society." 

"  The  doings  of  the  second  annual  meeting — held  the  2d,  3d 
and  4th  days  of  June,  1837,  at  Mt.  Moriah,  Howard  County — 
show  a  considerable  increase  of  members  to  the  society,  which 
was  attended  by  a  number  of  able  ministers  from  a  distance. 
Eight  missionaries  were  appointed  for  two  months  each,  and  Eld. 
Kemp  Scott  was  appointed  general  agent.  The  report  of  the  ex- 
ecutive board  was  very  favorable  as  to  the  success  of  the  mission- 
aries. The  minutes  show  an  increase  of  funds  over  last  year  of 
$244."     (Wade  M.  Jackson,  in  Amer.  Bap.  Register,  1852,  p.  189.) 

Columbia,  Boone  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1838. 
The  society  met  June  1st.  The  general  agent,  Bro.  Scott,  re- 
ported at  this  session  that  he  had  visited  ten  counties,  several 
associations,  and  had  collected  $75  cash,  obtained  $11.50  in  sub- 
scriptions and  baptized  126  converts.  This  meeting  was  glad- 
dened by  intelligence  of  a  glorious  revival  in  Cooper  County, 
under  the  labors  of  Elds.  A.  P.  Williams  and Frost,  the  re- 
sult of  which  was  the  conversion  and  baptism  of  some  400  in  the 
bounds  of  Concord  Association. 

On  May  31,  1839,  the  society'  met  at  Big  Lick,  Cooper  County. 
At  this  meeting  the  name  of  "  Central  Society  "  was  dropped, 
and  that  of  "  General  Association  of  United  Baptists  of  Missou- 
ri" was  adopted.  This  year  gave  a  considerable  increase  of 
members,  funds  and  mission  labor. 

The  session  of  1840,  at  Paris,  Monroe  County,  was  attended  by 
a  large  number  of  members.  The  executive  committee  consist- 
ed of  James  Suggett,  chairman,  E.  S.  Thomas,  corresponding 
secretary,  Stephen  Wilhoite,  treasurer,  Wm.  Carson,  recording 
secretary,  and  Eoland  Hughes,  Uriel  Sebree,  W.  Wilhoite,  J.  B. 
Dale  and  George  McQuitty.  Elds.  Fielding  Wilhoite,  Wm.  H. 
Duval  and  A.  F.  Martin  performed  missionary  labor  amounting 
to  87  days,  resulting  in  28  baptisms,  and  the  formation  of  3  new 
churches.  The  treasurer's  report  shows  a  balance  in  his  hands 
of  $342.14.  The  state  was  divided  into  two  districts,  the  Mis- 
souri Eiver  forming  the  dividing  line  ;  and  Elds.  P.  j^.  Haycraft 
and  A.  F.  Martin  were  itinerants  for  the  district  north,  and  Elds. 
J.  C.  Herndon  and  James  Suggett  for  the  field  south  of  the  riv- 
er. Eld.  Noah  Flood  was  appointed  general  agent;  salary  $400. 


344  MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL    ASSOCIATION. 

Chariton  Church,  Howard  County,  entertained  the  6th  anni- 
versary in  1841,  commencing  August  27th.  The  general  agent 
reported  that  he  had  labored  nine  months  in  the  bounds  of  15 
associations,  preached  170  sermons,  and  obtained  in  cash  and 
pledges  $581.50.  The  joint  labors  of  the  missionaries  werethii-- 
teen  months  and  17  days;  visible  results,  69  baptisms  and 4  new 
churches. 

At  the  session  of  1842  the  expediency  of  publishing  a  Baptist 
periodical  was  discussed  and  a  committee  appointed  on  the  sub- 
ject. An  effort  was  also  made  to  establish  a  Baptist  Book  De- 
pository in  St.  Louis,  and  from  the  spirit  manifested  it  was  ap- 
parent that  the  association  had  taken  a  strong  hold  upon  the  af- 
fections of  the  denomination. 

At  the  session  of  1843,  held  at  Jefferson  Cit}-,  preliminary  steps 
were  taken  to  establish  a  Baptist  educational  institution  in  the 
state,  which  resulted  in  the  founding  of  William  Jewell  College 
several  years  afterwards,  to  which  end  Dr.  Wm.  Jewell  of  Co- 
lumbia had  proffered  the  sum  of  §10,000.  (For  a  full  account  of 
this  institution,  see  Edvcational  Department.) 

At  this  session  the  following  report  was  made  on  "  The  Neal 
Fund  :" 

Whereas,  The  General  Association  has  been  informed  that  the 
late  Jeremiah  H.  ISTeal  of  Montgomery  County,  Missouri,  did,  by 
his  last  will  and  testament,  bequeath  S1,000  for  promoting  mis- 
sions; which  sum,  this  association  is  informed,  was  to  be  paid 
over  to  and  appropriated  under  the  direction  of  this  associa- 
tion ;  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  this  body  will  appoint  an  agent  whose  duty  it 
shall  be  to  confer  with  the  executor  and  executrix  of  the  last 
will  and  testament  of  the  said  J.  H.  Neal,  and  take  such  steps 
as  the  said  agent  may  deem  expedient  to  obtain  the  amount  of 
the  said  bequest  for  this  association." 

Wm.  M.  McPherson  was  appointed  agent  as  above,  with  full 
powers  to  receive  the  said  bequest  and  receipt  for  the  same. 

The  plan  for  a  religious  paper  had  been  matured,  and  some 
ten  issues  of  The  Missouri  Baptist  had  been  made.  (See  Religions 
Weivspapers.) 

The  minutes  of  1844  show  an  expenditure  of  $848  for  home 
and  foreign  missions. 

Prominent  among  the  active  members  who  attended  the  meet- 
ing at  Columbia  in  1845  are  the  names  of  Elds.  Wm.  Duncan, 
Noah  Flood,  Thos.  Fristoe,  S.  H.  Ford,  E.  S.  Thomas,  A.  P.  Wil- 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST    (lENKRAL    ASSOCIATION.  HAf) 

liams,  A.  Broadus  and  D.  E.  Murphy,  only  one  of  whom  (Dr. 
Ford)  is  now  living.  And  of  prominent  laymen  we  find  the  names 
of  Uriel  Sebree,  E.  Hughes,  S.  C.  Major,  Leland  Wright,  W.  M. 
McPherson,  T.  W.  Ustick,  Wm.  Jewelf,  P.  G.  Camden,  S.  Wilhoite 
and  J.  B.  Vardeman, — all  dead  save  Wright  and  Vardeman. 

In  the  eleventh  annual  meeting,  1846,  at  Lexington,  42  church- 
es and  4  associations  had  a  representation  in  men  or  money.  The 
contributions  amounted  to  S994.90.  The  agitation  of  the  slav- 
ery question  having,  a  short  time  previous  to  this  meeting,  re- 
sulted in  a  division  of  the  Amer.  Bap.  Home  Mission  Society  and 
the  formation  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  the  following 
report  was  made  thereon  : 

"The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  subject  of  dissolv- 
ing our  connection  with  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
and  becoming  auxiliary  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 
have  given  such  attention  to  the  subject  as  the  time  allotted  and 
other  engagements  would  allow. 

"  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  committee  that  this  association  is 
under  obligations  to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary 
Society  for  the  aid  which  they  have  heretofore  rendered  in  the 
support  of  missionaries  in  this  state,  and  which  they  are  still  dis- 
posed to  continue  as  far  as  their  means  will  justify. 

"While  the  circumstances  which  produced  division  between 
the  North  and  the  South  have  been  beyond  our  control,  and  the 
division  itself,  in  many  respects,  is  to  be  deeply  regretted,  yet 
we  cannot  but  hope  that,  in  the  providence  of  God,  it  will  result 
in  a  wider  diffusion  of  the  blessings  of  missionary  effort, 

"From  the  local  position,  the  institutions  of  the  state,  and  the 
general  feelings  of  the  people,  it  appears  to  your  committee  to 
be  obviously  proper  that,  so  far  as  union  with  any  organization, 
as  an  auxiliary,  is  concerned,  this  Association  will  better  har- 
monize with  the  views  and  the  enterprises  of  the  vSouthern  Bap- 
tist Convention. 

The  committee,  therefore,  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  fol- 
lowing resolutions : 

"  1st.  Resolved,  That  this  association  become  auxiliary  to  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention. 

"2nd.  Resolved,  That  the  secretary  of  this  meeting  be  in- 
structed to  notify  the  corresponding  secretary  of  said  conven- 
tion of  this  resolution.  S.  W.  Lynd,  ^ 

Wm.  M.  McPherson,  >-  Com." 

W.  C.  LiGON,  ) 


346  MISSOURI   BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  in  1836,  one  year  after  the  divis- 
ion, the  Baptists  of  Missouri  numbered  8,723  and  were  divided 
as  follows:  Regular  or  Missionary  Baptists,  150  churches,  77 
ministers,  5,357  members ;  anti-missionary  Baptists,  80  churches, 
49  ministers  and  3,366  members.  In  1846,  just  ten  years  after, 
the  Regulars  numbered  292  churches,  144  ministers  and  15,331 
members;  and  the  anti-missionar}^  Baptists,  118  churches,  57 
ministers  and  4,336  members. 

What  a  commentary  on  the  unwise  policj^  of  the  opponents  of 
the  missionary  enterprise  ! 

In  the  future  we  shall  be  able  to  notice  only  the  more  impor- 
tant events  in  detail  in  the  history  of  the  General  Association. 
Our  space  forbids  any  other  course.  For  the  sake  of  brevit}',  we 
have  grouped  in  a  table  at  the  end  of  this  chapter  a  number  of 
interesting  facts,  such  as  the  time,  place  and  officers  of  annual 
meetings,  preachers  of  annual  sermons,  &c.,  &c. 

The  association  continued  from  year  to  year  to  prosecute  the 
work  of  state  missions,  supplying  destitute  neighborhoods  and 
weak  churches  in  important  places  with  a  preached  gospel,  to  the 
full  extent  of  her  means;  to  encourage  and  foster  Sundaj'-school 
interests,  mostly  for  years  through  the  agencies  of  the  Am- 
erican Sunday-school  Union ;  to  build  up  and  strengthen  the 
claims  and  give  to  the  support  of  William  Jewell  College,  with 
a  view  to  ministerial  education;  and  to  commend  and  forward 
denominational  interests  throughout  the  world,  especially  gen- 
eral domestic,  Indian  and  foreign  missions. 

On  Indian  missions  she  said,  in  1847  :  "Next  to  the  supply  of 
our  own  immediate  wants,  the  contiguity  of  the  Indian  territory 
to  our  own  borders  directs  the  eye  of  Christian  philanthropy  to 
the  red  man  of  the  forest,  as  claiming  no  insignificant  share  of 
our  sympathies  and  aid.  We,  therefore,  recommend  the  Indian 
Mission  Association  to  the  prayers  and  contributions  of  oiir 
brethren  throughout  the  state." 

On  foreign  missions  she  put  on  record  the  following  sentiment: 
"In  the  judgment  of  this  association,  the  subject  of  evangelizing 
the  world  commends  itself  to  the  cordial  co-operation  of  every 
Christian,  and  the  ministers  of  our  denomination  are  requested 
to  aid  in  disseminating  light,  and  awakening,  if  possible,  a  deeper 
interest  in  behalf  of  foreign  missions." 

The  executive  board  this  year  (1847)  consisted  of  IT.  Sebree, 
Eld.  R.  S.  Thomas,  Leland  Wright,  S.  C.  Major,  W.  M.  Jackson, 
Eld.  D.  Perkins,  H.  Wallace,  W.  D.  Hubbell,  Eld.  F.  Wilhoite, 


MISSOURI   BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION.  347 

Eld.  John  H.  Keach,  E.  Hughes,  Eld.  W.  C.  Ligon,  Eld.  A.  T. 
Hite,  John  Eobinson  and  Wm.  Carson. 

By  the  minutes  of  this  year  it  appears  that  a  ministerial  con- 
ference was  organized  the  previous  year  in  connection  with  the 
association;  the  object  being  "to  promote  the  information  and 
usefulness  of  its  members  by  essays,  discussions  and  mutual  criti- 
cisms on  portions  of  Scripture  and  subjects  of  a  doctrinal  and 
practical  character." 

An  important  action  was  taken  this  year  on  the  "agency" 
question,  the  first  of  the  kind  we  have  noticed.  The  constitution 
was  amended,  so  that  the  corresponding  secretary  might  receive 
compensation  for  his  services,  and  the  appointment  of  a  general 
agent,  to  be  sustained  by  the  funds  of  the  association,  was  de- 
clared to  be  incompatible  with  the  interests  of  the  body,  and  it 
was,  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  we  affectionately  request  twelve  ministering 
brethren  of  our  denomination  gratuitously  to  devote  one  month 
during  the  ensuing  year  to  present  the  claims  of  the  General  As- 
sociation, and  take  up  collections  to  promote  its  objects.  Elds. 
W.  H.  Vardeman,  W.  C.  Ligon,  W.  C.  Bachelor,  Elias  George, 
M.  D.  Noland,  Wm.  Worley,  Jas.  Suggett,  T.  C.  Harris,  E.  C. 
Hill,  S.  W.  Lynd,  W.  W.  Keep  and  .T.  C.  Eenfro  agreed  to  labor 
as  requested." 

How  strange  such  an  action  !  This  was  equivalent  to  asking 
these  twelve  ministers  to  support  a  general  agent  for  twelve 
months,  rather  than  that  the  whole  association  should  do  so. 

In  1850  the  association  reversed  its  decision  respecting  agen- 
cies in  1847,  and  instructed  the  board  to  put  a  general  agent  into 
the  field  as  soon  as  a  suitable  man  could  be  found. 

Sad  news  reached  the  session  of  1853.  Bro.  Uriel  Sebree,  one 
of  the  constituent  members  of  the  body,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  its  moderator,  had  but  recently  died. 

Uriel  Sebree, — a  native  of  Orange  County,  Virginia,  was  born 
July  15,  1774,  and  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  ten  years. 
Soon  after  the  death  of  his  parents  he  went  to  live  with  his  un- 
cle, Cave  Johnson,  in  Boone  County,  Kentucky,  and  was  by  him 
placed  as  apprentice  at  the  carpenter's  trade.  In  the  23d  year  of 
his  age  he  was  married  to  a  Miss  Cave,  of  Boone,  by  whom  he 
had  one  child,  who  died  in  infancy. 

He  commanded  a  company  during  a  six  months'  campaign  in 
the  war  of  1812.  He  was  in  the  disastrous  battle  of  the  Eiver 
Eaisin,  where  he  was  made  prisoner  and  afterwards  exchanged 


348  MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

■without  permission  to  return  to  the  service.  He  returned  to  Ken- 
tucky and  subsequently  served  several  sessions  in  both  branches 
of  the  Legislature. 

His  second  marriage  was  in  1817,  with  Miss  Elizabeth,  daugh- 
ter of  Gen.  John  Payne.  Of  this  wife  were  born  to  him  two 
sons  and  six  daughters,  of  whom  six  survived  the  lamented  father. 

In  1819  Capt.  Sebree  was  sent  on  an  exploring  expedition  to 
Council  Bluffs,  in  charge  of  government  stores,  and  performed 
the  arduous  duty  with  great  satisfaction  to  his  employers.  His 
conduct  on  this  expedition  secured  his  re-appointment  to  a  sim- 
ilar service  in  1820.  He  was  a  man  of  great  skill  and  indomit- 
able perseverance,  to  which  his  success  in  these  hazardous  enter- 
prises is  mainly  attributable.  He  served  for  several  years  as  a 
receiver  of  public  moneys  in  the  land  office  at  Fayette,  Missouri, 
and  maintained  the  reputation  of  an  upright  and  efficient  officer. 

It  was  in  the  church,  however,  that  the  excellence  of  his  char- 
acter was  most  conspicuous.  He  attached  himself  to  the  Baptist 
denomination  in  early  life,  and  for  more  than  forty  years  bore 
an  active  part  in  all  that  concerned  the  church  of  which  he  was  a 
member.  He  co-operated  liberally  in  organizing  the  General 
Association,  when  obloquy  and  persecution  were  the  reward  of 
its  advocates.  During  many  of  its  sessions  he  presided  over  its 
deliberations,  and  was  never  absent  but  from  physical  debilitj'. 
His  house  and  his  heart  were  always  open  to  his  brethren  and 
none  was  ever  favored  with  more  delighted  guests. 

His  death  occurred  May  18,  1853,  only  seven  days  before  the 
meeting  of  the  association. 

Again  in  1855  the  association  was  called  to  mourn  with  the  be- 
reaved. Eoland  Hughes  and  Eev.  T.  C.  Harris  had  both  died 
during  the  associational  year,  the  former  of  whom  had  often  pre- 
sided in  its  deliberations. 

Roland  Hughes, — by  diligence  in  business,  had  acquired  more 
than  an  ordinary  share  of  this  world's  goods  ;  and  qualified  by 
that  practical  good  sense  which  so  eminently  distinguished  him, 
he  appropriated  a  portion  of  it  to  the  education  of  Tyree  C.  Har- 
ris, whose  piety  and  aptness  to  teach  gave  early  promise  of  his 
having  been  called  to  the  gospel  ministry. 

Brother  Hughes  Was  "mild  and  conservative  in  all  his  views, 
commanding  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  his  brethren;  ever 
ready  for  every  good  word  and  work;  and  deservedly  wielded 
more  influence  with  the  denomination  than  any  lay  member  in 
the  state." 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL   ASSOCIATION.  349 

The  war  clouds  darkened  the  horizon  early  in  1861.  But  for 
faith  in  God  stout  hearts  would  have  failed  through  fear.  Long 
will  the  memory  of  those  days  live.  At  the  meeting  in  1862,  held 
at  Eehoboth,  Saline  County,  a  very  exciting  event  occurred, 
which  is  thus  described  by  W.  E.  Rothwell,  an  eye-witness. 

"The  business  of  the  body  was  transacted  in  the  afternoon  of 
Saturday,  then  adjourned  to  hold  divine  worship  in  the  forenoon 
and  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  which  was  the  Sabbath.  On  Sab- 
bath morning,  the  27th  of  July,  while  Eev.  Wm.  Thompson  was 
preaching,  the  meeting-house  was  surrounded  by  a  company  of 
troops,  which  produced  so  great  an  excitement  as  to  bring  the 
exercises  to  a  rather  abrupt  close.  All  the  men  present,  minis- 
ters and  all  others,  were  ordered  out  into  line  and  examined  as 
to  name,  place  of  residence,  and  any  papers  in  possession.  A 
number  of  men  were  arrested  and  taken  to  Marshall,  the  county 
seat  of  Saline.  The  troops  were,  I  understand,  militia  in  the 
Federal  service,  stationed  at  Marshall. 

"The  excitement  among  the  people  was  so  great  that  no  furth- 
er services  were  attempted.  Among  the  ministers  present  were 
Elders  A.  P.  Williams,  Thomas  Fristoe,  J.  A.  Hollis,  J.  W.  War- 
der, Jesse  Terrill,  &c.  I  think  the  persons  arrested  were  citizens 
of  Saline  County." 

Pursuant  to  the  call  of  the  executive  board — there  having  been 
no  session  held  in  1864 — the  association  met  at  Boonville,  Au- 
gust 19,  1865,  Several  distinguished  brethren  from  a  distance 
were  present  as  visitors,  among  whom  were  Elds.  James  B.  Tay- 
lor of  Eichmond,  Ya.,  corresponding  secretary  F.  M.  B.,  S.  B.  C.j 
Eussel  Holman,  corresponding  secretary  domestic  board,  S.  B. 
C,  and  A.  D.  Brooks  of  Lauderdale,  Mississippi.  The  associa- 
tion continued  her  former  relation  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention, and  so  amended  her  constitution  as  to  have  appointed 
annually  a  committee  on  foreign  and  domestic  missions. 

A  case  of  great  interest  came  up  at  this  session.  The  State 
Convention,  under  the  influence  of  extreme  politicians,  had 
framed  and  secured  the  adoption  of  a  new  constitution,  which 
required  all  ministers  to  take  an  oath  before  a  civil  magistrate 
as  a  qualification  for  ministerial  functions.  This  law  was  to  take 
effect  September  4,  1865,  only  a  few  days  from  the  time  of  the 
meeting  in  question. 

It  was  under  this  state  of  things  that  the  G-eneral  Association 
held  its  session  at  Boonville.  Not  a  few  of  the  best  men  of  the 
denomination  in  Missouri  were  present  on  that  memorable  occa- 


350  MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL   ASSOCIATION. 

sion.  After  long  and  careful  deliberations  the  following  docu- 
ment on  the  "Eelation  of  the  Churches  to  the  Civil  Authority," 
was  adopted  and  published  in  the  minutes.  Because  of  its  import- 
ance, we  give  it  in  full,  as  follows : 

"The  Baptists  hold  no  equivocal  position  on  the  relations  sus- 
tained by  the  churches  to  the  state.  While  they  have  taught  for 
ages  that  Christians  owe  allegiance  to  the  civil  government  in 
all  things  belonging  to  the  temporal  power,  they  have  likewise 
held  that  the  state  has  no  right  to  interfere  with  the  freedom  of 
conscience,  the  relations  of  the  ministry  to  their  congregations, 
and  the  absolute  liberty  of  the  churches  in  all  matters  of  faith, 
worship  and  discipline.  For  these  principles  they  have  suffered 
in  every  century.  The  religious  history  of  Great  Britain,  the 
annals  of  New  England,  the  criminal  records  of  the  South  and 
the  present  trials  of  the  Baptists  in  Europe,  all  bear  witness  to 
the  steadfastness  of  our  brethren  in  maintaining  the  liberty  of 
conscience,  absolute  religious  freedom  for  themselves  and  for 
all  men. 

"  And  the  progress  of  these  principles  in  other  religious  bodies, 
and  in  the  popular  mind,  shows  not  only  that  they  are  of  divine 
origin,  but  that  statesmen  have  discovered  their  wisdom  in  en- 
grafting them  upon  the  laws  ordained  for  the  government  and 
order  of  society. 

"We  cannot  therefore  but  express  our  sorrow  that  the  new 
constitution  of  the  state  of  Missouri  requires  of  o»r  ministers  a 
certain  oath  before  they  can  lawfully  discharge  the  duties  of  their 
sacred  office  j  for 

"  1st.  This  ordinance  they  regard  as  a  violation  of  the  spirit 
of  the  Federal  Constitution,  which  guarantees  freedom  in  the 
exercise  of  religion.  (Amendments  to  the  Constitution,  U.  S., 
Art.  1.) 

"2d.  It  is  inconsistent  with  the  declaration  of  rights  of  the 
new  Constitution.  (Constitution  of  the  state  of  Missouri,  Art.  1, 
sec.  9.) 

"3d.  It  presupposes  the  right  of  the  magistrate  to  come  be- 
tween the  minister  and  the  great  Bishop  and  Shepherd  of  souls, 
from  whom  alone  thecommission  to  preach  is  derived.  (Matt. 28; 
19,  20.) 

"4th.  It  is  plainly  adverse  to  the  teaching  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, which  directs  us  to  'render  unto  Caesar  the  things  which 
are  Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's'  (Matt.  22 ;  21.) 

"  We  do  then  most  solemnly  protest  against  the  enforcement 


MISSOURI   BAPTIST    GENERAL   ASSOCIATION.  351 

of  this  oath,  and  we  hope  that  all  the  ministers  of  our  denomin- 
ation will  remain  true  to  our  glorious  history,  faithful  to  the  ex- 
press will  of  our  fathers  in  the  associations  of  olden  times,  and 
steadfast  in  our  devotion  to  our  divine  Master,  who  has  provided 
us  with  laws,  not  only  for  the  government  of  our  churches,  but 
for  our  guidance  in  every  private  trial  and  public  emergency. 

"  But,  let  it  be  distinctly  understood,  that  while  we  submit  this 
paper  as  an  expression  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  we  do  at  the 
same  time  recognize  the  authority  of  this  state  in  all  temporal 
matters,  and  do  exhort  our  brethren  to  hold  them  in  honor  who 
rule  over  us,  and  as  much  as  lieth  in  them  to  live  peaceably 
with  all  men  -,  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  it  is  our  belief  that  civil  government  is  of 
divine  appointment,  for  the  good  order  of  society;  that  magis- 
trates are  to  be  prayed  for,  and  conscientiously  honored  and 
obeyed,  except  in  things  opposed  to  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  the  only  Lord  of  the  conscience  and  Prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth, 

"2d.  That  we  therefore  hold  ourselves  bound  (this  limitation 
understood)  to  be  good  and  law-abiding  citizens. 

"  3d.  That  the  requiring  of  this  or  any  other  oath  of  us,  as  a 
condition  upon  which  we  are  to  exercise  our  ministerial  functions, 
is  opposed  to  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

"4th.  That  it  is  our  solemn  duty  to  decline  it,  choosing,  as 
the  servants  of  Grod  did  in  the  primitive  churches,  to  obey  God 
rather  than  man. 

"  5th.  That  we  do  this  in  no  rebellious  or  captious  spirit,  but 
in  order  to  maintain  a  pure  conscience  in  the  sight  of  Grod,  by 
whom  we  are  finally  to  be  judged. 

"  6th.  That  we  earnestly  request  a  modification  of  the  con- 
stitution of  the  state  in  this  particular,  as  we  love  our  state  and 
wish  to  remain  in  it,  and  have  a  perfect  harmony  between  its 
requirements  and  our  ministerial  duties." 

The  anti-missionary  brethren,  at  the  time  of  organizing  the 
Central  Society,  warned  the  people  against  the  movement,  de- 
claring their  belief  that  the  object  was  a  "  union  of  church  and 
state."  How  overwhelmingly  does  the  foregoing  action  refute 
such  an  insinuation  and  show  its  utter  lack  of  foundation.  Let 
it  be  borne  in  mind  that  to  be  a  Baptist  is  to  necessarily  and  for- 
ever oppose  the  state  church  system. 

At  the  session  of  1866  intense  interest  was  manifested  in  all 
our  denominational  enterprises. 


352  MISSOUEI   BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

The  following  amounts  of  money  and  pledges  were  raised  dur- 
ing the  associational  year,  including  the  efforts  made  at  the  pres- 
ent session : 

For  G-eneral  Association, $2,591.10 

Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  .         .  3,511.85 

Foreign  Mission  Board  of  Southern  Baptist  Convention,     800.00 
Domestic    "  "  "  "  "  "  3,319.70 

Sund.  School        "  "  "  "  "  261.80 


Grand  Total, $10,484.45 

The  Missouri  Baptist  Joxirnal,  published  by  the  Eev.  John  Hill 
Luther,  was  recognized  as  the  state  organ  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination, and  warmly  commended  to  the  churches  as  worthy  of 
their  patronage. 

There  was  a  question  agitating  at  this  time  the  minds  of  many. 
It  was  that  of  co-operation  and  fraternal  feelings  among  North- 
ern and  Southern  Baptists.  This  was  a  practical  and  important 
question  for  Missouri  Baptists  to  consider,  because  there  were 
here  men  of  all  parties.  If  our  ministers  and  members  could  rise 
above  mere  sectionalism,  peace  and  prosperity  would  surely  fol- 
low; but  if  they  could  and  would  not  do  this,  then  there  must  be 
bickering  and  strife  throughout  the  state.  The  General  Associa- 
tion, comprehending  these  facts,  gave  expression  to  the  follow- 
ing sentiments  touching  the  subject: 

*'  Since  it  is  our  desire  to  promote  the  peace  of  Zion,  to  allay 
the  spirit  of  strife,  and  enlist  the  co-operation  of  our  entire  de- 
nomination, irrespective  of  party  or  politics,  throughout  the 
state,  in  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  we  request  all  our  agents,  missionaries  and 
pastors  to  labor  for  the  peace  and  harmony  of  Zion;  and  to  make 
no  distinction  on  account  of  secular  influence,  but  to  win  souls 
to  Christ,  and  to  know  nothing  but  Christ  and  Him  crucified." 

The  meeting  of  the  association  in  1868,  held  at  Paris,  was  one 
of  the  most  important  that  we  ever  attended.  The  following 
was  adopted : 

"  Resolved,  That  on  Sabbath,  August  9th,  immediatelj''  after 
morning  service,  a  collection  be  taken  up  in  all  the  congrega- 
tions over  which  the  members  of  this  body  have  control,  and 
that  funds  so  raised  shall  be  appropriated  to  the  mission  work 
of  this  state,  and  that  besides  this  collection,  no  money  be  raised 
publicly  for  any  purpose  during  the  present  session  of  this  body." 

One  hundred  and  forty-seven  churches  were  represented  in 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION.  353 

this  meeting  by  messengers  or  money,  or  both ;  and  it  was  prob- 
ably the  largest  gathering  of  the  Baptist  hosts  ever  seen  in  con- 
nection with  the  General  Association  up  to  this  time  ;  no  doubt 
due  in  part  to  the  fact  that  the  Baptist  State  Convention  had 
been  dissolved,  and  its  members  were  returning  to  their  former 
seats  in  this  body.  Here,  too,  was  demonstrated  that  men  in 
whom  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  can  rise  infinitely  above  sec- 
tional and  political  differences  and  sit  together  in  harmony  and 
love. 

On  Sabbath  afternoon  a  Sunday-school  mass  meeting  was  held 
at  the  Baptist  meeting-house.  In  connection  with  this  meeting 
"  The  Missouri  Baptist  Sabbath-school  Convention"  was  organ- 
ized, with  B.  D.  Jones  as  president,  S.W.  Marston  as  correspond- 
ing secretary,  and  an  executive  board  located  in  St.  Louis. 

A  very  important  action  was  taken  at  the  session  of  the  associ- 
ation in  1869,  at  Columbia.  After  deliberation,  the  constitution 
was  amended  by  striking  out  the  second  clause,  which  read  as 
follows:  "  And  shall  be  auxiliary  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention." The  object  in  striking  out  this  clause  was  to  leave 
each  district  association,  church  and  individual  member  free  to 
contribute  funds  for  general  missionary  purposes  through  what- 
ever society  they  might  choose.  The  necessity  of  this  arose  from 
the  fact  that  the  Baptists  of  Missouri,  of  all  sections  and  parties, 
proposed  to  co-operate  in  one  general  state  organization  for  be- 
nevolent and  evangelical  work. 

This  session  was  cheered  by  the  presence  and  counsel  of  a 
number  of  visitors,  among  whom  where  Elders  J.  L.  Burrows, 
of  Virginia,  M.  T.  Sumner,  of  Alabama,  S.  M.  Osgood,  of  Illinois, 
A.  D.  Brooks,  of  South  Carolina,  E.  E.  Pattison,  of  Alton,  and 
G.J.  Johnson,  of  St.  Louis. 

Manifestly  the  above  action  of  the  association  called  forth  the 
following  misrepresentation  from  a  reputed  (but  to  us  unknown) 
Baptist  minister,  and  published  in  Martyrdom  of  Missouri,  volume  II, 
page  369.     The  author  says: 

"The  General  Convention  for  1867  met  at  Jefferson  City,  in 
October.  The  'Test  Oath'  of  the  new  constitution  having  been 
set  aside,  the  convention  changed  its  policy,  and  ordained  three 
things  as  indispensable  prerequisites  to  membership  in  order  to 
co-operation  with  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Missouri. 

"  '(1.)  A  continuance  of  their  auxiliary  relation  to  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  in  order  to  secure  their  sym- 
pathy and  aid  in  our  work  in  this  state. 
23 


354  MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION, 

"'(2.)  A  continuance  of  the  Board  in  St.  Louis,  as  the  most 
proper  and  effective  base  of  operations. 

*' '(  3.)  A  clear  recognition  of  the  Baptist  doctrine,  that  all  Bap- 
tists, without  reference  to  race  or  color,  have  an  equal  right  to  a 
participation  in  our  councils,  immunities  and  privileges.' 

"  This  put  the  Baptists  of  Missouri  in  a  condition  to  be  sold 
«mt  to  the  ^Northern  Baptists,  and  henceforth  be  subject  to  the 
behests  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  of  Kew  York  ;  and  now 
the  institutions  and  oi-gans  of  the  church  in  Missouri  are  in  the 
hands  of  the  political  Baptists  of  the  state,  while  the  true  Bap- 
tists are  deprived  of  their  rightful  heritage  and  denied  the  bles- 
sings of  Christian  fellowship.  *  *  *  The  foregoing  facts  have 
been  furnished  by  a  well  informed  and  reputable  member  and 
minister  of  the  Baptist  church  in  this  state,"  etc. 

We  propose  no  apologies  in  behalf  of  the  members  of  the  State 
Convention.  It  may  be  they  committed  some  blunders  in  con- 
nection with  the  history  of  that  body,  which  was  organized  un- 
der the  pressure  of  political  excitement.  It  is  enough  for  us  to 
know,  that  after  three  meetings  of  the  convention  it  Avas  dis- 
solved, and  peace  and  harmony  were  restored. 

But  in  regard  to  the  foregoing  statements  from  Miniyrdom  in 
Missouri,  furnished  by  ''  a  well  informed  and  reputable  member 
and  minister,"  etc.,  we  have  only  to  say,  so  far  as  we  have  been 
able  to  gather  the  facts,  those  statements  are  almost  entirely  a 
perversion  of  the  truth. 

The  General  Association  did  indeed  strike  out  the  clause  in 
her  constitution  making  her  "auxiliary  to  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention,"  but  she  has  not  been  auxiliary  to  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  since  1845.  She  very  wisely  left  this  question  with 
each  individual  and  each  church.  Xor  did  the  General  Associa- 
tion for  several  years  after  this  move  its  board  to  St.  Louis; 
neither  was  the  board  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention  contin- 
ued in  that  city. 

The  General  Association  never  denied  fellowship  and  mem- 
bership to  "Northern"  or  "Southern"  Baptists,  but  in  the 
midst  of  discord  and  confusion  opened  her  doors  equally  wide 
to  all,  and  for  so  doing  she  is  calumniated  as  above  by  a  sup- 
posed "  reputable  minister."  Some  of  our  churches  have  been 
at  times  under  the  necessity  of  denying  "  membership  and  fel- 
lowship" to  certain  would-be  "reputable  ministers,"  and  it  may 
be  that  the  publisher  of  .Ifarfi/n/oin  in  Missotiri  was  "taken  in" 
by  some  of  these  (dis)  "  reputable  men." 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL   ASSOCIATION.  355 

Late  in  the  year  1867  Eld.  .T.  M.  Robinson  accepted  the  posi- 
tion of  corresponding  secretary  and  general  agent  of  the  board 
of  the  General  Association.  He  prosecuted  the  work  with  vigor 
and  success,  the  contributions  for  associational  jjurposes  for  the 
year  ending  August  8,  1868,  amounting  to  §6,260.10.  Twenty- 
eight  local  and  traveling  missionaries  had  been  in  the  employ 
of  the  Board,  who  reported  4,797  daj's  of  labor,  688  baptisms  ad- 
ministered and  the  organization  of  fifteen  new  churches;  147 
churches  had  contributed  to  the  associational  funds.  For  the 
year  1868  and '69  Eld.  Eobinson  was  continued  as  corresponding 
secretary  and  general  agent,  and  though  greatly  hindered  by 
sickness  and  giving  only  one-third  of  his  time  to  the  work,  his 
success  was  little  below  that  of  the  year  preceding.  Thirty-four 
men  had  performed  services  under  the  auspices  of  the  board,  and 
^4,898.71  had  been  contributed  to  the  funds  of  the  association. 
The  missionaries  reported  3,215  days  of  service  and  the  baptism 
of  832  converts. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  1870,  the  association  met  with  the  Sec- 
ond Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis.  Rev.  Xoah  Flood,  moderator  of 
the  preceding  year,  was  re-elected  to  that  office.  Through  the 
general  board,  and  the  boards  of  district  associations  reporting 
to  said  general  board,  ^8,096.44  had  been  collected  and  expended 
during  the  year.  This  session  closed  Rev.  J.  M.  Robinson's  term 
of  service  as  corresponding  secretary,  and  the  association  ten- 
dered him  thanks  for  his  labors. 

Li  1871,  when  the  body  met  at  Clinton,  Rev.  "W.  R.  Rothwell 
appears  as  corresponding  secretary;  and  16  missionaries  had 
been  in  the  employ  of  the  board,  to  whom  about  $2,000  had  been 
paid.  Sometime  during  the  year  the  old  office  or  title  of  corres- 
ponding secretary  had  been  exchanged  for  that  of  superinten- 
dent of  domestic  missions.  In  this  office  Dr.  Rothwell  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  J.  Hickman  in  March,  1872,  the  former  having 
resigned  the  January  before.  To  this  office  Rev.  S.  W.  Marston 
was  called  in  1873,  and  was  entitled  superintendent  of  state  mis- 
sions. His  first  report  was  rendered  at  Sedalia  (First  Baptist 
Church)  where  the  association  met  October,  1874,  showing  that 
$4,903.73  had  been  collected  during  the  year.  The  board  had  in 
its  employ  that  year,  for  longer  or  shorter  periods,  18  men  as 
missionaries,  to  whom  it  paid  the  sum  of  $1,320  ;  605  were  bap- 
tized and  12  churches  were  organized.  The  association  met  at 
St.  Joseph  in  October,  1875.  The  whole  land  was  under  great 
financial  pressure  and  the  churches  especially  seemed  to  feel  its 


356  MISSOURI    BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASS0CIA1?I0N. 

influence.  Eev.  S.  W.  Marston  had  continued  his  labors  as  sup- 
erintendent of  missions  ;  347  churches  were  enrolled  as  contrib- 
utors, and  ^4,916.51  was  the  amount  of  contributions.  At  the 
commencement  of  this  session  the  board  was  ^1,420. 72  in  debt, 
which  was  $729.16  less  than  the  debt  of  the  year  before. 

The  meeting  at  Hannibal  in  1876  was  held  under  financial  em- 
barrassment, in  the  itinerant  department.  On  the  first  of  the 
.June  preceding,  Rev.  S.  W.  Marston  resigned  his  position  as 
superintendent  of  state  missions,  and  a  majority  of  the  board 
voting  to  dispense  with  the  services  of  a  paid  traveling  agent. 
Rev.  J.  D.  Murphy  was  appointed  to  conduct  the  work  through 
the  mails  and  the  papers  until  the  annual  meeting.  The  embar- 
rassments arising  from  the  new  method  of  conducting  the  work, 
to  say  nothing  of  midsummer  wlien  collections  are  meagre,  gave 
but  little  room  for  success.  The  whole  amount  of  collections 
through  the  year  from  churches,  individuals,  advertising,  &c.,  was 
$3,377.43.  Soon  after  the  meeting  at  Hannibal  Rev.  Joshua  Hick- 
man was  again  employed  as  corresponding  secretary,  and  began 
his  labors  under  the  greatest  discouragements.  The  lack  of  vigor 
in  prosecuting  state  missions  the  previous  j'car;  dissatisfaction 
on  account  of  unpaid  salaries;  and  the  general  financial  embar- 
rassment of  the  whole  country  were  formidable  obstacles  to  suc- 
cess. The  amount  collected  for  associational  purposes  and  passing 
through  its  treasury  was  $1,945.35;  addedto  which  were  $3,351.42 
paid  out  by  various  district  associations  reporting  to  the  cor- 
responding secretary,  as  auxiliaries  to  the  General  Association. 
The  report  of  the  board  at  the  session  of  1878  indicates  a  com- 
parative failure  in  the  work,  there  having  been  in  actual  collec- 
tions only  $1,511.20  during  the  whole  year. 

When  the  board  commenced  work  immediately  after  the  meet- 
ing in  1878,  claims  against  it  for  services  rendered  were  present- 
ed by  four  missionaries  of  the  year  before,  and  also  by  the  former 
corresponding  secretary.  Added  to  this  embarrassment  was 
that  arising  from  great  opposition  to  the  agency  system,  under 
the  influence  of  which  the  association  gave  instructions  limiting 
the  time  to  be  spent  by  the  corresponding  secretary  "  on  the 
field"  to  "one-half  his  whole  time."  Under  these  circumstances 
Dr.  W.  Pope  Yeaman  filled  the  office  of  corresponding  secretary 
for  a  part  of  the  year;  $2,461.03  (including  the  IS^eal  fund)  were 
collected,  and  some  old  claims  together  with  new  ones  were  paid 
off".  For  the  year  closing  with  the  session  of  1880,  Dr.  Yeaman 
was  continued  as  corresponding  secretary,  giving  only  a  part  of 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION.  857 

his  time  to  field  work.  The  board  had  in  its  emploj'  during  the 
year  17  missionaries;  and  the  total  collections  amounted  to 
$5,753.81.  Encouraged  by  this  state  of  things  and  approving  the 
methods  of  the  board  and  the  energy  of  the  corresponding  secre- 
tary, the  association  recommended  that  the  whole  time  of  Dr. 
Yeaman  be  secured,  with  such  liberal  compensation  as  would  en- 
able him  to  surrender  all  other  engagements.  He  virtually  gave 
himself  up  to  the  work,  and  at  the  end  of  the  year  (October  21, 
1881)  the  treasurer's  report  exhibited  as  the  total  receipts  the 
sum  of  $11,199.69,  of  which  amount  the  board  had  disbursed 
$8,875,41,  having  had  in  its  employ  thirty-three  missionaries. 

For  many  years  the  executive  board  was  located  at  Fayette, 
Howard  County.  In  1866  it  was  removed  to  Columbia;  then  in 
1873  or  '74  to  St.  Louis,  where  it  remained  until  1878,  when  it 
was  removed  to  Mexico.  In  1881-'2  it  consisted  of  Eev.  .7.  C.  Maple, 
presiden.t;  Eev,  T,  W.  Barrett,  recording  secretarj";  J,  A.  Guthrie, 
treasurer;  Rev.  W,  Pope  Yeaman,  corresponding  secretary;  Eev. 
J.  D.  Murphy,  Eev.  Wm.  Harris,  Joel  Guthrie,  J,  M,  Gordon,  T. 
M.  James,  A.  G.  Turner,  A.  C.  Avery,  Eev.  G.  A.  Lofton,  Eev.  J. 
Eeid,  C.  H.  Hardin,  L.  B.  Ely,  Eev.  J.  T.  Williams,  Eev.  W.  W. 
Boyd,  Eev,  W.  J.  Patrick  and  N.  T.  Mitchell, 

[Because  of  their  special  prominence  in  other  fields  of  labor, 
sketches  of  some  of  the  early  leaders  of  the  General  Association 
have  been  given  in  other  places.] 

Hon.  David  H,  Hickman. — This  Christian  nobleman  was  a  na- 
tive of  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  and  was  born  November  21, 
1821.  His  father.  Captain  David  M.  Hickman,  moved  to  Boone 
County,  Missouri,  when  young  David  was  but  a  boy,  and  settled 
not  far  from  Little  Bonne  Femme  Church.  He  received  quite  a 
liberal  education  at  Bonne  Femme  Academy,  and  at  the  age  of 
15  years,  under  the  preaching  of  Eld.  Fielding  Wilhoite,  he  was 
converted,  baptized,  and  united  with  the  Baptists. 

His  adopted  county,  Boone,  honored  him  with  a  seat  in  the 
Legislature,  where  he  in  turn  honored  Boone  County.  He  was 
the  author  of  the  first  bill  creating  a  state  tax  for  the  support  of 
public  schools.  Wherever  he  was,  he  was  full  of  enterprise. 
Exceedingly  modest  and  retiring,  he  never  sought  preferment, 
but  seemed  the  more  frequently  to  be  called  on  to  fill  important 
positions  in  the  councils  of  his  people,  whether  social,  political 
or  religious.  He  was  for  years  moderator  of  Little  Bonne 
Femme  Association,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  moderator 
of  the  General  Association. 


358 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL   ASSOCIATION. 


D.  H.  Hickman  was  a  most  amiable  Christian,  one  among  the 
most  liberal  in  the  denomination.  Not  long  before  his  death  he 
gave  |5,OO0  for  the  endowment  of  William  Jewell  College,  and 
otherwise  materially  aided  that  institution.  He  turned  no  char- 
ity away.  He  was  foremost  in  establishing  the  Baptist  College 
at  Columbia,  now  known  as  "  Stephens'  College."     The  rule  of 

his  life,  as  a  con- 
tributor, was  to  give 
''  as  the  Lord  pros- 
pered him."  He 
said  to  the  writer: 
"  The  more  I  make, 
the  more  I  feel  like 
giving  to  the  Lord's 
cause." 

He   died  of  con- 
gestion of  the  lungs 
and  hyperaemia  of 
the  brain^  after  an 
^  illness    of     twelve 
-^  days,  June  25, 1869, 
at    his     residence 
near  Columbia.  The 
procession   which 
fo  1 1  owe  d  his   re- 
mains to  the  grave 
was  the  largest  ever 
witnessed    in    the 
town  of  Columbia  on  the  occasion  of  a  funeral. 

Alvin  Peter  Williams. — The  news  of  the  sudden  death  of  Dr. 
A.  P.  Williams  produced  a  widespread  grief  over  the  entire  de- 
nomination of  the  state,  yea!  over  almost  the  whole  land,  east, 
west,  north  and  south.  The  loss  of  no  other  man  in  the  state 
ever  caused  such  general  lamentation.  All  seemed  to  realize  that 
a  prince  in  Israel  had  fallen. 

We  clip  the  following  notice  of  his  death  from  the  Glasgoic 
Journal. 

"Elder  A.  P.  Williams  came  to  an  untimcl}'  death  in  this  place 
on  Monda}-,  Nov.  9,  1868,  under  the  following  circumstances: 

"He  had  been  stopping  with  his  friend  Mr.  W,  J.  Key,  whose 
residence  is  situated  on  a  high  hill.  About  3  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon of  that  day,  he  started  home,  and  led  his  horse  down  the 


^^\\1^P^// 


'/j^y^'^' 


nOX.  DAVID   n.    IIICKMAX. 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST    GENERAL   ASSOCIATION.  359 

hill,  and  just  outside  of  the  enclosure,  close  to  the  gate,  in  at- 
tempting to  mount,  his  spur  struck  the  horse,  causing  him  to 
jump  down  an  embankment  some  six  feet,  throwing  Elder  Wil- 
liams violently  to  the  ground.  He  was  seen  to  fall  and  immedi- 
ately assistance  came  to  his  relief.  He  was  taken  up  almost  in- 
sensible, but  soon  became  conscious,  and  was  taken  into  a  house 
near  by,  when  he  told  how  the  occurrence  happened.  No  bruises 
were  perceptible  on  his  person.  Drs.  Collins  and  Southworth, 
two  excellent  phj'sicians,  were  immediatelj*  called  in  and  everj^- 
thing  done  that  was  possible  to  save  his  life,  but  all  in  vain.  A 
blood  vessel  had  been  ruptured  and  internal  hemorrhage  ensued, 
resulting  in  death  in  about  two  hours  from  the  time  of  the  acci- 
dent. He  was  conscious  until  about  twenty  minutes  before  he 
died.  He  seemed  to  suffer  a  good  deal  in  breathing,  wanting  to 
be  raised  up  frequently  and  then  let  down. 

"His  remains  were  taken  home  Tuesday  morning  to  his  fam- 
ily, at  or  near  Cambridge,  in  Saline  County,  eight  miles  from 
Glasgow.  On  Wednesday  the  Masons  of  Glasgow,  and  a  large 
number  of  the  citizens  from  the  surrounding  country,  attended 
his  funeral. 

"Elder Williams  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  Baptist  preach- 
ers in  the  state.  He  was  about  fifty-five  or  sixty  years  of  age. 
No  more  will  his  eloquent  voice  be  heard  in  the  pulpit.  He  has 
gone  to  his  rest  in  the  better  land." 

Missouri  claims  the  honor  of  being  the  native  state  of  A.  P. 
Williams,  he  having  been  born  in  St.  Louis  County,  March  13, 
1813,  being  the  oldest  son  and  the  fourth  child  of  Eld.  Lewis  Wil- 
liams, one  of  the  most  noted  and  useful  among  the  pioneer  preach- 
ers of  Missouri. 

"Though  his  father  was  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  felt  the 
importance  of  giving  his  son  opportunities  for  an  education,  such 
facilities  were  not  aftorded  him,  as  in  that  early  day  ministers 
were  poorer  and  were  more  poorly  paid  than  they  are  even  at 
the  present  day.  To  eke  out  a  scanty  supportthey  were  obliged 
to  resort  to  manual  labor,  a  not  uncommon  thing  in  the  state  in 
this  day.  And,  besides  all  this,  schools  were  then  few  and  of  an 
inferior  quality  in  this  western  countrj'.  Young  Williams  spent 
his  boyhood  in  laboring  on  the  farm,  thereby  assisting  his  father 
in  providing  for  the  family.  This  employment  he  was  compelled 
to  follow,  in  some  measure,  for  years  after  he  was  married  and 
entered  the  ministry."     {Rev.  Dr.  A.  H.  Burlingham's  Sketch,  p.  7.) 

To  give  some  idea  of  how  he  overcame  obstacles,  it  is  related 


860  Missouri  baptist  general  association. 

of  him,  that  in  the  earlier  days  of  his  ministrj'-  he  made  rails  at 
50  cents  a  hundred,  to  support  his  family  and  to  buy  his  books. 

His  conversion  occurred  in  his  sixteenth  year.  While  under 
conviction  he  made  the  same  mistake  that  thousands  had  done 
before  him — that  he  must  be  able  to  oifer  a  holy  prayer  before 
Grod  would  hear  and  answer  him.  His  burden  increased  rather 
than  diminished,  until,  finally  casting  himself  wholly  upon  Je- 
sus Christ  for  salvation,  his  spirit  became  calm.  He  at  once 
made  a  profession  of  religion  and  was  baptized.  The  following 
year,  the  17th  of  his  life,  at  the  call  of  the  St.  John's  Church  he 
was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  his  father, 
Lewis  Williams,  and  David  Stites  acting  as  the  presbytery. 

The  wonderful  influence  that  he  was  to  wield  in  the  Baptist 
denomination  generally,  and  especially  in  this  rising  state,  was 
not  indicated  in  his  early  ministry.  But  God  manifestly  intend- 
ed that  he  should  become  a  leader  in  our  Baptist  Zion,  to  do 
which  he  encountered  and  overcame  wonderful  difficulties. 
"  Without  the  prestige  of  means,  social  position  or  education,  he 
was  to  carve  his  way  through  the  world.  If  ever  a  young  min- 
ister, destined  to  attain  eminence  in  the  profession,  was  put  up- 
on his  own  resources  exclusively  in  the  beginning  of  his  career, 
that  young  man  was  the  late  Alvin  Peter  Williams.  But  God 
had  endowed  him  with  rare  intellectual  powers,  and  had  kindled 
in  his  soul  an  insatiable  desire  for  knowledge."  {Dr.  Biniingham' s 
Sketch,  p.  10.) 

Young  Williams  lost  no  time,  nor  did  he  let  slip  an  opportun- 
ity for  improvement.  Though  at  once  entering  into  active  min- 
isterial life,  both  as  pastor  and  evangelist,  and  obliged  to  per- 
form manual  labor  for  the  partial  support  of  his  famil}^,  he  found 
time  in  a  few  years  to  gain  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  Greek 
language  to  enable  him  to  read  the  Ncav  Testament  in  its  orig- 
inal tongue  and  to  make  himself  the  Apollos,  "  mighty  in  the 
Scriptures."  He  followed  the  habit  through  life  of  reading  and 
studying  his  Bible  as  he  rode  on  horseback  to  his  appointments. 

His  powers  of  memory  were  extraordinary,  retaining  Bible 
phraseology,  or  whatever  he  saw,  heard  or  read,  with  astonish- 
ing distinctness.  He  used  to  say  that  "  if  the  New  Testament 
were  lost,  he  thought  he  could  replace  it  from  memory."  *'  He 
was  a  profound  thinker  and  an  able  theologian,"  fond  of  contro- 
versy as  a  means  of  arriving  at  the  truth,  but  never  seeking  the 
least  advantage  or  unfairness  in  debate.  As  a  safe  expositor 
of  God's  word,  few  men  in  this  country  could  equal  him.     "  For 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENEAAL  ASSOCIATION.  361 

originality  of  thought,  and  for  calm,  careful  Christian  thorough- 
ness, whether  hy  speech  or  by  pen,"  he  doubtless  bore  a  more 
striking  resemblance  to  Andrew  Fuller  than  any  other  man  on 
the  American  continent. 

The  following  testimonial,  from  the  pen  of  Eev.  J.  H.  Luther, 
appeared  in  one  of  our  leading  religious  journals. 

"  As  a  contributor  to  the  Baptist  literature  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  Dr.  Williams  had  no  superior.  He  has  been  styled  by 
one  of  the  most  polished  scholars  and  eloquent  divines  of  our 
country,  "  The  Andrew  Fuller  of  America."  Referring  to  this 
compliment,  we  shall  never  forget  his  reply  to  us,  as  arm  in  arm 
we  walked  to  the  church,  in  1860.     "It  humbles  me  to  hear  this 

compliment  from  Dr. .    I  have  simply  tried  in  my  work  to 

show  the  errors  which  beset  our  people  in  this  great  valle}'." 
He  had  all  the  simplicity  of  "Wayland,  the  orthodoxy  of  Fuller, 
the  straight-forwardness  and  bluntness  of  a  western  pioneer,  and 
the  earnestness  of  Henry  Martyn.  His  fugitive  pieces,  the  occa- 
sional sketches  of  his  ever  ready  pen,  would  fill  a  volume,  and 
give  him  a  place  among  the  foremost  writers  of  the  age. 

"  As  an  evangelist  in  Missouri,  the  last  quarter  of  a  century  is 
illustrated  with  his  triumphs.  In  the  common  acceptation  of  the 
term,  he  was  not  a  revivalist.  He  was,  however,  an  evangelist 
of  the  primitive  type,  resorting  to  none  of  the  clap-trap  of  pseudo- 
religionists  to  attract  the  masses  to  his  church,  and  avoiding 
every  demonstration  not  sanctioned  by  enlightened  reason.  He 
may  have  labored  sometimes  to  spread  out  his  argument  so  that 
the  simplest  could  grasp  itj  but  with  his  analysis  made  out,  and 
his  subject  fairly  before  the  minds  of  his  hearers,  he  rose  like  a 
giant  above  every  depressing  surrounding,  carrying  by  his  pecu- 
liar eloquence  and  persuasive  manners  every  heart  with  him.  It 
was  not  Williams,  then,  who  was  seen  and  admired  by  the  con- 
gregations of  Missouri  J  it  was  the  sublime  theme  which  had  been 
presented  to  fallen  men — the  same  sweet  story  of  old,  which  fell 
from  the  lips  of  a  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  and  honored — mak- 
ing him  a  winner  of  souls. 

"As  a  pastor  Dr.  Williams  was  unsurpassed.  In  the  pulpit,  at 
the  fireside  and  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  he  carried  himself  as 
the  affectionate  shepherd,  the  dignified  bishop,  the  persuasive 
teacher,  winning  the  affections  of  every  class  and  fortifying  his 
churches  against  every  form  of  error.  In  his  estimation  the 
pastoral  ofiice  rose  superior  to  every  other  position.  Though 
his  labors  as  an  evangelist  were  immense,  resulting  in  the  organ- 


362  MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

ization  of  many  churches,  and  though  his  contributions  In  the 
press  were  never  intermitted,  he  nevertheless  magnified  his  office 
as  pastor  of  several  churches.  He  loved  to  minister  to  the  sick 
and  the  sorrowful;  he  was  the  friend  of  the  young,  the  unwearied 
teacher  of  those  who,  burdened  with  sin  or  sick  of  a  false  religion, 
sought  his  counsel  for  guidance.  Many  a  home  to-day  is  sorrow- 
ful because  of  the  death  of  the  faithful  pastor  who  combined  in 
his  complete  character  the  eloquence  of  the  preacher,  the  wisdom 
of  the  counsellor  and  the  affection  of  a  friend."  (Central  Baptist, 
Vol.  I,  Xo.  16. 

Dr.  Williams'  sermons  were  thoroughly  prepared,  and  so  plain 
that  all  could  understand  them.  To  preach  the  gospel  was  his 
delight,  and  when  dwelling  upon  the  great  themes  of  grace  he 
often  rose  to  a  high  degree  of  eloquence.  His  whole  soul  was 
ablaze.  As  a  burning  mass  of  devotion  to  Christ  and  love  to  men, 
he  would  throw  it  into  the  subjects  of  eternal  interest  he  was 
presenting,  and  at  times  he  would  become  absolutely  over- 
whelming. 

His  itinerant  work  carried  him  over  much  of  Central  and 
Western  Missouri;  and,  besides  this,  prior  to  1857-'8,  he  spent 
some  time  in  pastoral  work  at  Lexington,  Richmond,  St.  Joseph, 
Libert}^  Pleasant  Eidge  and  other  places  in  Platte  County.  He 
was  ten  years  pastor  ofPleasant  Ridge  Church,  commencing  with 
its  oi'ganization  in  January,  1844.  Not  far  from  the  same  date 
he  organized  the  Second  Baptist  Church  at  Liberty,  Claj' County, 
and  the  Richmond  Church,  Ray  County;  and  the  same  year  (1844) 
was  foremost  in  organizing  the  North  Liberty  Association,  hav- 
ing constituted  three  of  the  four  churches  (the  last  throe  above 
named)  that  formed  that  body.  He  may  be  therefore  regarded 
as  the  father  of  the  North  Liberty  Association,  which  commenced 
with  four  feeble  churches,  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  largest  anti- 
mission  associations  (Fishing  River)  in  the  state,  but  is  now,  in 
efficiency,  second  to  no  organization  in  the  denomination  in 
Missouri. 

As  early  as  1848  the  name  of  A.  P.  Williams  is  associated  with 
the  Baptist  General  Association  of  the  state,  having  come  that 
year  from  the  church  at  Lexington.  He  was  then  beginning  to 
rise  to  distinction,  receiving  the  appointment  as  one  of  the  three 
messengers  to  the  Triennial  Convention,  which  was  to  meet  the 
following  April  at  Philadelphia. 

He  lived  for  a  time  at  Warrensburg,  but  moved  thence  to  Sa- 
line County,  where  he  spent  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  as  pas- 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL    ASSOCIATION.  863 

tor  of  Miami,  Bethel  and  Rehoboth  Churches,  and  a  part  of  the 
time  of  Good  Hope  Church.  During  his  ministry  he  was  instru- 
mental in  the  conversion  of  many  thousands  of  souls,  and  is  said 
to  have  baptized  between  three  and  four  thousand  persons,  a 
service  in  which   he  took  great  delight. 

He  was  first  elected  moderator  of  the  General  Association  in 
1863,  and  served  in  this  relation  for  four  consecutive  sessions. 

The  last  work  of  his  life  as  an  author  is  a  bound  volume  of 
165  pages,  entitled  The  Lord's  Supper.  The  Scriptural  and  logical 
arguments  on  the  question  were  presented  in  a  clear  and  con- 
vincing manner.  It  is,  in  short,  a  profound  and  exhaustive  dis- 
cussion of  the  subject. 

The  following  memorial  of  Dr.  Williams  was  published  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  (Session  of  1869, 
pp.  27-'8.) 

"Rev.  A.P.Williams,  D.D.,  of  Missouri,  was  a  highly  honored 
and  greatly  beloved  friend  of  this  convention  and  of  all  the  in- 
terests which  it  represents.  God  endowed  him  with  a  remarkably 
clear,  vigorous  and  active  intellect,  which,  without  early  culture, 
had  been  by  many  years  of  study  carefully  disciplined  and  richly 
stored  with  Bible  knowledge.  Pew  men  of  the  age  possessed  a 
more  logical,  discriminating  and  creative  mind.  He  devoted  all 
his  powers  in  early  life  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel;  and  rarely 
has  any  man  made  fuller  proof  of  his  ministry.  *  *  *  He 
was  equally  efficient  in  the  pulpit,  on  the  platform,  or  with  the 
pen.  By  force  of  character,  sound  judgment,  conciliating  man- 
ners and  incessant  effort,  he  placed  himself  in  the  front  rank  of 
the  Baptists  of  Missouri,  and,  indeed,  of  the  denomination." 

"In  the  early  years  of  his  ministry,  A.  P.  Williams  was  mar- 
ried to  her  who,  while  he  lived,  was  the  devoted  sharer  of  his 
toils  and  sacrifices  as  a  public  servant  of  Christ,  and  who,  now 
that  the  Master  has  called  her  husband  first,  waits  in  sadness  a.nd 
in  hope  to  join  him  where  unions  are  never  broken."  (7)r.  Bur- 
Ungham's  Sketch,  p.  9.) 

A.  P.  Williams  was  the  oldest  of  four  brothers — all  Baptist 
ministers — one  of  whom.  Perry  D.,  is  dead  ;  and  two  of  whom, 
Isaiah  T.  and  Milton  F.,  now  live  in  the  state. 

Noah  Flood. — For  many  years  Rev.  Noah  Flood  was  a  minis- 
ter in  the  Baptist  denomination  of  Missouri,  that  held  him  in 
very  high  esteem  and  delighted  to  honor  him  whenever  occasion 
offered.  Now  that  he  is  gone,  they  hold  sacred  his  name  and 
memory. 


364 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST    OENERAI.  ASSOCIATION. 


He  was  born  June  14,  1809,  in  Shelby  County,  Kentucky,  be- 
ing the  fifth  child  of  Joshua  and  Mary  Flood — the  former  of  hon- 
orable English  parentage,  and  the  latter  a  descendant  of  the 
Huguenots.      His  parents  were  possessed  of  strong  intellects, 

great  decision  of 
character,  and  for 
many  years  were 
devout  members 
of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination, in  the 
faith  of  which  the}- 
raised  up  their 
children  and  at 
the  age  of  nearly 
fourscore  year  s 
died,  having  been 
permitted  to  wit- 
ness the  conver- 
sion of  their  entire 
family  of  children. 
When  but  a 
child,  little  Noah 
began  to  ask  ques- 
tions about  death 
and  the  Deity, 
REV.  xoAH FLOOD.  whlch    sccmed 

really  beyond  his  age,  and  from  his  veiy  early  life  it  was  the  be- 
lief of  his  pious  mother  that  he  would  be  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

His  limited  early  education  was  obtained  in  a  log  school-house 
near  his  father's  farm,  and  when  eighteen  years  old  he  could  read, 
write  and  spell,  and  cipher  to  the  "single  rule  of  three,"  this  be- 
ing as  far  as  his  teacher,  an  old  revolutionary  soldier,  could  go 
in  the  arithmetic.  In  childhood  he  was  the  subject  of  religious 
impressions,  but  his  stubborn  heart  would  rebel  against  God, 
whom  he  regarded  simplj-as  a  tyrant.  On  his  death  bed  he  gave 
the  following  account  of  his  conversion  : 

"About  the  year  1824  there  was  a  great  religious  awakening 
throughout  that  portion  of  Kentucky,  when  I  was  led  to  serious 
reflection  upon  the  condition  of  my  soul,  and  had  I  been  under 
the  instruction  of  modern  revivalists,  doubtless  then  would  I 
have  been  induced  to  join  the  church ;  but  it  was  the  custom  then 
for  those  seeking  membership  in  the  church  to  relate  their  Chris- 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL   ASSOCIATION.  365 

tian  experience  and  to  tell  of  the  work  of  grace  upon  their  hearts, 
and  the  churches  were  very  careful  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  if 
G-od  had  produced  a  new  creation  before  persons  were  invited  to 
membership.  The  venerable  Abram  Cook  was  then  the  religious 
teacher  of  that  part  of  the  country  and  he  was  careful  that  I  should 
make  no  mistake.  I  thought  much  upon  the  subject  until  about 
the  year  1828,  when  I  felt  that  it  was  my  duty  and  privilege  to 
unite  with  God's  people."  In  July  of  that  year  he  united  with 
Six  Mile  (now  Christiansburg)  Baptist  Church,  Shelby  County, 
Kentucky. 

By  peculiar  providential  circumstances,  in  October,  1829,  Noah 
Flood  was  led  to  Missouri  and  located  in  St.  Charles,  where  he 
followed  the  tailor's  trade  to  procure  means  to  go  to  school,  at 
the  same  time  studying  such  branches  as  are  taught  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  From  St.  Charles  he  went  to  Marion  College,  Ma- 
rion County,  under  the  management  of  Dr.  Nelson,  where  by  his 
own  exertions  he  supported  himself,  unwilling  to  be  a  burden  to 
others,  or  to  live  by  the  charity  of  fri^ends  or  brethren. 

While  attending  Marion  College  the  Lord  brought  him  forth 
publicly  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  himself.  At  this  time  a  small 
band  of  Baptists  known  as  Little  Union  Church  worshiped  not 
far  from  the  college.  "With  these  Noah  Flood  found  a  spiritual 
home,  and  for  them  and  their  success  his  sympathies  were  arous- 
ed. In  December,  1832,  that  little  band  of  Christians  called  upon 
him  to  exercise  his  gift  in  preaching,  and  upon  that  day  they 
gave  him  license  to  preach  the  gospel.  He  never  up  to  this  time 
had  mentioned  his  desire  to  preach.  In  this  we  may  rightly  in- 
fer that  while  God  was  teaching  and  preparing  him  for  the  work, 
he  was  likewise  impressing  the  mind  of  the  church  in  the  same 
direction. 

During  the  spring  that  followed  his  first  attempt  to  preach,  an 
incident  occurred  in  his  life  which  resulted  in  his  being  greatly 
encouraged.  He  started  to  attend  a  meeting  some  forty  miles 
distant,  in  company  with  an  aged  brother.  In  the  evening  the}^ 
stopped  all  night  with  a  family  where  there  was  a  gathering  of 
people  at  a  quilting.  The  old  minister  preached  and  left  an  ap- 
pointment for  the  return  trip.  It  so  happened  that  young  Flood 
had  to  fill  the  appointment.  A  cloud  seemed  to  rest  upon  him. 
For  two  hours  alone  in  the  woods,  with  his  Testament  he  sought 
aid  from  G-od.  His  mind  was  finally  led  to  Titus  2  ;  11-15,  from 
which  he  preached,  and  God  was  with  him.  His  own  heart  was 
full ;  the  people  wept  and  prayed ;  and  here  God  gave  his  first 


366  MISSOURI    BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

marked  evidence  of  approbation.  He  spent  the  remainder  of  the 
year  in  preaching  in  school-houses  and  in  strengthening  weak 
places. 

He  did  a  vast  amount  of  real  pioneer  work  from  Marion  Coun- 
ty to  the  Des  Moines  Eiver,  and  jiroved  himself  eminently  fitted 
to  organize  and  lay  foundations  for  useful  superstructures.  In 
this  field  he  was  the  instrument  of  forming  many  churches,  the 
first  of  which  was  St.  Francisvillo  in  Clark  County.  Another 
was  Fox  Eiver.  In  this  work  he  was  often  associated  with  Elds. 
James  Lillard  and  Jer.  Taylor,  two  of  the  early  pioneers  of 
Northeast  Missouri. 

From  this  field  God  directed  him  to  Alton,  111.,  where  he  at- 
tended Shurtleff  College  in  1834-'5,  in  company  with  Drs.  J.  M. 
Frost  and  Samuel  Baker.  These  three  men  would  cut  cord  wood 
and  clear  up  ground  to  obtain  means  of  support  while  preparing 
for  the  ministry.  While  at  the  Alton  school  Mr.  Flood  studied 
theology  five  months  under  Dr.  Colby. 

From  Alton  he  went  to  AVoodford  County,  Kentucky,  where  he 
taught  and  preached.  While  here  he  was  much  aided  in  his  stud- 
ies by  Elder  Nathan  Ayres,  afterwards  his  brother-in-law,  and 
who  contributed  greatly  to  his  usefulness. 

In  1838  he  was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  by  the  church 
at  Forks  of  Elkhorn,  and  June  19th  of  the  same  year  married 
Miss  Livisa  Jane  Ayres,  a  noble  Christian  woman,  who  suftered 
many  hardships  to  permit  him  to  be  from  home  preaching  the 
gospel.  She,  with  six  children,  one  son  and  five  daughters,  sur- 
vived him. 

In  October,  1839,  Noah  Flood  returned  to  Missouri  and  settled 
in  Callaway  County,  where  he  was  destined  to  accomplish  much 
good  in  the  Baptist  cause.  He  contested  every  inch  of  ground 
with  the  anti-missionary  spirit  that  met  him  at  almost  every 
point.  He  had  settled  in  the  midst  of  the  strongest  anti-mission 
element  in  the  state,  supported  by  the  strongest  men  in  their 
ranks,  among  whom  were  Theo.  Boulware  and  Thos.  P.  Stephens. 

His  opponents  warned  the  people  against  him,  and  closed  their 
meeting-houses  upon  him.  The  only  church  house  that  was  for 
some  time  open  to  him  in  that  section  of  country  was  known  as 
Brick  Providence.  So  full  of  trial  and  discouragement  was  his 
first  year  in  Callaway  County  that  he  was  often  tempted  to  leave 
for  another  field;  but  the  language  of  Christ  in  John  4; 35, 
*'  Lift  up  j^our  eyes  and  look  on  the  fields,"  &c.,  seemed  so  di- 
rectly addressed  to  him  that  he  determined  to  stay.     He  wa.- 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL    ASSOCIATION.  367 

even  publicly  denounced  from  the  pulpit  by  the  opposition  as  a 
"hireling,"  "  money  hunter,"  &c.;  but  none  of  these  things  moved 
him.  Grod  helped  him  and  he  pressed  forward.  The  people 
flocked  to  hear  him  in  school-houses,  inprivate  dwellings  and  in 
the  groves,  while  many  seemingly  providential  circumstances 
aided  him  and  often  resulted  in  the  founding  of  a  church. 

While  in  Callaway  County,  the  first  church  organized  was 
Kichland,  now  strong  and  useful;  and  after  this  the  folloAving 
churches  were  in  whole  or  in  part  the  fruit  of  his  labors:  Grand 
Prairie,  Unity,  Union  Hill,  Mt.  Horeb  and  Dry  Fork, 

From  his  field  in  Callaway,  he  removed  to  Fayette,  in  Howard 
County,  in  1852.  Here  he  remained  until  1858,  and  was  pastor 
of  Fayette,  Walnut  Grove,  Mt.  Zion,  Mt.  Gilead  and  Chariton 
Churches.  In  1858  he  removed  to  Huntsville;  thence  in  1863  to 
Roanoke.     During  all  of  this  time  he  was  active  in  labors. 

The  dark  period  in  his  life  was  during  the  war.  He  was  a  pos- 
itive man  and  often  subjected  himself  to  dangers  by  a  bold  and 
honest  expression  of  his  sentiments.  His  sympathies  were  with 
the  South,  and  however  ultra  men  may  have  regarded  him,  all 
gave  him  the  credit  of  being  honest  and  true,  and  his  extremest 
opponents  respected  him.  Never  will  the  great  brotherhood  of 
the  state  forget  his  bold  and  manly  speech  in  1867  at  Lexington, 
Missouri,  in  the  General  Association,  when  he  frankly  told  the 
causes  of  grievances,  and  opened  the  way  for  mutual  explana- 
tions Avhich  resulted  in  a  much  fuller  union  of  our  denomination- 
al interests  in  the  state.  No  other  man  on  the  floor,  perhaps, 
had  the  nerve  to  make  that  speech.  It  was,  however,  produc- 
tive of  great  good.  The  harmony  of  the  Missouri  Baptists  after 
the  close  of  the  war,  was  due  in  a  very  large  measure  to  the  in- 
fluence of  Noah  Flood.  He  comprehended  the  real  diff'erences 
and  saw  that  they  could  and  should  be  thrown  aside.  Upon  this 
conviction  he  acted  and  took  the  brethren  from  whom  he  had 
been  alienated,  to  his  heart;  and  upon  his  death-bed  expressed 
his  great  love  for  them,  whom  he  said  he  "appreciated  and 
loved  more  than  ever  before."  His  love  was  reciprocated,  for 
during  his  last  sickness  many  of  these  brethren  visited  prayed 
and  wept  with  him. 

In  1865  Noah  Flood  removed  to  Boone  County,  and  closed  his 
very  useful  earthly  career  in  Columbia,  on  Monday,  August  11. 
1873,  at  8  o'clock,  P.  M.  An  affectionate  family  and  dear  friends 
who  loved  and  honored  him,  surrounded  his  wasted  foi*m  when 
he  breatbcd  his  last.    His  death  was  a  full  and  complete  triumph 


368 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 


through  grace.  Having  long  expected  to  die  (he  was  sick  aj^out 
twelve  months)  he  had  made  his  arrangements  for  that  solemn 
hour. 

From  its  early  history  he  was  a  conspicuous  member  of  the 
General  Association,  He  had  acted  as  missionary  and  financial 
agent,  and  was  specially  active  in  organizing  her  educational  in- 
terests. "William  Jewell  College  was  a  special  object  of  his  fos- 
tering care  and  of  his  earnest  prayer.  Though  he  did  not  enjoy 
the  advantage  of  a  complete  collegiate  education  himself,  he  nev- 
ertheless greatly  appreciated  it  and  cheerfully  aided  others  in 
attaining  it.* 

Xerxes  Xavier  Buckner-j' — was  one  of  the  most  eminent  and 
useful  members  in  the  Baptist  ministry  of  Missouri,  prominent 

in  the  interests  of 
the  Greneral  Asso- 
ciation and  ready 
to  every  good 
work. 

He  was  born  in 
Spencer  County, 
Ky.,  Feb.  20,1828. 
He  was  brought 
up  on  a  farm , 
where  he  learned 
those  habits  of 
self-denial  and  up- 
i-ightness  which 
were  so  eminent- 
ly his  characteris- 
tics through  life. 

When  about  19 
j^ears   of  age    he 
made  a  public  pro- 
fession of  religion 
and  was  baptized 
into  the  fellowship  of  the  Plumb  Creek  Baptist  church,  in  his 
native  county.     By  this  church  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and 
afterwards  the  call  for  his  ordination  issued  from  the  same  body. 
We  find  him  a  student,  first  in  Mount  Washington  Academy, 

*  The  foregoing  account  is  from  the  f-keteh  of  the  hfc  of  Xoah  Flood  hy  Eld.  .T.  F, 
Cook,  LL.D.,  published  in  Christian  Repository,  Vol.  XIV,  p.  41. 
t  From  Central  Baptist,  February,  1872, 


KEV.  X.  X.  BUCKNER. 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL    ASSOCIATION.  369 

and  afterwards  in  Georgetown  College,  in  both  of  which  he  took 
a  very  prominent  rank.  By  his  inexhaustible  fund  of  good  hu- 
mor, as  well  as  by  his  natural  goodness  of  heart,  he  won  both 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  associates. 

He  was,  during  his  boyhood  and  early  manhood,  exceedingly 
popular.  He  was  gifted  as  a  singer,  having  naturally  a  very 
sweet  voice  and  more  than  ordinary  talent  for  musical  acquire- 
ments. When  he  had  finished  his  studies,  or  rather  when  cir- 
cumstances forced  him  to  relinquish  what  he  earnestly  desired 
to  pursue  farther,  he  left  the  college  and  became  pastor  of  the 
churches  at  Taylorsville  and  Fisherville  in  his  native  state.  His' 
work  in  the  ministry  was  therefore  begun  among  those  who  had 
known  him  from  his  childhood.  His  labors  were  not  in  vain; 
souls  were  converted  and  the  churches  strengthened. 

In  the  fall  of  1855  Brother  Buckner  came  to  Columbia,  Mo. 
He  had  been  called  to  the  pastorate  of  that  church,  and  after 
earnest  solicitations  accepted  that  field  in  preference  to  all  the 
others  then  before  him.  Columbia  was  then,  as  it  is  now,  sur- 
rounded by  a  wealthy  and  prosperous  community.  The  people 
were  mostly  from  Kentucky  and  Yirginia;  they  were  energetic, 
hospitable  and  intelligent.  While  these  were  the  special  char- 
acteristics of  the  farming  community,  the  citizens  of  the  county 
seat  were  marked  for  their  cultivated  refinement.  Here  was  the 
State  Univei'sity,  which  has  continued  to  flourish;  there  were 
also  several  flourishing  schools  for  young  ladies. 

He  came  among  this  people  a  timid  young  man,  dreading  the 
terrible  ordeal  through  which  he  as  a  young  pastor  must  j^ass. 
This  ordeal  he  successfully  underwent  and  continued  to  gain 
upon  the  confidence  and  esteem  ofthe  community  until  he  wielded 
an  influence  for  the  religion  of  Jesus,  such  as  he  alone  can  exer- 
cise "  who  points  to  heaven  and  leads  the  way." 

After  nearly  two  years'  residence  in  Columbia,  during  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  which  time  he  was  both  teacher  and  pastor, 
he  was  married  September  3,  1857,  to  Miss  Clara  Moss  Prewitt. 
This  marriage  proved  a  most  happy  one.  No  man  ever  found  a 
wife  more  true  and  devoted  to  the  work  of  Christ  than  did  X. 
X.  Buckner.  So  long  as  it  was  possible  for  him  to  preach,  she 
encouraged  him  to  give  himself  wholly  to  the  gospel. 

On  the  21st  day  ofthe  same  month  of  their  marriage,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Buckner  took  up  their  residence  in  the  Baptist  Female  Col- 
lege of  Columbia.     This  institution,  now  known  as  "  Stephens' 
College,"  had  its  origin  in  a  suggestion   made  by  Mr.  B.    He 
24 


370  MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

was  the  first  to  propose  such  un  enterprise  for  the  Baptists. 
But  at  that  time  he  had  but  little  means,  and  hence  the  money 
was  principally  furnished  by  others.  Hickman,  Prewitt  and 
others,  whose  names  I  have  not  at  command,  were  the  substan- 
tial friends  of  the  enterprise.  "  His  large  views,"  said  Dr.  Du- 
lin,  in  a  sermon  upon  the  occasion  of  his  burial  at  Columbia, 
comprehended  the  importance  of  an  institution  of  learning  here. 
He  conceived  the  idea  of  a  Baptist  Female  College  in  Columbia, 
assisted  in  purchasing  the  property  and  aided  in  inaugurating 
the  departments  of  instruction." 

After  about  five  years  of  toil  at  Columbia,  having  most  of  the 
time  discharged  the  double  duties  of  pastor  and  teacher,  Brother 
Buckner  settled  at  Boonville.  Here  he  began  his  work  as  pas- 
tor, devoting  his  whole  time  and  energy  to  the  church.  From 
the  brief  notes  kept  at  this  time,  I  learn  that  he  accepted  the  care 
of  the  church  in  Boonville,  January  17, 1860.  For  several  months 
preceding  this,  and  afterwards  until  the  first  of  May,  he  preached 
almost  every  day.  Large  numbers  Avere  converted  and  baptized. 
At  Boonville,  Mt.  Zion  and  Fayette,  where  he  held  up  the  ban- 
ner of  the  Cross,  sinners  enlisted  for  the  glorious  conflict. 

In  May  he  visited  his  native  state.  Having  spent  a  month 
among  his  kindred  there  he  returned  and  on  the  first  Sunday  in 
June  preached  three  sermons  in  Boonville.  When  Avill  the  lov- 
ing and  appreciative  brethren  learn  that  preachers'  lungs  are  not 
made  of  steel  or  brass?  He  aided  in  a  number  of  meetings  dur- 
ing the  summer  and  fall.  His  labors  were  constant.  Very  fre- 
quently he  speaks  of  preaching  Saturday,  Saturday  night  and 
three  times  on  Sunday.  His  afternoon  sermon  was  often  preach- 
ed to  the  colored  people.  He  mentions  protracted  meetings  at 
Columbia,  Nebo,  and  other  places,  in  which  great  good,  we  have 
no  doubt,  was  accomplished,  for  numbers  were  added  to  the 
churches.  The  limits  of  this  article  will  not  admit  of  specifica- 
tions. 

In  these  constant  labors,  this  riding  twenty-five  and  thirty  miles 
to  appointments,  then  preaching  to  crowds  of  people  and  again 
riding  to  some  distant  house  to  spend  the  night,  sleeping  some- 
times with  fire  and  sometimes  without,  sometimes  in  comfortable 
rooms  and  on  good  beds,  and  again  in  open  cabins  on  hard  and 
uncomfortable  straw  mattresses,  we  find  in  the  record  of  two 
years'  labor  of  this  kind  the  secret  of  the  origin  of  that  disease 
that  laid  him  aside  from  the  active  work  of  the  ministry  and 
finally  brought  on  the  attack  that  terminated  his  mortal  career. 


MISSOURI   BAPTIST    GENERAL   ASSOCIATION.  371 

He  soon  found  that  his  support  at  Boonville  was  not  sufficient 
to  pay  the  expenses  of  his  family.  In  order  therefore  to  keep 
the  wolf  of  want  from  the  door,  he  went  to  the  country  and  be- 
gan teaching  in  a  private  family.  In  a  short  time  he  concluded 
that  if  he  must  teach,  he  had  just  as  well  go  at  it  right.  He 
therefore  went  back  to  Boonville.  purchased  property,  fitted  it 
up  in  good  style  and  soon  had  one  of  the  most  flourishing  schools 
in  the  state.  To  show  that  he  engaged  in  teaching  reluctantly, 
I  Avill  here  mention  a  single  fact.  About  the  time  he  was  leav- 
ing Columbia,  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Baptist  Female 
College  in  Lexington,  which  position  he  declined  because  of  his 
consuming  desire  to  be  wholly  in  the  ministry.  In  Boonville  he 
soon  owned  a  good  school  building  with  all  the  necessary  ap- 
pointments to  carry  on  Successfully  an  institution  of  high  order 
for  young  ladies. 

In  a  few  years  failing  health  began  to  warn  him  that  he  could 
not  bear  up  under  the  double  duties  of  the  pulpit  and  the  school 
room.  Driven  by  the  necessities  of  his  enfeebled  health  he  left 
Boonville  and  became  a  resident  of  Kansas  City.  His  invest- 
ments in  this  growing  city  at  that  time  proved  his  wisdom  and 
forethought.  He  could  not  gain  his  own  consent  to  become  alto- 
gether a  business  man.  Though  preaching  almost  every  Sunday, 
and  a  portion,  at  least,  of  the  time,  acting  as  pastor  of  the  church 
in  Westport,  he  yet  desired  to  be  more  fully  in  the  work  of 
Christ.  He  therefore  moved  to  Liberty,  and  again  undertook 
the  work  of  two  men.  He  became  principal  of  the  Liberty  Fe- 
male College  and  pastor  of  the  church.  After  some  two  years 
more  of  hard  toil  he  again  moved  his  family  to  Kansas  City, 
which  he  then  decided  to  make  his  home  for  life.  And  this  res- 
olution he  kept,  though  at  a  later  period  he  often  spoke  of  mak- 
ing his  home  in  Columbia,  where  now  his  mortal  remains  sleep 
in  the  grave. 

The  Baptist  denomination  in  this  state  could  not  afford  to  do 
without  his  services.  The  gifts  with  which  the  Master  had  en- 
dowed him  were  greatly  needed.  He  was  soon  called  into  act- 
ive work  with  the  president  and  friends  of  William  Jewell  Col- 
lege. His  superior  financial  abilities  had  here  ample  opportun- 
ity for  their  full  exercise.  He  had  been  appointed  agent  of  the 
college  in  April,  1867,  and  did  very  considerable  effective  work. 
He  was  now  again  pushed  forward  to  lead  in  the  important  en- 
terprise of  raising  an  endowment  for  the  Baptist  State  Institu- 
tion.    He  made  a  liberal  contribution  himself,  and  had  not  his 


372  MISSOURI    BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 

failing  strength  compelled  him  to  relinquish  the  work,  the  finan- 
ces of  the  college  would  no  doubt  be  to-day  in  a  much  more 
flourishing  condition  than  they  are.  He  soon  discovered  that  he 
could  not  be  from  home  sufficiently  to  discharge  the  duties  of 
financial  agent  of  the  college.  And  if  he  could  be  thus  constant- 
ly away  from  his  family  he  could  not  do  the  speaking  necessary 
to  be  successful  in  the  work. 

Grod  had  in  the  last  eight  years  greatly  blessed  him  in  worldly 
goods,  and  he  knew  how  to  use  his  means  for  the  cause  of  the 
Divine  Eedeemer.  His  liberality  was  limited  only  by  the  meas- 
ure of  his  abilit}'.  His  life  was  a  verification  of  the  divine  prom- 
ise, "  The  liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat;  and  he  that  watereth 
shall  be  watered  also  himself." 

During  his  last  illness  a  meeting  of  brethren  Avas  called  at  the 
residence  of  Deacon  D.  L.  Shouse  to  devise  ways  and  means  for 
the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  cause  in  Kansas  City.  He 
sent  word,  from  what  proved  his  dying  bed,  that  though  he  was 
not  able  to  be  with  the  brethren  in  person  he  was  present  in 
heart,  and  that  he  might  be  counted  on  for  a  full  share  of  the 
means  necessary  to  carry  out  the  plans. 

At  fifteen  minutes  before  twelve  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the 
19th  of  January,  1872,  Rev.  X.  X.  Buckner  breathed  his  last.  He 
had  been  ill  for  several  weeks,  but  was,  as  all  believed,  slowly 
recovering.  About  twenty  minutes  before  his  death  he  com- 
plained of  shortness  of  breath,  and  before  any  aid  could  be  fur- 
nished him  he  had  crossed  the  river. 

His  funeral  services  were  conducted  on  Sunday  afternoon  at  3 
o'clock  at  the  First  Baptist  Church  by  the  pastor.  A  large  num- 
ber of  the  ministers  of  various  denominations  of  the  city  were 
present,  as  also  the  common  school  board,  of  which  honorable 
body  he  was  a  member.  The  house  was  crowded,  and  a  more 
solemn  audience  never  waited  upon  the  services  of  the  sanctuary. 

His  remains  were  then  taken  to  Columbia  for  interment.  The 
trustees  of  Stephens'  College,  acting  as  pall  bearers,  carried  his 
remains  first  to  the  family  mansion  of  his  father-in-law,  and 
thence  at  2  o'clock  P.  M.  to  the  Baptist  Church,  where  a  full  au- 
dience listened  to  an  eloquent  discourse  from  Dr.  Dulin,  from 
the  text,  "  What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt  know 
hereafter."  Loving  friends  then  laid  his  body  away  in  the  grave, 
there  to  await  the  summons  of  the  last  trumpet.  His  loving 
wife,  his  five  children,  and  with  them  the  whole  Baptist  denom- 
ination of  the  state,  mourn  his  loss. 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST    GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 


373 


Hon.  John  B.  Wornall — is  a  man  of  imposing  personal  pres- 
ence, a  well-built  frame,  clothed  with  a  firm,  muscular,  powerful 
system — an  honest,  open  face  and  a  kindly  beaming  eye.  Though 
a. private  member,  he  is  a  power  in  the  denomination. 

Bro.  "Wornall  was  born  in  Clark  County,  Kentucky,  but  spent 
his  youthful  days  near  old  Burk's  Church  in  that  state.  His 
father  moved  to  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  in  1844,  with  his  wife 
and  two  sons,  John  B.  and  G.  T.  Wornall.  Early  in  life  Bro.  W. 
on  a  profession  of  faith  united  with  the  Baptist  church  at  West- 
port.  Kansas  city  was  then  a  mere  landing  for  Westport,  with 
a  solitary  clap-board  warehouse.  A  true  friend  of  education,  he  has 
sustained  Wil- 
liam Jewell 
College  with  a 
strong  and  lib- 
eral hand,  and 
by  many  a 
young  man 
struggling  for 
an  education  is 
Brother  Wor- 
nall remember- 
ed gratefully. 

Mr.  Wornall 
was  for  two 
years  modera- 
tor of  the  Gen- 
eral  Associa- 
tion. He  is  also 
a  member  of 
the  State  Sen- 
ate, where  his 
weight  of  char- 
acter is  greatly  felt.  He  is  not  a  politician  of  choice.  We  have 
heard  him  tell  to  a  select  few  how,  when  his  name  was  expected 
to  be  presented  to  a  convention  for  nomination,  that  he  went 
alone  before  God  in  prayer,  leaving  himself  in  His  hands  and 
asking  that  if  it  was  not  for  the  promotion  of  His  glory,  that  the 
vote  might  be  against  him.  He  was  soon  after  nominated,  almost, 
if  not  quite,  unanimously.  He  is  now  about  fifty  years  of  age, 
conservative,  dignified,  benevolent — a  noble  type  of  man.  (Christ- 
ian Repository,  by  S.  H.  Ford,  1874,  p.  158.) 


HOX.  JOHjr  B.  WORNALL. 


374 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION. 


Lewis  Bell  Ely. — One  of  the  most  useful  men  among  the  Mis- 
souri  Baptists  is  L.  B.  Ely,  who  for  three  years  was  moderator 
of  the  General  Association. 

He  was  born  in  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  May  18,  1825,  and  when 
a  youth  of  13  years  removed  with  his  father's  family  to  Missouri; 
In  1841,  when  16  years  old,  he  was  converted  and  the  following 
year  was  baptized  by  Eld.  Wm.  C.  Ligou  and  united  with  the  Bap- 
^^    ^^^  tist  church  at  Car 


rollton,  where  he  is 
yet  a  member. 

For  twenty-five 
years  Mr,  Ely  was 
superintendent  of 
the  Sunday-school 
in  his  church,  and 
only  resigned  earlj- 
in  1880  on  account 
of  the  pressure  of 
his  work  as  finan- 
cial agent  of  "Wil- 
liam Jewell  Col- 
lege; and  ever  since 
its  organization  as 
a  union  school  in 
1844,  he  has  been 
connected  with  the 
same  institution 
either  as  teacher  or 
superintendent. 

Brother  Ely  has  been  a  very  successful  business  man,  having 
followed  the  mercantile  life  for  nearly  forty  years,  from  which 
he  has  but  recently  retired,  and  is  now  devoting  himself  to  the 
interests  of  the  college  above  named,  to  which  he  has  been  a  lib- 
eral contributor,  having  given  as  much  as  ^5,000  at  one  time  to 
its  endowment  fund,  which  is  growing  into  noble  and  adequate 
proportions  under  his  consecrated  and  successful  work  for  it. 
He  has  been  greatly  blessed  in  his  earthly  possessions,  and  on 
all  occasions  he  uses  his  means  liberall}"  in  the  support  of  his  de- 
nomination and  its  interests.  No  man  in  Missouri  holds  a  high- 
er place  in  the  affections  of  his  brethren.  Though  somewhat  gray, 
and  seemingl}^  a  little  beyond  the  meridian  of  life,  he  is  appa- 
rently only  in  the  midst  of  a  most  useful  career. 


LEWIS  B.  ELY. 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST    GENERAL    ASSOCIATlOX; 


376 


Wii-LiA.M  Pope  Yeaman.* — A  moderator  of  the  General  Associ- 
ation, and  one  of  the  most  eloquent  and  popular  ministers  in  the 
Baptist  denomination  in  Missouri,  is  he  who  bears  the  familiar 
name  of  W.  Pope  Yeaman. 

He  was  born  in  Hardin  Count}',  Kentucky,  May  28,  1832^  and  is 
the  third  son  of  Stephen  M.  and  Lucretia  Yeaman — the  former 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  (Miss  Helm)  a  native  of  Hard- 
in County,  Kentucky.  He  studied  law  in  the  office  of  his  uncle, 
Gov.  John  L.  Helm,  at 
Elizabethtown,  Ken- 
tucky, and  at  the  age 
of  19  years  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar  in  his 
native  county.  At 
about  the  same  age  he 
was  married  to  Miss 
Eliza  Shackelford  of 
the  same  county.  This 
lady,  by  her  sterling 
qualities,  vigorous  in- 
tellect and  wifely  devo- 
tion, has  proven  her- 
self a  fit  helpmeet  to 
her  husband. 

For  nine  years  Mr. 
Yeaman  devoted  him- 
self to  the  practice  of 
the  law  and  attained  to 

From  '  Ihc  Baptist  Kiicjclopedla 

eminence  in  his  profes-  rev.  av.  pope  yeaman,  d.  d. 

sion.  He  was  particularly  able  as  an  advocate  and  was  retained 
in  many  of  the  most  important  and  difficult  cases  in  the  judicial 
district  in  which  he  lived. 

At  the  age  of  28  years,  after  a  severe  and  prolonged  struggle 
between  ambition  and  a  sense  of  duty,  he  yielded  to  his  convic- 
tions that  he  ought  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  was  ordained  a 
Baptist  preacher  at  Calhoun,  Kentucky.  His  first  pastorate  was 
at  JSTicholasville,  and  he  was  soon  called  to  divide  his  time  be- 
tween that  church  and  East  Hickman,  in  Fayette  County,  the  pul- 
pit of  which  had  been  made  vacant  by  the  resignation  oftheve;  - 
erable  Eyland  T.  Dillard,  D.  D.,  who  had  been  pastor  of  tl. 
church  for  thirty-seven  consecutive  years. 

*  From  the  Sketch  published  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Missowi. 


■^7(^  Missouri  baptist  (4eneral  association. 

In  18G2  Bro.  Yeaman  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in  the  cit}"  of  Covington,  Kj.,  where  he  succeed- 
ed siich  men  as  Dr.  S.  W.  Lynd,  James  Frost  and  Dr.  S.  L.  Helm. 
Both  at  East  Hickman  and  also  at  Covington  his  pastorate  was 
an  eminently  successful  one.  In  December,  1867,  he  accepted 
the  call  and  became  pastor  of  a  jjrominent  church  in  the  city  of 
Xew  York,  where  he  took  high  rank  among  his  brother  minis- 
ters. Under  his  ministry  the  church  grew  rapidly  in  numbers 
and  influence.  In  associational  meetings  in  ISTew  York  his  abil- 
ity as  a  platform  speaker  and  as  a  debater  gave  him  command- 
ing influence.  Though  ofl^'ered  heavy  pecuniary  inducements  to 
remain  in  ]S^ew  York,  his  inclination  to  come  West  brought  him 
to  St.  Louis  in  1870,  where,  in  answer  to  her  call,  he  became  pas- 
tor of  the  Third  Baptist  Church.  His  labors  w^ere  much  blessed 
in  this  important  field.  The  church  grew  in  numbers,  wealth, 
spiritual  power  and  beneficence,  until  it  "became  second  to  no 
other  church  in  the  state. 

In  1870  the  faculty  and  trustees  of  William  Jewell  College  con- 
ferred on  Brother  Yeaman  the  merited  honor  of  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity. 

In  coming  to  Missouri  Dr.  Yeaman  at  once  placed  himself  in 
sympathy  with  the  great  denominational  enterprises  of  his  breth- 
ren, and  has  ever  since  remained  a  steadfast  and  self-sacrificing 
friend  of  Missouri  Baptist  institutions  and  interests.  Though  as- 
sailed and  tempted,  he  has  never  swerved  from  his  original  posi- 
tions in  matters  of  denominational  education,  missions  and  jour- 
nalism, in  each  of  which  departments  he  has  done  much  service 
and  valuable  work,  the  good  efl'ects  of  which  are  now  realized 
by  the  denomination.  In  1870  he  was  elected  moderator  of  the 
St.  Louis  Association,  to  which  position  he  was  re-elected  for  six 
consecutive  meetings  of  that  body.  At  the  seventh  meeting  he 
declined  a  re-election. 

In  1875  Dr.  Yeaman  was  elected  chancellor  of  William  Jewell 
College,  which  oflice  he  held  during  much  laborious  work  for 
two  years,  when  he  resigned.  The  board  of  trustees  highly  com- 
mended his  administration  of  college  aff'airs.  In  October,  1876, 
he  resigned  the  pastoral  otfice  in  tlie  Third  Cliurch,  St.  Louis, 
and  gave  his  time  to  the  chancellorship  and  chief  editorship  of 
the  Central  Baptist.  In  Aj^ril,  1^877,  the  Garrison  Avenue  Baptist 
Church,  St.  Louis,  was  founded  and  Dr.  Yeaman  received  a  unan- 
imous call  as  pastor,  which  he  accepted,  and  in  which  he  con- 
tiniied  some  two  years  until  the  church  was  in  a  good  condition, 


MISSOURr    BAPTIST    GKNERAL   ASSOCIATION.  377 

when  he  resigned,  and  at  his  request  Eld.  J.  C.  Armstrong  was 
called  and  accepted. 

At  its  session  in  1877  Dr.  Yeaman  was  chosen  moderator  of  the 
Missouri  Baptist  G-eneral  Association,  and  his  efficient,  dignified 
and  courteous  conduct  as  a  presiding  officer  has  secured  his  al- 
most unanimous  election  at  each  succeeding  meeting  of  that  body. 

He  was  for  several  years  one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  the  board 
of  foreign  missions  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention ;  and  at 
the  meeting  of  that  able  bod}-  of  Christians,  held  in  the  city  of 
Lexington,  Ky.,  May,  1880,  he  was  chosen,  in  company  with  Ex- 
Grovernor  Brown,  of  G-eorgia,  Ex-Governor  Leslie,  of  Kentucky, 
and  Dr.  Winkler,  of  Alabama,  one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  the 
convention. 

Dr.  Yeaman's  close  study  of  theology,  his  analytical  mind,  his 
logical  and  fervent  eloquence  and  executive  ability,  with  his  gen- 
ial spirit  and  great  energy,  have  made  him  a  strong  man  in  the 
estimation  of  his  brethren.  His  candor  of  manner  has  made 
him  the  object  of  some  unpleasant  animadversions,  and  while 
the  fearless  declarations  of  his  convictions  have  made  him  some 
enemies,  he  gains  and  holds  warm  and  multitudinous  friends. 

In  the  fall  of  1878  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  correspond- 
ing secretary  of  the  General  Association  of  Missouri,  in  which 
position  he  has  exceeded  the  highest  expectations  of  his  most 
devoted  friends  in  the  efficiency  with  which  he  has  conducted 
this  department  of  denominational  work. 

John  T.  WilliAxMS — was  born  in  Accomac  County,  Virginia, 
March  19,  1826,  and  with  the  family  moved  to  Missouri  in  1836. 
In  1844  he  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  in  Hannibal,  having 
a  short  time  before  accepted  Christ  as  his  Savior,  attributing  his 
earliest  religious  impressions  to  the  teachings  of  a  pious  mother. 
Feeling  it  to  be  his  duty  to  preach  the  gospel,  he  took  a  five 
years'  course  in  Georgetown  College,  Kentucky,  where  he  grad- 
uated in  1852 ;  then  spent  one  year  in  the  institute  at  Maysville, 
Kentucky,  teaching  j  and  for  the  next  four  years  was  connected 
with  Bethel  College,  Palmj^ra,  Missouri,  and  was  also  pastor  of 
Bethel  Church,  Marion  Countj",  which  was  blessed  with  many 
revivals  and  greatly  flourished  under  his  ministry. 

In  1857,  at  the  solicitation  of  friends,  he  removed  to  Louisiana, 
and  established  the  Louisiana  Seminary,  which  was  successful. 
He  was  also  pastor  of  the  Louisiana  Church. 

Having  been  elected  president  of  the  Bajjtist  Female  College 
at  Columbia,  Mo.,  he  accepted  and  removed  to  that  city  in  1860. 


;-{Ts 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION 


Here  he  continued  for  five  years,  conducting  the  school  through 
the  entire  war  period  without  the  loss  of  a  day.  He  also  served 
the  Baptist  church  at  Columbia  as  pastor.  In  1865  he  resigned 
these  positions,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  many  friends,  and  re- 
turned to  Louisiana,  where  in  1869  he  was  elected  president  of 
the  Baptist  college.  Here  for  eight  years  as  jjastor  and  teacher 
he  continued  his  labor,  growing  all  the  while  in  the  favor  of  his 
brethren  and  the  community  generally.  In  1879  he  took  the  field 
for  the  Centj'al  Baptist,  traveling  through  heat  and  cold;  and  ren- 
dered eflficient  aid  in 
enlarging  the  useful- 
ness and  establish- 
ing more  firmly  the 
foundations  of  that 
paper. 

In  January,  1881, 
Mr.  Williams  enter- 
ed upon  his  pastor- 
ate at  Paris,  Monroe 
Co.,  Mo.,  where  he 
has  been  working 
with  his  usual  en- 
ergy for  an  appreci- 
ative people,  in  ex- 
pectation of  a  bless- 
ing from  on  high. 
He  has  for  nearly 
thirty  years  been 
actively  engaged  in 
the  work  of  Missouri 
Baptists,  sympathiz- 
ing with  and  encouraging  the  general  interests  of  the  cause  in 
every  department.  A  large  portion  of  his  life  has  been  devoted 
to  female  education.  For  several  years  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Sem- 
inary, also  of  the  board  of  "William  Jewell  College,  and  for  ten 
years  clerk  of  the  General  Association.  Bro.  Williams  is  de- 
servedly numbered  amongst  our  most  useful  and  efficient  men, 
and  is  now  in  the  prime  of  his  life.* 

*  Mr.  "Williams  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Baptist  church  in  Georgetown,  Ky., 
July  13,  1850 ;  and  in  October,  1858,  he  was  ordained  by  Providence  Church,  Marion 
Count}',  Mo. 


REV.  JOHN'  T.   WILUAMS. 


MISSOURI  BAPTIST  GENERAL   ASSOCIATION* 


379 


Larkin  Merle  Berry — is  the  son  of  a  Baptist  minister  of 
prominence,  Eev.  W.  C.  Berry,  for  many  years  editor  of  the  Bap- 
tist Telescope  and  Carolina  Baptist.  He  was  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina, April  12,  1824.  At  the  age  of  12  years  he  was  converted 
and  baptized,  and  at  19  he  was  called  of  God  and  entered  the 
Baptist  ministry.  At  the  age  of  21  he  married  Miss  Bishop  of 
Spartanburg,  S.C.  He  was  pastor  of  several  prominent  churches 
in  Xorth  Carolina  and  South  Carolina  up  to  the  war  of  1861,  at 
which  time  he  was  pastor  of  Lincolnton  Baptist  Church,  !N.  C, 
of  which  he  was  the  founder.  He  spent  the  years  1857  and  '58 
as  district  secretary  of  the  home  board  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention.  Soon  after  the  war  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  pul- 
pit as  pastor  of  the  Portland  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  Louisville, 
Ky.  He  remov- 
ed to  Missouri 
in  January, 
1871,  and  took 
charge  of  the 
pastoral  work 
in  the  Chilli- 
cothe  Church, 
from  which  he 
was  called  to 
the  Bernard 
Street  Church, 
St.  Louis,  in 
May,  1872.  This 
work  he  resign- 
ed in  the  fol- 
lowing Janu- 
ary, and  again 
assumed  the 
mission  work 
as  district  sec- 
retary of  the 
home  board  of  rev.  l.  m.  berry. 

the  S.  B.  C.  for  the  district  of  Kentucky,  leaving  his  family 
in  Missouri.  In  1876  he  engaged  in  the  agency  work  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary.  Since  then  he  has 
made  Salisbury  his  permanent  home,  having  filled  the  pastoral 
office  at  different  times  in  the  following  churches:  Salisbury, 
Fulton,  Eoanoke,  Chariton  and   Keytesville,  until  December, 


-M'S 


380 


MISSOURI   BAPTIST    GENEEAL   ASSOCIATION. 


1879,  when  he  entered  upon  the  work  of  state  missions,  as  dis- 
trict missionary  secretary,  in  whicR  capacity  he  served  until 
May  1,  1881,  when  failing  health  forced  his  resignation.  As  a 
means  of  restoration  he  made  atrip  to  Europe,  traveling  through 
England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  "Wales,  France,  Italy,  Holland,  Bel- 
gium and  Germany.  He  returned  greatly  invigorated,  and  is 
now  laboring  as  an  evangelist,  and  in  this  capacity  is  rendering 
valuable  service  in  the  promotion  of  Baptist  interests. 

Eld.  Berry  is  a  man  of  rare  preaching  talents;  possesses  the 
highest  order  of  social  qualities,  and  is  an  able  defender  of  the 
tenets  of  his  denomination.  He  is  considerably  over  six  feet  in 
height,  as  straight  as  an  Indian,  a  perfect  pattern  of  neatness  and 
a  model  Christian  gentleman  :  thus  saying,  we  have  not  told  the 
half. 

EECOED    OF   ANNUAL  MEETmGS. 


Date. 


Church  Met  With. 


Mod.  and  Clk.    '\Preacher  atid  Text. 


Aug.  29, 1834iProvidence,    Callaway  Countv.  J.  Yardeinan, 

I  .-  ..  I         R.S.Thomas 

June   o,  1835  Little    Bonne    Femme,   Boone  J.  Vardenian, 

I         Count}-,  W.  Wright 

"      3,  1830  Bethlehem,  Boone  County,   -     J.  B.  Loiij^an, 

I  '  G.  AV.  Bower 


2,  1837  Mt.  Moriah,  Howard  County,    J.  B.  L(jngan, 

I  "Wni.  Carson 

1,  1838lColumLia,     - 


May  31,  1839  Big  Lick,  Cooper  Countv, 

I 
Aug.  28,  1840  Paris, 

"  27,  1841  Chariton,  Howard  County, 

"  25, 1842  Richland,  Callaway  County, 

^24, 1843  Jetferson  City,  - 

"  23,  1844  Mt.  JVIoriah.  Howard  County, 

"  28,  1845  Columbia, 

•'  27,  1846  Lexington,    -        -        -        - 

••  26,  1847  "Walnut  Grove,  Boone  County, 


24,1848 
23,  1849 


Big  Lick,  Cooper  Coimty, 
Mt.  Nebo,  Cooper  County, 


"    22,  1850,  Little    Bomie  Femme,   Boone 

County, 
"    28,  1851  Liberty,  Clay  County, 

«    20,  1852  Bethel,  Saline  (;ouut>-,  - 


J.  B.  Longan, 

AV.  yi.  Quince 
J.  B.  Longan, 

J.  O' Bryan 
J.  Suggett, 

\Vni.  Carson 
U.  Sehree, 

R.  S.  Tliomas 
U.  Sebrcc, 

W.  Wright 
U.  Sebreo, 

W.  M.  .Jackson 
K.  Hughes, 

W.  M.  Jackson 
R.  Hughes, 

L.  Wright 
U.  Sebree, 
W.  M.  McPherson 
U.  Sebree, 

L.  Wright 
TJ.  Sebree, 

L.  Wright 
^Vm.  Carson, 

L.  Wright 
R.  Hughes, 

AV.  31.  Jackson 
R.  Hughes, 

31.  F.  Price 
R.  Hughes, 

M.  F.  Price 


A.  P.  Williams, 

Romans  10 
A.  Wood, 

.James  1 ;  27 
A.  P.  Williams, 

]\Iatt.  9 ;  28,  29 
James  Suggett, 

Luke  24^;  46,  47 
T.  P  Green, 

Matt.  24;  14 
I.  T.  Hinton, 

Dan.  12 ;  4 
I.  T.  Hinton, 

1  Cor.  9  ;  7 
A.  Broaddus, 

2Cor.  9;8 
K  IS".  Herndon, 

1  Thess.  1;2,  3 
S.  W.  Lvnd, 

"^Gal.  0 ;  14 
T.  C.  Harris 

1  Cor.  1 ;  2 
W.  C.  Ligon, 

Eph.  2 ;  18 
X.  Flood, 

2  Peter  3  ;  11  , 
J.  E.  Welch, 

Prov.  22 ;  0 
J.  B.  Jeter, 

Luke  8 ;  1-3 
T.  C.  Harris, 

Is.  53;  10 


MISSOURI    BAPTIST    GENERAL   ASSOCIATION. 


381 


Date. 

Church  Met  With. 

Mod.  and  Clk.    | 

Preacher  and  Text. 

May  25,  1853 

Fayette,     -        -        -        - 

R.  Hughes, 

R.  F.  Ellis, 

R.  S.  Thomas 

Romans  10 ;  4 

"    27,  1854 

Union  Hill,  Callaway  County, 

R.  Hughes, 

R.  H.  Harris, 

S.  B.  Johnson 

John  9 ;  4 

'•    26,  1855 

Palmyra,  -        -        -        - 

Wm.  Carson, 

J.  E.  Welch, 

W.  M.  McPherson 

Sam.  24; 24 

"    23,  1856 

Columbia,     -        -        -        - 

D.  H.  Hickman, 

D.  Reed, 

D.  Reed 

John  16;  8,  11 

"    27,1857 

Lexington,         .        .        . 

R.  E.  McDaniel, 

A.  Poindexter, 

M.  F.  Price 

2  Cor.  5  ;  14,  15 

"    21,  1858 

Mt.  Nebo,  Cooper  County,  - 

Wm.  Crowd  1, 

Wm.  Price, 

Wm.  M.  Bell 

1  Cor.  1 ;  18 

^uly  23,  1859 

Huntsville,         ... 

R.  E.  McDaniel, 

E.  S.  Dulin, 

AVm.  il.  Bell 

Matt.  10  ;  9,  10 

"    21,1860 

Liberty,  Clay  County, 

R.  E.  McDaniel. 

G.  Anderson, 

Wm.  M.  Bell 

John  12 ;  24 

"    27,1861 

Miami,      -        -        -        - 

R.  E.  McDaniel, 

John  Francis, 

J.  T.  Williams 

Is.  53  ;  2 

"    26,1862 

Rebobotb,  Saline  County,     - 

R.  E.  McDaniel, 

J.  W.  Warder, 

\\\  R.  Rothwell 

2  Tim.  4  ;  6,  8 

«    25,  1863 

Roanoke,  -        -        -        - 

A.  P.  Williams, 
W.  R.  Rothwell 

A.  P.  Williams, 

1864 

No  meeting  neld  this  year. 

Aug.  19,  1865 

Boonville,     -        -        -        - 

A.  P.  Williams, 

A.  P.  Williams, 

O            ' 

J.  T.  AVilliams 

Phil.  1  ;  12 

July  21,  1866 

Roanoke,           .        .        . 

A.  P.  Williams, 

E.  S.  Dulin, 

" 

J.  T.  Williams 

Judges  8;4 

Auif.  10,  1867 

Lexinston,    -        -        -        - 

A.  P.  Williams. 

Charles  AVhiting, 

o            ' 

to               , 

J.T.Williams 

Luke  9 ;  60 

"      G,  1868 

Paris,        -        -        -        - 

D.  H.  Hickman, 

W.  H.  Thomas. 

J.  T.  Williams 

Num.  13  ;  30 

"      4,  1869 

Columbia,     -         -         -        - 

Noah  Flood, 

•Jas.  Dixon, 

J.  T.  Williams 

Dan.  2  ;  31,  35 

Oct.  13,  1870 

St.  Louis,  Second, 

Noah  Flood, 

T.  Rambaut, 

J.  T.  Williams 

Mark  16 ;  15 

"    12,1871 

Clinton,         -        -        .        _ 

X.  X.  Buckner, 

J.  H.  Luther, 

Ed.  W.  Stephens 

John  21 ; 16 

"    10,  1872 

Glasgow,            -        -        . 

J.  B.  Wornall, 

J.  C.  Maple, 

Ed.  W.  Stephens 

Malt.  28;  21 

"      8,  1873 

Macon,          -        .        .        . 

J.  B.  Wornall, 

D.  T.  Morrill, 

Ed.  W.  Stephens 

Ps.  126;  5,  6 

"      6,  1874 

Sedalia,     - 

L.  B.  Ely, 

A.  Machc'tt, 

Ed.  W.  Stephens 

31att.  1«;18 

"      8,  1875 

St.  Joseph,  First, 

L.  B.  Ely, 

S.  H.  Ford, 

M.' J.  Breaker 

Josh.  3;  12 

"    18,1876 

Hannibal, 

L.  B.  Ely, 

W.  Pope  Yeaman, 

E.  W.  Stephens 

1  John  4  ;  7-12 

"    24,1877 

Lexington,    -        -        -        - 

W.  Pope  Yeaman, 
E.  W.  Stephens 

G.  A.  Lofton, 

O            ' 

Mark  16 ;  20 

"    23,1878 

Mexico,     -        -        .        - 

W.  Pope  Yeaman, 

W.  W.  Boyd, 

E.  W.  Stephens 

Rom.  1 ;  14 

"    22,1879 

Kansas  City,  Calvary,  - 

W.  Pope  Yeaman, 

S.  H.  Ford, 

J.  T.  Williams 

Matt.  3 ;  1 

"    20,1880 

Carrollton,         .        .        . 

W.  Pope  Yeaman, 
J.  T.  Williams 

Wm.  Harris, 

1  Thess.  1 ;  6-8 

«    18,1881 

St.  Louis,  Third, 

W.  Pope  Yeaman, 
J.  T.  Williams 

J.  V.  Schofield, 

Mark  16 ;  15 

CHAPTER.  V. 


BLACK  EIVEK  ASSOCIATION. 

Organization,  Location  and  Field  of — Its  First  Ministers — Aggressive  Character — 
Growth— J.  W.  Bro\ra— L.  L.  Stephens— J.  H.  Floyd. 

THE  Black  River  Association  was  organized  with  a  colon}' 
of  six  chnrches  from  Cape  G-irardeaii,  November  14,  1835, 
at  Greenville,  Wayne  County,  in  the  midst  of  a  destitute  and  im- 
jjortant  field  for  missionary  effort.  The  constituent  churches 
were  Black  Eiver,  Cherokee  Bay,  Columbia,  Big  Creek,  Bear 
Creek  and  Greenville,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  188. 
The  ministers  were  Henry  McElmurry,  William  Macom  and  S. 
Winningham.  Bro.  McElmurry  was  moderator  and  Sam'l  J. 
McXight  clerk.  In  thefirstten  years  of  the  associational  historj- 
we  notice  the  following  additions  to  the  list  of  ministers:  Wil- 
liam Settle,  B.  Clack  and  N.  G.  Ferguson. 

Meetings  were  held  regularly  each  year  until  1860.  After  this 
no  meetings  were  held  until  the  year  1865,  when  the  smoke  of 
the  war  had  cleared  away  and  business  was  resumed,  and  no 
more  interruptions  occurred  of  which  we  have  any  account. 

From  the  commencement  the  Black  Eiver  Association  was  an 
aggressive  bod}-,  and  increased  in  efficiency  and  members,  until 
in  1850  its  churches  numbered  24,  with  a  total  membership  of 
1,079.  This  year  twelve  churches  were  dismissed,  mostly  in 
AVayne  County,  to  form  a  new  association  by  the  name  of  St. 
Francois.  Prior  to  the  dismission  of  the  aforesaid  churches,  the 
associational  bounds  had  extended  over  the  counties  of  Wayne, 
Stoddard,  Dunklin,  and  as  high  up  as  into  Madison.  The  work 
continued  to  pros])er,  churches  multiplied,  and  the  association 
grew  in  material  and  spiritual  resources,  and  again,  in  1857,  says 
C.  B.  Crumb,  the  present  clerk,  "another  colonj'^  of  five  churches 
went  off  to  form  the  Cane  Creek  Association,  which  left  eighteen 
churches  in  the  Black  Eiver.  Since  the  last  named  date  the 
association  has  generally  been  held  in  Stoddard  and  Dunklin 
Counties. 

The  first  printed  minutes  we  have  are  for  1860.  The  title  page 
reads  thus :  ''  Minutes  of  the  25th  Anniversary  of  the  Black  River 
Association  of  the  United  Missionary  Baptists."     The  meeting  was 


BLACK    RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  383 

held  Avith  Bloomfield  Church,  Stoddard  County,  commencing 
August  31.     The  minutes  give  the  following  summary : 

Churches. — Providence,  Bloomfield,  Gravelly  Hill,  Bethany, 
Mount  Pleasant,  Grand  Prairie,  Kennett,  Bethlehem,  Pleasant 
Valley,  Palestine,  Shiloh,  Oak  Grove,  Mount  Union,  White  Oak 
Grove,  New  Hope,  Duck  Creek,  Pleasant  Grove,  Ebenezer,  Point 
Pleasant,  Union,  Friendship,  Concord  and  Castorville.  The  last 
three  were  new  churches.  Baptisms,  125.  Aggregate  member- 
ship, 962. 

Ministers. — R.  P.  Paramore,  Sanders  Walker,  Edward  Allen, 
F.  W.  Miller,  W.  B.  Howell,  A.  D.  Watson,  Wm.  W.  Whayne, 
Wm.  Macom,  Jas.  H.  Floyd,  Lewis  L.  Stephens,  John  Miller, 
Jonathan  Snider  and  Tilford  Hogan. 

Board  of  Domestic  Missions. — E.  P.  Owen,  A.  B.  Owen,  Geo. 
Macom,  Daniel  Harty  and  Stephen  P.  Waltrup. 

The  following  resolutions  were  adopted  at  this  session  : 

'■^Resolved,  That  this  association  will  not  hold  in  fellowship 
any  church  which  will  tolerate  in  her  members  the  practice  of 
selling  intoxicating  liquors,  to  be  used  as  a  beverage,  or  who 
will  encourage  in  any  way  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  do  not  recognize  any  as  having  been  bap- 
tized who  have  received  the  ordinance  at  the  hands  of  pedo- 
baptists." — Unanimously  adopted. 

"  Resolved,  That  a  liberal  education  is  a  powerful  aid  to  piety 
and  zeal  in  qualifying  young  men  for  the  gospel  ministry.  That 
it  is  the  duty  of  the  churches  to  aid  such  brethren  as  give  pro- 
mise of  usefulness  in  the  ministry,  and  are  not  able  to  educate 
themselves."     (Minutes  of  1860.) 

Eld.  L.  L.  Stephens  was  paid  ^50  for  50  days'  service  as  mis- 
sionary. He  reported  9  baptisms,  50  family  visits,  and  43  ser- 
mons preached. 

In  1H66  Bethany,  Oak  Grove  and  Palestine  Churches  sent  let- 
ters and  messengers  to  the  31st  anniversary.  One  new  church — 
Shady  Grove — was  admitted.  An  executive  committee  on  mis- 
sions was  appointed,  viz.:  B.  R.  Frazier,  Wm.  Ingrain,  ,T.  P. 
Herron,  L.  L.  Stephens  and  J.  B.  Eeese. 

Eight  churches,  viz.:  Little  Yine,  Four  Mile,  Spring  Hill, 
Pleasant  Grove,  Antioch,  Mt.  Zion,  Harmony  and  Liberty,  were 
admitted  into  the  association  in  1867.  The  usual  custom  of  the 
association  for  years  has  been  to  have  a  missionary  sermon 
preached  on  Sunday,  and  follow  the  same  with  a  public  collection. 

The  minutes  of  1869  exhibit  great  prosperity.     The  scattere(J 


384  BLACK   RIVER    ASSOCIATION. 

churches  had  been  gathered  together,  new  ones  formed  and  added, 
until,  in  this  year,  the  association  numbered  30  churches  and 
1,726  members  ;  338  baptisms  occurred  in  the  last  year.  This 
year  the  missionary  plan  was  so  changed  as  to  make  every  pas- 
tor a  missionary  of  the  association,  and  the  churches  were  in- 
structed to  pay  to  them  all  the  funds  collected  for  missionary 
purposes.  About  this  time  great  indifference  prevailed  ;  there 
was  a  lack  of  unity  as  to  methods  of  work.  Many  "plans"  were 
tried,  but  none  were  successful,  for  want  of  co-operation  and 
funds.  In  1871  only  22  baptisms  were  reported  •  and  no  more 
than  thirteen  of  the  twenty-eight  churches  sent  messengers  in 
1872.  Eight  of  the  churches  sent  $209  for  home  missions,  and  a 
messenger  was  sent  to  the  General  Association  to  solicit  aid  in 
supplying  the  great  destitution  in  the  bounds  of  the  association. 

Since  1875  the  association  has  lost  in  numerical  strength.  She 
then  numbered  27  churches,  she  now  has  only  20.  The  minutes 
do  not  show  whether  this  is  from  dissolutions  or  dismissals. 
She  has  not,  however,  lost  in  vital  force  and  zeal.  In  1878  near 
$800  were  spent  in  itinerant  work  and  Bro.  Carlin  was  the  mis- 
sionary. The  churches  are  now,  for  the  most  part,  located  in 
Stoddard,  Dunklin,  Pemiscot  and  New  Madrid  Counties,  and 
some  of  them  are  engaged,  in  a  moderate  way,  in  promoting  Sun- 
day-schools and  missions — home  and  foreign.  Two  churches 
have  a  membership  exceeding  100 ;  Landmark,  182 ;  and  Oak 
Grove,  153. 

The  forty-sixth  anniversary  was  held  at  Bloomfield,  Stoddard 
County,  commencing  July  15,  1881.  H.  P.  Owen  was  elected 
moderator  and  C.  B.  Crumb  clerk.  The  table  shows  a  moderate 
degree  of  prosperity.  Several  churches  had  enjoyed  revivals. 
In  all  70  baptisms  were  reported.  The  subject  of  "annual  pas- 
torates" was  discussed,  and  the  churches  were  advised  to  call 
their  pastors  for  an  "  indefinite  time."  Well  done  for  Black 
Eiver  ! 

Ministers.— B&Yid  Lewis,  J.  F.  Bibb,  W.  H.  Dial,  T.  B.  Turn- 
baugh,  E.  H.  Douglass,  T.  Hogan,  W.  G.  Henson  (licentiate),  M. 
V.  Baird,  L.  D.  Cagle  (licentiate),  J.  J.  Wester,  H.  D,  Carlin, 
M.  J.  Whitaker,  J.  H.  D.  Carlin  and Stringer. 

Oak  Grove  Church,  Dunklin  County,  was  selected  as  the  place 
of  meeting  for  the  second  Friday  in  August,  1882. 

John  W.  Brown — was  one  of  the  ministers  of  Black  River  As- 
sociation. We  have  been  able  to  gather  the  following  facts,  only, 
concerning  him.     He  lived  in  Dunklin  County,  was  a  highly  es- 


BLACK   RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  386 

teemed  brother,  regarded  as  a  man  of  ardent  piety,  earnest  zeal 
and  untiring  energ3\  He  was  a  faithful  watchman,  and  died  in 
battle,  August  13,  1868. 

Eld.  L.  L.  Stephens, — another  of  the  ministerial  band  of  this 
association,  who  had  presided  in  its  councils  and  traveled  as  a 
missionary,  died  sometime  in  the  year  1872. 

Eld.  J.  H.  Floyd. — Bro.  Floyd  was  a  native  of  Clarke  Coun- 
ty, Missouri,  and  was  born  in  1832.  His  father's  family  moved 
some  years  ago  into  Dunklin  County,  where  in  1854  he  was  con- 
verted and  united  with  the  Baptists,  and  in  1858  began  preaching. 
He  spent  most  of  his  subsequent  life  in  Missouri,  save  one  year 
— 1870-71— in  Texas. 

He  was  a  hard  working  man,  cultivating  a  farm  for  a  living, 
while  he  usually  preached  to  three  and  four  churches  statedly, 
and  held  jjrotracted  meetings  at  intervals.  Our  informant  sup- 
poses that  his  death  might  have  resulted  from  over  exertion. 
He  says  that  Bro.  Floyd  usually  spent  two  to  three  months  every 
year  in  protracted  meetings,  and  that  he  thus  continued  until  so 
much  exhausted  that  he  could  not  talk,  and  would  be  compelled 
to  return  home  for  rest.  Eternity  alone  will  unfold  to  view  the 
toils  and  sacrifices  of  such  men.  He  died  June  8,  1874,  being  then 
in  his  43d  year. 


26 


CHAPTER  YI. 


UNION  AND  LIBEKTY  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Union  Association  Formed — Faith  of — Forms  a  Missionary  Society — Its  Growth — 
Peter  Williams — Division  of  the  Association — Basis  of  Union — Coldness — J.  H. 
Thompson — Liberty  Association  Formed — The  Local  Church  Idea. 

MESSENGEES  from  four  churches,  viz. :  Salem,  St.  John's, 
Boeuff  and  Prairie  Fork,  dismissed  from  Franklin  Associ- 
ation, met  at  St.  John's  Church,  Franklin  County,  Mo.,  Novem- 
ber 6,  1839,  and  organized  the  "Union  Baptist  Association." 
Eld.  D.  Stites  was  elected  moderator  and  J.  A.  Mathews  clerk. 
Correspondence  was  opened  with  the  Missouri  and  the  Franklin 
Associations.  The  aggregate  membership  of  the  four  churches 
was  244.  The  articles  of  faith  were  substantially  the  same  as 
those  adopted  by  the  great  Baptist  family.  Regular  annual  meet- 
ings were  held,  the  usual  routine  of  business  transacted  and  a 
somewhat  steady  but  slow  increase  was  enjoyed.  In  1845  the 
churches  had  increased  in  number  to  nine  and  in  membership  to 
340.  The  ministers  present  this  j'car  were  J.  H.  Thompson,  D. 
Stites,  B.  Leach,  C.  Maxwell  and  G.  Eutherford. 

Our  next  records  are  for  1851,  when  eleven  churches  sent  mes- 
sengers to  the  session  at  Indian  Prairie  Church.  Under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  early  example  of  her  mother,  the  Franklin  Asso- 
ciation, she  had  formed  a  missionary  society  whose  executive 
committee  reported  annually  to  her  the  result  of  its  work.  From 
the  report  of  said  committee  this  year  we  glean  the  following 
facts:  Elds.  Peter  and  James  Williams  had  been  employed  to 
itinerate,  whose  labors  resulted  in  the  organization  of  two  church- 
es, four  Sunday-schools  and  the  baptism  of  126  converts,  $160 
were  raised  in  cash  and  pledges  for  missionary  purposes,  and  one 
brother  was  appointed  in  each  church  as  collector. 

At  the  session  of  1858  nothing  was  seen  of  the  missionary  so- 
ciety, nor  of  the  itinerants  in  the  field,  nor  of  the  prosperity 
among  the  churches.  Eld.  J.  D.  Murphy,  pastor  at  Carrollton, 
Mo.,  appeared  as  a  young  minister,  and  preached  the  introduc- 
tory sermon  at  this  meeting.  He  was  born,  raised,  converted  and 
commenced  preaching  in  this  field.     Eld.  Peter  "Williams  was 


UNION    AND    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATIONS.  o87 

elected  moderator  at  tlie  21st  anniversary  (1859),  held  at  IN'ew 
Salem,  Gasconade  County,  where  the  following  churches  were 
represented  by  messengers :  Indian  Prairie,  Liberty,  Providence, 
Dubois,  Big  Burbois,  Cedar  Fork,  New  Salem,  Pleasant  Valley, 
Mud  Spring,  New  Hope  and  Little  Flock.  The  largest  of  these 
was  New  Salem,  which  had  73  members. 

Peter  Williams — was  a  younger  brother  of  the  pioneer,  James 
Williams,  the  first  moderator  of  Franklin  Association.  He  mov- 
ed from  St.  Francois  up  into  Franklin  County,  about  the  3'ear 
1850,  and  became  pastor  of  three  churches  in  Union  Association. 
He  was  a  poor  man  and  worked  hard  to  support  a  large  family, 
but  was  nevertheless  an  acceptable  minister  and  had  good  suc- 
cess. Eld.  Benjamin  Leach  says  of  him  :  "  I  assisted  Bro.  Peter 
Williams  in  organizing  five  Baptist  churches,  and  in  ordaining 
four  ministers  of  the  gospel.  He  died  in  Osage  County.  I  saw 
him  a  few  days  before  his  death — he  was  cheerful  and  said  he  was 
waiting  for  the  Lord  to  call  him  home." 

The  minutes  of  1862  show  but  little  of  prosperity.  A  division 
in  sentiment  sprang  up  this  year  relative  to  church  government, 
which  culminated  in  the  withdrawal  and  subsequent  exclusion 
of  New  Salem,  Mud  Spring  and  Liberty  Churches.  These  churches 
and  one  other  by  name  of  Bethel,  met  together  in  1869  and  or- 
ganized the  Liberty  Baptist  Association,  which  existed  nine 
years  as  a  separate  body  and  was  then  merged  into  the  old  body 
upon  the  following  terms  and  conditions : 
"BASIS  OF  UNION. 

^^  Whereas,  In  1862  a  division  of  sentiment  arose  among  the 
churches  of  Union  Association  in  regard  to  a  question  of  church 
government,  which  culminated  in  a  division  of  certain  of  the 
churches  into  separate  bodies,  resulting  in  Liberty  Association; 
and, 

*'  Whereas,  Liberty  Association  has  in  conference  accepted  a 
proposition  from  our  sister  church  to  blend  the  two  associations 
into  a  common  fellowship,  and  into  one  body;  and, 

"  Whereas,  We  see  no  valid  reason  why  we  should  longer  keep 
up  two  separate  organizations,  and  thus  perpetuate  non-fellow- 
ship among  Baptist  churches  of  the  same  faith  and  order,  all 
working  for  the  same  ends;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  we  be  united  on  common  grounds  into  one 
body,  to  be  called  Union  Association,  retaining  the  constitution 
of  that  body,  subject,  however,  to  amendment  to  suit  the  require- 
ments of  the  association  as  united;  and  that  we  will  work  to- 


388  UNION    AND    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATIONS. 

gether  for  good  and  for  the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom, looking  unto  Jesus,  the  author  of  our  faith. 

^^  Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  meet  a 
like  committee  from  Liberty  Association  for  the  purpose  of  se- 
lecting a  place  for  holding  the  meeting  of  the  association  as  united, 
and  to  select  some  one  to  preach  the  annual  sermon,  provided 
Liberty  Association  accept  these  propositions. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  delegation  from  Liberty  Church  be  request- 
ed to  present  these  propositions  to  Liberty  Association  at  its 
next  meeting."     {Minutes  of  Union  Association,  1878,  p.  10.) 

From  about  the  year  1861  or  '62  the  association  seemed  to  lose 
in  vital  force,  doing  little  or  no  aggressive  work,  until  in  1866, 
when  the  28th  anniversary  was  held  at  Cedar  Fork  Church, 
Franklin  County;  only  five  churches  reported  by  messengers, 
four  of  which  sent  statistics  showing!  baptisms  and  166  members. 
But  by  the  year  1868  she  had  begun  to  rally.  The  session  was 
held  at  Liberty,  Gasconade  County-.  Two  missionaries,  Elds.  L. 
M.  Mahany  and  Wm.  Bridges,  in  the  joint  employ  of  this  and 
the  General  Association,  had  been  kept  in  the  field.  They  re- 
ported upwards  of  100  baptisms,  over  150  accessions  to  the 
churches  and  between  S600  and  $700  received  from  all  sour^ces. 
Five  new  churches  were  also  added  this  session,  viz. :  Pleasant 
Hill  (in  Franklin  Co.),  Hopewell,  Mount  Pleasant,  Pleasant  Hill 
(in  Osage  Co.)  and  Linn.  In  1869  14  churches  reported  96  bap- 
tisms and  497  members.  These  churches  were  situated  in  the 
counties  of  Gasconade,  Franklin  and  Osage.  Elds.  L.  M.  Ma- 
hany, Peter  Brown,  Wm.  Bridges,  E.  C.  Maxwell  and  H.  F. 
Odum  were  active  ministers  in  the  association  at  this  time.  The 
first  named  was  the  joint  missionary  of  this  and  the  General  As- 
sociation, at  a  salary  of  $550. 

The  interest  continued  for  several  years,  when  coldness  seiz- 
ed hold  of  the  masses,  until  in  1877  "  only  three  churches  had 
regular  preaching,  others  had  gone  out  of  existence,  and  almost 
all  the  ministers,  by  the  parsimony  of  the  churches,  were  driven 
beyond  the  bounds  of  the  association."  {Minutes  Union  Association, 
1877,  p.  4.)  This  year  onl}'-  three  of  the  four  churches,  viz. :  In- 
dian Prairie,  Mt.  Olive  and  New  Hope  were  represented,  which 
reported  13  baptisms  and  2  ministers — J.  H.  Blaylock  and  Wm. 
Bridges — in  the  entire  association. 

The  session  of  1878  witnessed  a  better  state  of  things,  resulting 
from  a  restoration  of  fellowship  between  the  Union  and  Liberty 
Associations  and  the  uniting  of  them  again  into  one  body  under 


UNION    AND    LIBERTY   ASSOCIATIONS.  389 

the  old  title  of  "Union  Baptist  Association,"  an  account  of  which 
has  already  been  given  (see  ''Basis  of  Union").  The  Union  As- 
sociation at  this  time  numbered  11  churches,  437  members,  and 
was  moderately  active  in  promoting  home  missions,  foreign 
missions  and  Sunday-schools.  One  church,  New  Hope,  Franklin 
County,  had  a  woman's  foreign  missionary  society  in  it,  with 
Mrs.  M.  S.  Walton  as  president,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Bridges,  secretary, 
and  Mrs.  C.  A.  Armstrong,  treasurer.  The  ministers  of  the  as- 
sociation were  Wm.  Bridges  Benj.  Leach,  J.  T.  Leach  and  P.  D. 
Cooper. 

The  forty-first  annual  session,  at  Xew  Haven,  commenced  Oct. 
9,  1879,  when  6  ministers  and  14  churches  appear  on  the  list,with 
a  membership  of  542.  Kev.  B.  Leach,  as  itinerant,  reported  161 
days  of  labor,  222  sermons,  9  baptisms  and  30  conversions  wit- 
nessed. In  1880  the  meeting  was  held  at  New  Salem,  Gasconade 
County.  This  year  only  ten  churches  are  on  the  list,  and  5 
ministers.  Eld.  E.  N.  Gough  had  spent  86  days  in  the  field  as  an 
itinerant,  during  which  time  he  had  preached  88  sermons,  deliv- 
ered 12  temperance  lectures  and  10  Sunday-school  lectures,  bap- 
tized 5  and  collected  $81.25. 

In  1881  the  association  met  at  Liberty  Church,  Gasconade 
County,  October  20th.  Eld.  B.  Leach  was  moderator,  and  A.  C. 
Walton,  clerk.  Only  5  of  the  9  churches  on  the  roll  sent  mes- 
sengers. Elds.  Wm.  Bridges,  B.  Leach  and  J.  H.  Breaker  were 
the  pastors.  From  the  report  of  the  committee  on  temperance, 
it  appears  that  the  use  of  intoxicants  prevailed  to  a  demoralii- 
ing  extent  in  many  of  the  churches.  This  may  explain  why  so 
little  prosperity  exists.  Only  two  churches  reported  baptisms, 
viz. :  New  Hope  and  Bethel,  the  former  15  and  the  latter  3. 
Eld.  B.  Leach  had  spent  144  days  as  itinerant  and  jiastor,  for 
which  he  received  ^21.25. 

Eev.  John  H.  Thompson, — for  some  years  a  minister  in  Union 
Association,  was  born  in  Louisa  County,  Virginia,  March,  8, 1795. 
He  entered  the  ministry  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  and  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  N.  Perkins  about  four  years  afterwards. 
Leaving  his  native  state  in  1821  and  spending  about  thirteen 
years  in  Alabama,  he  removed  to  Missouri  in  1834  and  settled  in 
Franklin  County,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  January  3, 
1865,  being  nearly  seventy  years  old.  Of  his  ministerial  life  we 
have  gathered  no  facts. 

LIBERTY  ASSOCIATION. 
This  body  was  the  fruit  of  an  unhappy  difiiculty  in  Union  As- 


390  UNION    AND    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATIONS. 

sociation,  on  the  subject  of  church  government.  A  convention 
was  called  and  the  association  was  organized  November  12, 1869, 
at  New  Salem  Church,  Gasconade  County.  Four  churches  and 
two  ministers  went  into  the  organization.  The  churches  were 
New  Salem,  Liberty,  Mud  Spring  and  Bethel,  the  three  former 
having  been  members  of  Union  Association.  The  ministers  were 
Benj.  Leach  and  "William  Lambeth.  The  association  grew  until 
in  1875  the  churches  had  become  nine  in  number,  with  seven 
ministers. 

In  1878,  at  its  ninth  annual  meeting,  the  Liberty  Association 
closed  its  history,  and  was  merged  into  the  Union  Association. 
(See  account  thereof  before  given.) 

The  papers  before  me  bear  witness  that  great  harmony  and 
unity  prevailed  in  the  meetings  of  the  association  during  the 
entire  nine  years  of  its  existence,  and  not  a  little  good  was  ac- 
complished. Such  is  the  nature  of  the  Baptist  Church  polity 
that  schisms  do  not  necessarily  result  in  the  formation  of  anoth- 
er denomination.  "With  her  independent  local  church  idea,  con- 
troversies and  difficulties  ordinarily  affect  those  localities  only 
in  which  they  occur.  This  is  the  New  Testament  plan  of  church 
polity,  a^d  there  is  great  wisdom  in  it. 


CHAPTER  Til. 


LITTLE  BOKNE  FEMME  ASSOCIATION". 

Organization  of— Early  Baptists  of  Boone  County — Bethel,  Little  Bonne  Femme,  Ce- 
dar, Union,  Columbia,  Nashville,  New  Salem,  Mt.  Horeb,  Concord,  Richland,  and 
other  Churches — A  "Big  Revival" — Sunday-schools — First  List  of  Ministers — The 
Unanimity  Rule — Method  of  Missions — Origin  of  William  Jewell  College — Steph- 
ens College — Bonne  Femme  Seminarj^ — R.  Dale — James  Suggett — Thos.  H.  Ford 
—David  Doyle— R.  S.  Thomas— W.  M.  Jesse— H,  W.  Dodge— W.  H.  Burnham— 
J.  M.  Robinson — E.  D.  Isbell — J.  M.  McGuire — James  HaiTis. 

THE  Little  Bonne  Femme  Baptist  Association,  numbering  in 
1881  41  churches,  located  in  Boone,  Callaway  and  Audrain 
Counties,  originated  from  a  division  in  the  Salem  Association, 
occasioned  by  the  action  of  Salem  on  missions.  The  following  is 
from  the  records :  "  Called  for  the  unfinished  business  of  Satur- 
day on  the  subject  of  Mount  Pleasant  Association,  and  agreed  to 
correspond  with  the  anti-missionary  part  of  said  association.  It 
was  also  proposed  to  correspond  with  the  missionary  part  of  said 
association,*  which  proposition  was  rejected  ;  whereupon  Breth- 
ren Suggett  and  Thomas,  our  moderator  and  clerk,  withdrew 
from  the  association."  (Ifinutes  of  Salein  Association,  1837,  p.  2.) 
In  1838,  Little  Bonne  Femme,  Columbia,  Nashville  and  Mount 
Horeb  Churches,  sent  letters  and  messengers  to  Salem  Associa- 
tion, seeking  redress  for  the  unjust  action  of  the  preceding  year, 
but,  failing  to  secure  this  they  withdrew  and  together  with  Prov- 
idence, Freedom  and  Salem  (Tuque  Prairie)  formed  the  Little 
Bonne  Femme  Association.  The  convention  for  this  purpose 
was  held  at  Providence  Church,  Callaway  County,  on  November 
16-18,  1839.  Of  the  convention  Overton  Harris  was  moderator 
and  Alia  B.  Snethen,  clerk.  The  total  membership  of  the  seven 
constituent  churches  was  401.  In  the  preamble  to  the  constitu- 
tion they  say:  "The  delegates  from  the  churches  aforesaid, 
agreeing  that  the  subject  of  missions  shall  be  no  bar  to  fellow- 
ship, have  united  themselves  into  an  association,  upon  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  United  Baptists,  &c."     As  United  Baptists  they 

*See  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  for  an  account  of  the  two  parties  alluded  to. 


;><)2  LITT].K    7iONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

were  compelled  to  this  action,  otherwise  they  would  have  vio- 
lated their  own  compact,  as  all  must  know  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  principles  of  the  United  Baptists.  The  New  Salem 
Church  also  withdrew  from  the  Salem  Association  in  1839,  but 
did  not  unite  with  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  until  1842. 

E.  W.  Stephens, in  Missouri  Statesman,  says:  "  The  pioneer  emi- 
grants to  this  western  country,  though  possessed  of  few  advan- 
tages of  education,  were  by  no  means  unenlightened  in  morals, 
and  many  of  them  were  professors  of  the  Christian  religion.  As 
a  rule  they  were  Baptists,  though  there  were  among  them  a  con- 
siderable number  of  Methodists  and  Cumberland  Presbyterians, 
who,  however,  did  not  attain,  for  many  years,  sufficient  strength 
to  establish  a  church." 

Bethel  Baptist  Church. — (This  church  was  a  constituent  of 
Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  and  now  bears  the  name  of  Walnut 
Grove  :  so  we  are  informed.)  The  first  church  organized  in  Boone 
County  was  called  Bethel,  and  was  situated  in  the  northwestern 
section  of  the  county,  about  eight  miles  north  of  Eocheport.  It 
was  organized  on  June  28th,  1817.  The  following  is  a  transcript 
of  the  church  covenant: 

CHURCH  COYEXANT. 

June  28th,  A.  D.,  1817. 
"We,  the  Baptist  Church,  called  Bethel,  was  constituted  by 
Brethren  William  Thorp  and  David  McClain,  on  the  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments,  believing  them  to  be  the  in- 
fallible word  of  God  and  onl}'-  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  Be- 
lieving that  salvation  is  of  God  alone,  also  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  Eternal  Son  of  God  the  Father — three  persons  in  the  God- 
head— the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost — these  three  are 
one.  We  believe  in  particular  and  unconditional  election  by 
grace,  and  baptism  by  immersion,  believers  to  be  the  onlj'^  sub- 
jects; and  the  final  perseverance  of  the  saints. 

"  Anderson  Woods,  Betsey  Woods,  David  McQuittv, 
John  Turner,  James  Harris." 

On  Saturday,  July  28th,  1817,  the  first  regular  session  of  the 
church  was  held,  when  Edward  Turner  was  chosen  moderator, 
and  Aiiderson  Woods  permanent  clerk.  Edward  Turner  and 
William  Thorp  were,  at  this  meeting,  selected  as  temporary  pas- 
tors, and  served  as  such  until  the  October  following,  when  Wil- 
liam Thorp  was  appointed  the  first  permanent  pastor  of  the 
church.     Meetings  were  held  at  the  houses  of  Anderson  Woods 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSSOCIATION.  393 

aud  James  Harris  until  April,  1818,  \Theii  a  school  house  was 
built  and  made  to  serve  the  purpose  of  a  church. 

The  members  of  this  church  during  1817,  in  addition  to  those 
subscribed  to  the  above  covenant,  were  Joshua  Barton,  Lazarus 
Wilcox,  William  Thorp  and  Edward  Turner,  thus  making  the 
church  to  consist,  for  the  first  year,  of  nine  members.  Before 
September,  1819,  the  following  are  all  the  male  members  besides 
those  above  given,  who  had  united  with  this  church :  William 
McCarty,  James  Hicks,  Benjamin  Steward,  Elias  Elston,  Jacob 
Lowden,  Thomas  Vaughn,  William  and  Fi'ancis  Barns,  Thomas 
Biswell,  William  Eyan,  William  Wilhite,  Benjamin  F.  Green, 
Eobert  Dale  and  Jeremiah  Hall. 

"At  this  time  Anderson  Woods,  Lazarus  Wilcox,  Elias  Elston 
and  others  obtained  letters  of  dismission,  and  proceeded  to  con- 
stitute a  church  now  known  as  '  Little  Bonne  Femme,'  in  a  neigh- 
borhood then  growing  rapidly,  about  seven  miles  southeast  of 
Columbia  and  known  among  the  old  residents  as  the  '  Two  Mile 
Prairie  Settlement.'  Enough  Baptists  had  collected  there  to 
form  a  church,  the  first  step  toward  which  was  taken  in  Decem- 
ber, 1819,  when  they  met  and  framed  the  following  code  of  gov- 
ernment : 

"  David  Doyle,  Anderson  Woods,  Elizabeth  Woods, 
James  Harris,  Mourning  Harris,  Polly  Har- 
ris, Elizabeth  Kennon,  John  Maupin,  Elias  El- 
ston, Matthew  Haley,  Jane  Tuttle,  Lazarus  Wil- 
cox, Lucy  Wilcox,  James  Wiseman,  Thomas  S. 
Tuttle,  Nancy  Tuttle. 

^'December,  the  First  Sunday,  1819. 
"We  whose  names  are  above  enrolled,  being  regular  Baptists, 
and  scattered  abroad  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Two-mile  Prai- 
rie, Howard  County,  Missouri  Territory,  have  this  daj'"  and  date 
above  named,  in  conformity  with  a  previous  appointment,  met 
at  the  house  of  Brother  Anderson  Woods,  in  order  to  consider 
the  propriety  of  uniting  together  and  becoming  a  church ;  and 
have  also  agreed  to  become  a  church  under  the  following  articles 
of  constitution  : 

"  1st.  We  believe  in  one  onl}^  true  and  living  God,  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

"2d.  That  the  Scriptures  of  the  old  and  new  Testaments  are 
the  word  of  God,  and  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

"  3d.  We  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  election,  and  that  God  chose 
his  people  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world. 


394  LITTLE   BONNE    TEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

"4th.  We  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  original  sin,  and  iu  man's 
impotency  to  recover  himself  from  the  fallen  state  he  is  in  by  na- 
ture, either  in  whole  or  in  part,  by  his  own  free-will  and  ability. 

'*  5th.  We  believe  that  sinners  are  justified  in  the  sight  of  Grod, 
only  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed  to  them. 

"6th.  We  believe  .that  G-od-'s  elect  shall  be  called,  converted, 
regenerated  and  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit  during  this  life. 

"7th.  We  believe  the  saints  shall  be  saved  by  grace,  and  never 
finally  fall  away,  and  that  good  works  are  the  fruits  of  faith  and 
follow  after  justification. 

"  8th.  We  believe  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are  or- 
dinances of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  true  believers  are  the  only 
proper  subjects,  and  that  baptism  is  immersion. 

"9th.  Wo  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  general 
judgment,  and  that  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  and  joys  of  the 
righteous  "will  be  eternal. 

"  10th.  We  believe  that  ministers  have  no  right  to  the  admin- 
istration of  the  ordinances,  only  such  as  are  regularly  baptized, 
ordained  and  set  forward  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

"The  brethren  agreed  to  call  on  the  following  churches:  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Bethel,  Mt.  Zion  and  Concord,  for  early  help,  to  ex- 
amine into  the  fitness  of  our  becoming  a  church,  and  also  to  con- 
stitute us  if  thought  fit;  and  have  also  ajipointed  Brethren  An- 
derson Woods  and  David  Doyle  to  write  letters  to  those  church- 
es, requesting  them  to  send  us  help  for  the  purpose  above  named. 
Also  agreed  that  our  next  meeting  be  held  at  the  house  of  Bro. 
Thomas  S.  Tuttle  the  first  Saturday  and  Sunday  in  February, 
1820.  Lazarus  Wilcox,  Clerk  pro  tern. 

"In  February,  1820,  by  request  of  the  persons  whose  names 
are  prefixed  to  the  foregoing,  William  Thorp  and  Thomas  Cam- 
bell,  from  Mt.  Pleasant,  and  Eobert  Dale,  from  Bethel,  visited 
them  and  regularly  constituted  them  a  church.  David  Doyle  was 
chosen  the  first  pastor  and  so  remained  until  1830,  when  he  as- 
sumed pastoral  control  of  Salem  Church,  which  was  organized 
during  that  year.  Lazarus  Wilcox  was  elected  the  first  clerk 
and  held  the  position  fifteen  years,  till  1835,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Thomas  Turner,  who  died  shortl}^  afterwards,  and 
Charles  L.  Woolfolk  was  elected  and  remained  in  the  position 
till  1844,  when  the  late  David  H.  Hickman  became  the  clerk  and 
so  remained  for  many  years.  The  first  deacons  were  Lazarus 
Wilcox  and  Anderson  Woods."  (E.  W.  Stephens,  History  of  Boone 
County,  in  Missouri  Statesman.) 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION,  395 

In  May,  1820,  the  name  Little  Bonne  Femme*  was  given  from 
the  creek  in  that  vicinity.  "Until  August,  1820,  the  meetings  of 
this  church  were  held  in  private  dwellings,  when  a  log  building 
was  erected  on  land  belonging  to  Thomas  Duly,  near  Elk  Lake. 
Services  were  held  there  till  1822,  when  a  log  house  was  built  on 
ground  donated  by  Col.  James  McClelland  and  the  church  there 
permanently  established. 

"  There  prevailed  amongst  the  members  of  this  church  during 
its  early  history  a  custom  of  which  a  great  many  are  at  present 
ignorant,  and  which  at  this  day  appears  novel  in  the  extreme. 
It  was  that  of  requiring  members  at  sacramental  meetings  to 
wash  each  other's  feet.  This  was  a  token  of  devoutest  humility 
and  was  by  them  considered  a  scriptural  injunction  found  in  John 
13,  where  Jesus  having  washed  the  feet  of  his  disciples,  enjoined, 
'If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Master,  have  washed  your  feet,  ye 
ought  also  to  wash  one  another's  feet.  For  I  have  given  you  an 
example  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you.'  Whilst  such 
a  practice  may  be  regarded  at  the  present  day  as  unauthorized, 
we  can  but  admire  the  meekness  and  contrition  of  spirit  that 
conceived  and  prompted  it. 

"By  1821  the  population  of  the  county  had  so  far  increased  as 
to  demand  the  erection  of  another  church,  and  in  July  of  that 
year  a  committee  from  the  upper  Two-Mile  Prairie,  consisting 
of  Thomas  P.  and  Elijah  Stephens,  William  Edwards  and  Absa- 
lom Eenfro,  visited  the  Bonne  Femme  Church  to  request  that  a 
committee  be  sent  by  the  latter  to  constitute  for  them  a  church. 
In  compliance  with  their  wishes  David  Doyle,  Mason  Moss  and 
Elias  Elston  were  appointed,  who  shortly  thereafter  established 
'  Cedar'  Church.  This  church,  though  in  Callaway,  has  always 
comprised  a  great  many  members  from  Boone.  It  consisted  at 
first  of  thirteen  members,  and  Eobert  Dale  was  the  first  preach- 
er. He  was  succeeded  by  Thos.  P.  Stephens,  who  continued  its 
pastor  for  44  years.  Among  the  first  members  of  this  church, 
besides  those  mentioned,  were  Isaac  Black  and  Matthew  Ed- 
wards."    (E.  W.  Stephens,  in  the  Missouri  Statesman.') 

The  "Cedar"  Church  adopted  the  anti-mission,  or  so-called 
"  Old  School  "  sentiments,  and  hence  continued  with  the  Salem 
Association. 

*  Bonne  Femme  is  French,  and  means  a  good  woman ;  it  is  the  name  here  of  a 
creek,  and  gave  name  to  this  chui-ch  and  to  the  association.  "In  some  cases  it  is  writ- 
ten bon,  which  is  incorrect,  as  that  is  the  masculine  from  the  old  Latin,  bonus.  Bonne 
is  feminine,  and  is  the  term  to  go  with/ewwe,  woman." — Benedict. 


896  LITTLE   BONNE   PEMME   ASSOCIATION. 

Union  Church. — In  1822  two  colonies  of  members  dismissed 
from  Little  Bonne  Ferame  and  Bethel  Churches  met  together  and 
formed  a  church  some  six  miles  south  from  Columbia.  The  cir- 
cumstances suggested  the  name  Union.  Berryman  Wren  was  the 
minister.     This  church  also  continued  with  Salem  Association, 

First  Baptist  Church,  Columbia. — The  Little  Bonne  Femme 
Church  sent  a  small  colony  of  members  to  Columbia,  which,  be- 
ing joined  by  a  few  others,  formed  a  Baptist  church  there  (the 
first  in  the  town)  November  22,  1823,  The  following  persons 
went  into  the  organization:  Charles  Hardin,  William  Jewell, 
William  Ridgeway,  Hutchens  Barnett,  Hannah  Hardin,  Harriet 
Gooloe,  Abraham  N.  Foley,  Henr}^  Cave,  George  Jewell,  Mary 
Jewell  and  Hiram  C.  Philips. 

"The  first  meeting  was  held  at  the  residence  of  Charles  Hard- 
in. Anderson  Woods  was  elected  moderator  and  Hiram  C,  Phil- 
lips clerk,  and  articles  of  faith  and  rules  of  decorum  were  adopt- 
ed. The  first  deacons  were  Charles  Hardin  and  William  Eidge- 
way.  For  a  number  of  years  the  church  had  no  regular  pastor, 
Rev.  Anderson  Woods  serving  chiefly  as  preacher  to  them,  as- 
sisted frequently  by  Elds.  Robert  Dale,  Peyton  Stephens,  James 
Suggett,  Berryman  Wren,  Thomas  Thompson  and  Ninian  Ridge- 
way. Hiram  C.  Phillips  served  as  church  clerk  until  1828,  when 
he  resigned,  and  Dr.  William  Jewell  was  elected  and  continued 
to  hold  the  oflftce  for  about  twenty  years. 

"The  first  regular  pastor  of  the  church  was  Elder  Allen  (for- 
merly spelled  Alan)  McGuire,  who  was  elected  in  August,  1827, 
and  held  that  office  without  any  compensation,  until  his  death  on 
March  31,  1835 — nearly  eight  years. 

"  From  1823  to  1828  the  services  were  held  at  private  houses. 
From  1828  to  1836  they  were  held  in  the  old  court-house.  In 
1836,  of  their  own  means  and  unaided.  Dr.  William  Jewell  and 
Rev.  Moses  U.  Payne,  the  latter  of  the  Methodist  church,  built  a 
house  of  worship,  which  was  used  alternately  by  the  two  congre- 
gations for  many  years.  It  was  located  on  the  present  resident 
property  of  W.  F.  Switzler. 

"  In  1830  the  church  had  grown  to  fifty  members,  among  whom, 
in  addition  to  those  already  mentioned,  we  notice  the  following 
names:  Willis  Hawkins,  Jacob  Bruner,  Emily  Guitar,  Jesse 
Turner,  Isaac  Coppage,  John  H.  Baker,  Thomas  Henson,  Peyton 
N.  Mahan,  Roily  Asburj^,  James  Nichols,  Daniel  Neale,  Arm- 
stead  Hill  and  others.  Not  a  single  member  of  the  church  at 
that  time  is  now  living. 


LITTLE    BONNE    EEMME    ASSOCIATION.  397 

''  In  1828  Willis  Hawkins  and  Hutchens  Barnett  were  elected 
deacons  in  place  of  Hardin  and  Ridgeway,  resigned,  and  contin- 
ued in  office  until  1839  and  1840,  when  James  H.  Woods  and 
Reuben  D.  Black,  father  of  Rev.  G.  L.  Black,  became  deacons. 

"In  1837  the  division  between  the  missionary  and  anti-mis- 
sionary bodies  of  the  Baptist  church  took  place,  the  Columbia 
church  almost  unanimously  siding  with  the  missionary  element. 

''The  church  grew  during  all  these  years,  until,  by  1840,  it  had 
nearly  a  hundred  members.  There  are  but  three  members  of  the 
church  living  now  who  were  members  at  that  time.  These  are: 
Mrs.  Dr.  W.  H.  Duncan,  William  T.  Hickman  and  Mrs.  Isabella 
Maupin, 

"After  the  death  of  Rev.  Allen  McGuire  in  1835,  Rev.  R.  S. 
Thomas  supplied  the  place  as  pastor  for  some  eight  years.  He 
would  frequently  resign,  but  was  always  re-elected.  At  last,  in 
1843,  he  resigned  and  refused  to  accept  re-election,  when,  for  the 
first  time  in  the  history  of  the  church,  the  effort  was  made  to 
raise  an  adequate  salary  for  a  pastor,  Mr.  Thomas  having  re- 
ceived at  no  time  over  $350  per  year  for  his  services — most  of 
the  time  laboring  without  pay. 

"In  1843  Rev,  Isaac  T.  Hinton,  of  St.  Louis,  was  elected  pas- 
tor at  a  salary  of  $850.  [In  1844  Eld.  Thomas  H.  Ford  became 
pastor  of  this  church — see  sketch  of  him  for  the  facts.]  He  de- 
clined, and  it  is  a  singular  coincidence  that  the  church  then 
elected  Dr.  H.  W.  Dodge,  the  jiastor  of  the  church  at  this  time, 
and  who  was  then  a  young  man  and  a  resident  of  Washington 
City.  He  also  declined.  Dr.  Dodge,  while  residing  in  Austin, 
Texas,  in  1876,  thirty-three  years  afterwards,  was  again  elected 
to  the  same  position  and  accepted.  This  fact,  so  far  as  we  know, 
is  not  known  to  any  member  of  the  church,  and  has  perhaps  even 
been  forgotten  by  the  Doctor  himself;  but  occurring,  as  it  has, 
it  looks  as  though  God  had  indeed  called  him  to  the  place  which 
he  now  so  ably  and  worthily  fills."  (From  the  Columbia,  Mis- 
souri, Herald,  ^ov.,  1877.) 

Nashville  Church. — "The  jSTashville  Baptist  Church,  Boone 
County,  was  organized  the  fourth  Saturday  in  April,  1834,  by  17 
members,  only  three  of  whom  now  have  any  connection  with  it, 
viz. :  G.  S.  Tuttle,  his  wife,  and  Sister  Winfrey.  At  this  meeting 
Elds.  John  Greenhalgh  and  Berryman  Wren  were  chosen  a  pres- 
bytery for  the  purpose  of  organizing  and  drafting  a  constitution 
and  rules  of  decorum  for  the  church.  When  the  split  occurred 
in  the  denomination,  Eld.  Wren  remained  with  the  anti-niissiou- 


398  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

ary  Baptists,  and  continued  to  preach  for  that  branch  of  the  Bap- 
tist family  until  his  death.  The  constitution  adopted  at  that 
time  was  changed  in  1856  in  some  points  essential  to  the  articles 
of  faith.  The  rules  of  decorum  were  at  the  same  time  revised 
and  corrected. 

"In  August,  1834,  James  Cunningham  and  Jacob  Kuykendall 
were  chosen  and  ordained  the  first  deacons.  During  the  four 
years  following,  from  1834  to  1838,  there  was  no  regular  pastor, 
and  the  church  was  irregularly  supplied  by  Elder  Greenhalgh 
and  Dr.  Doyle.  In  1839  the  former  was  chosen  pastor,  and  for- 
mally resigned  in  March,  1840.  During  the  period  from  the  or- 
ganization of  the  church  to  1840,  it  was  in  a  very  languishing 
condition,  though  the  little  band  of  brothers  seemed  not  unmind- 
ful of  the  interests  of  the  cause  of  the  church  j  for  we  find  in 
1838  a  resolution  adoj^ted  to  enter  into  a  new  association  with 
other  churches  of  like  faith  and  order ;  and  it  united  with  its 
sister  churches  in  organizing  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Associa- 
tion, in  1839."  ("C."  in  Misso^iri  Baptist  Journal,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  22.) 

"In  1850  the  Nashville  Church  sent  her  first  contribution  to 
her  association  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  sustaining  a  mission- 
ary in  the  bounds  of  the  association;  and  it  was  not  until  the 
church  became  thoroughly  missionary  in  spirit  and  practice,  and 
determined  to  compensate  a  minister  to  serve  them  as  regular 
pastor,  that  we  find  any  marked  blessings  upon  her."  (Eld.  J. 
M.  Eobinson  in  The  Missouri  Baptist,  Vol.  II,  Xo.  11,  date  May, 
1861.) 

New  Salem  Church. — One  of  the  early  and  brilliant  lights  of 
the  Little  Bonne  Eemme  Association  was  the  New  Salem  Bap- 
tist Church,  formed  with  37  constituent  members  byJohnGreen- 
halgh  and  David  Doyle  on  the  second  Saturday  in  Nov.,  1828,  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Peter  Bass'  and  Tyre  Martin's,  about  thirteen 
miles  in  a  southerly  direction  from  Columbia,  and  two  miles  north 
of  the  present  town  of  Ashland.  Eor  the  first  thirty  years  of  its 
history  Dr.  David  Doj^le  filled  the  pastoral  ofiice  in  this  church. 
Succeeding  him  in  the  following  order  were  John  T.  Williams, 
W.  J.  Patrick,  Noah  Flood  and  J.  T.  M.  Johnson.  This  brings 
us  up  to  about  1869  or  '70.  This  church  has  ordained  and  sent 
into  the  ministry  P.  H.  Steenbergen.  John  M.  Black  G.  L.  Black 
and  "W.  H.  Burnham. 

In  1830  the  church  built  a  brick  house,  and  rebuilt  in  1848 — 
40x48  feet.  As  early  as  1843  the  church  had  a  Sunday-school 
which  was  kept  up  a  part  of  the  year.    Numerically  this  church, 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  399 

has  of  late  years  been  the  second  in  the  association.  In  1882  the 
church  numbered  190  members  with  E.  D.  Isbell  as  pastor.  In 
1829  the  church  united  with  the  Salem  Association,  but  when 
that  fraternity  took  a  stand  against  missions  the  church  no  lon- 
ger fraternized  with  her,  but  united  with  the  Little  Bonne  Femme 
Association.  "Within  the  last  few  years  the  church  has  complet- 
ed a  very  neat  and  comfortable  house  of  worship — a  frame  build- 
ing, very  near  the  spot  where  the  old  house  stood,  in  the  rear  of 
which  stands  the  monument  of  Rev.  David  Doyle,  the  first  pastor 
of  the  church. 

Mount  Horeb  Church. — On  the  3rd  day  of  August,  1833,  at 
the  house  of  Samuel  Boon,  near  the  eastern  border  of  Callaway 
County,  the  Mount  Horeb  Church  was  founded  by  the  help  of 
Wm.  Coats  and  Dr.  Alia  B.  Snethen.  The  following  men  and 
women  signed  the  covenant  that  day  :  Samuel  Boon,  "Willis  Haw- 
kins, Jesse  Yancleave,  John  G-regory,  Benjamin  Bouchire,  Ann 
Boon,  Mary  Hawkins,  Lucy  Vancleave,  Elizabeth  C.  Gregory, 
Mary  Bouchire,  Sarah  A.  Carter,  and  Susan  a  colored  woman. 

Their  first  minister  was  "Wm.  Coats  who  continued  only  about 
two  years  and  was  succeeded  by  AliaB.  Snethen  until  1846.  Fol- 
lowing him  were  N.  Flood,  J.  H.  Tuttle,  G.  D.  Tolle,  B.  B.  Black 
and  M.  T.  Bibb.  Its  first  house  was  a  log  building  after  the  old 
style ;  that  is,  double,  with  a  pen  on  either  side,  in  one  of  which 
was  a  door,  and  in  the  other  the  pulpit. 

Richland  Church. — James  Suggett,  R.  S.  Thomas  and  Kemp 
Scott  held  a  meeting  in  the  Richland  neighborhood,  six  miles 
north  of  Fulton,  the  county  seat  of  Callaway,  and  June  20, 1840, 
the  Richland  BaptistChurch  was  organized,  with  John  Robinson, 
ISToah  Flood,  Sam'l  Thornhill,  Mary  B.  Robinson,  Nancy  B. 
Threlkeld,  W.  H.  Threlkeld  and  Hiram  Threlkeld  as  constituent 
members.  At  the  first  regular  monthly  meeting  in  July,  Noah 
Flood  was  elected  pastor,  which  office  he  filled  until  1852.  A 
double  log  building  was  erected  in  1841,  22x40  feet ;  this  was 
replaced  by  a  brick  house,  42x52  feet,  in  1850 ;  and  this  by  a 
frame  house,  42x60  feet,  in  1872,  worth  $4,000.  In  1872  this 
church  had  a  Sunday-school  of  50  pupils,  and  three  mission 
schools  of  30  pupils  each.  In  1882  the  church  numbered  101 
members  with  W.  H.  Burnham  as  pastor. 

MiLLERSBURG  Church. — The  Baptist  church  at  Millersburg  orig- 
inated in  a  mutual  division  of  the  Concord  Church,  Callaway 
County,  on  the  missionary  question.  The  following  agreement 
was  entered  into  : 


400  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

"■  Be  it  known  that  on  the  third  Saturday  in  July,  1840,  the 
United  Baptist  church  of  Christ  at  Concord  in  conference,  on  a 
motion  to  withdraw  correspondence  from  Salem  Association, 
some  of  the  brethren  desiring  to  continue  correspondence  pro- 
posed that  the  church  divide  friendly,  which  was  agreed  to.  A 
committee  was  appointed  which  presented  the  following  report: 
'We,  the  committee  appointed  by  the  Concord  Church,  have 
agreed  that  we  divide  friendly,  and  also  that  the  house  be  divid- 
ed, viz.:  the  anti-missionary  brethren  shall  hold  the  original 
name,  occupy  the  house  on  the  first  and  third  Saturdays  and 
Sundays  in  each  month  and  retain  the  church  book ;  the  mission- 
ary brethren  shall  occupy  the  house  on  the  second  and  fourth 
Saturdaj's  and  Sundays.'  " 

After  which  the  missionary  part  proceeded  in  the  following 
order: 

"  'Taking  into  consideration  our  situation,  we,  whose  names 
are  hereunto  subscribed,  propose  to  continue  as  a  church  of  Je- 
sus Christ  on  the  principles  of  the  United  Baptists,  considering 
the  subject  of  missions  no  bar  to  fellowship  -'  and  after  reading 
the  articles  of  faith,  23  brethren  and  sisters,  willing  to  unite  on 
the  above  principles,  came  forward  and  gave  their  names  and 
agreed  to  be  known  as  the  church  at  Millersburg,  Callaway 
County."  (From  MS.  of  Wm.  Mosely,  clerk  of  Millersburg 
Church.) 

Noah  Flood  was  elected  pastor  and  served  the  church  about 
twelve  years,  during  which  time  there  were  118  additions.  In 
1848  a  substantial  frame  building  was  erected,  38x48  feet.  The 
same  house  was  repaired  and  improved  in  1868  and  was  then  val- 
ued at  $2,500.  Besides  Eld.  Flood,  Elds.  R.  S.  Thomas,  G.  D. 
Tolle,  James  Hughes,  W.  R.  Wigginton  and  J.  M.  Eobinson  have 
ministered  to  Millersburg  Church.  In  all,  226  members  have 
been  added.  In  June,  1869,  5  of  the  original  23  were  still  living, 
and  the  church  then  numbered  81  members. 

"New  Providence  Church — is  situated  six  miles  from  Colum- 
bia, near  the  Huntsville  Road.  She  was  constituted  on  the  8th 
day  of  August,  A.  D.  1841,  by  Elders  Elijah  Foley  and  Fielding 
Wilhite,  of  fifteen  members.  The  church  met  for  the  transaction 
of  business  on  the  first  Saturday  in  September,  1841 ;  chose  Rev. 
F.  Wilhite  moderator  pro  tern.,  and  Thomas  S.  Allen  as  clerk; 
oiJened  the  door  for  the  reception  of  members,  and  received  five 
by  experience  and  baptism.  At  the  next  meeting  Rev.  Elijah 
Foley  was  chosen  moderator,  and  served  in  that  capacity  for  two 


LITTLE    BONNE   FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  401 

years.  Joel  Wilhite  was  chosen  deacon  at  the  same  time,  and 
served  up  to  his  death  in  1863.  He  was  the  main  pillar  of  the 
church."     (From  Columbia  Journal,  in  Central  Baptist,  July,  1870.) 

Unity  Church. — This  church  bears  date  of  1842,  having  been 
founded  by  James  Suggett,  N.  Flood  and  Wm.  Jesse,  of  eleven 
members,  in  a  neighborhood  about  eight  miles  east  of  Fulton, 
the  county  seat  of  Callaway.  For  two  years  James  Suggett 
ministered  to  the  church  as  pastor,  following  whom  were  Wm. 
Jesse,  ten  years,  J.  F.  Smith,  one  year,  J.  D.  Gregory,  one  year, 
Martin  T.  Bibb,  six  years,  W.  J.  Patrick,  six  months,  and  W.  B. 
Walthall,  three  years.  The  first  house  erected  was  a  frame  30x40 
feet,  in  1848,  worth  $1,500.  About  the  year  1878  a  new  house 
was  erected  near  the  old  site,  at  a  cost  of  some  $2,500.  In  1882 
W.  H.  Burnham  was  pastor,  the  church  numbering  100  members. 

Grand  Prairie  Church. — On  the  26th  day  of  November,  1843, 
23  members  entered  into  a  covenant  and  formed  the  Grand  Prai- 
rie Baptist  Church  in  the  north  part  of  Callaway  County,  thir- 
teen miles  from  Fulton.  Noah  Flood  and  Matthew  Davis  were 
the  only  ministers  present  at  the  organization. 

Union  Hill  Church. — At  an  early  period  in  the  history  of 
Missouri,  a  few  zealous  Baptists  from  the  state  of  Virginia  set- 
tled in  the  southwest  part  of  Callaway  County,  nearly  opposite 
Jefferson  City,  and  united  with  Providence  Church,  about  ten 
miles  distant.  Being  mindful  of  the  cause  in  their  own  neigh- 
borhood they  invited  ministerial  help.  Noah  Flood,  then  com- 
paratively young,  was  the  first  to  respond.  A  meeting  was  held, 
and  a  revival  followed  ;  Providence  Church  extended  an  "arm" 
to  the  neighborhood,  and  when  the  new  converts  had  swelled 
the  membership  to  34,  a  Baptist  church  was  constituted,  called 
"  Union  Hill."  This  was  consummated  in  May,  1843,  James 
Suggett  and  Matthew  Davis  aiding  in  the  organization.  In  1849 
the  church  erected  a  frame  building  in  which  to  worship  God, 
which  served  a  good  purpose  for  sixteen  years,  when  in  1865 
another  house  took  its  place  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $1,000. 

Dry  Fork  Church. — Twelve  miles  southwest  of  Fulton  is  lo- 
cated the  Dry  Fork  Baptist  Church  of  106  members.  This 
church  was  planted  September  23,  1847,  by  David  Doyle,  N. 
Flood  and  P.  H.  Steenbergen,  consisting  of  three  male  and  five 
female  members.  P.  H.  Steenbergen  became  first  pastor,  con- 
tinuing in  this  office  four  years,  and  was  followed  by  Noah  Flood ; 
he  by  G.  D.  Tolle,  M.  D.  Noland,  J.  T.  M.  Johnson,  W.  H.  Burn- 
ham  and  W.  M,  Tipton.  The  church  worships  in  an  excellent 
26 


402  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

frame  edifice  40x60  feet,  valued  at  $5,000,  erected  in  1867.  Its 
former  house  of  worsiiip,  a  frame,  was  built  in  1848,  a  year  after 
the  church  was  organized. 

The  churches  which  have  been  more  recently  organized  in  the 
bounds  of  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association  can  receive  no 
more  than  a  passing  notice,  inasmuch  as  their  histories  are  fa- 
miliar to  the  majority  of  the  present  generation. 

Lebanon  Church, — sixteen  miles  north  of  Columbia,  Boone 
County,  was  organized  with  45  members,  by  W.  R.  Wigginton 
and  P.  T.  G-entry,  July  24,  1867.    Gentry  was  the  first  pastor. 

Mt.  Pleasant  Church — was  organized  the  first  Saturday  in 
July,  1858,  by  P.  II.  Steenbergen,  with  23  constituent  members, 
twenty-two  miles  south  of  Columbia.  Steenbergen  was  their  first 
minister.  The  strength  of  this  community  in  1879  was  115  mem- 
bers. 

Harmony, — The  fruit  of  missionary  labors  by  J.  F.  Smith,  was 
formed  by  him  August  11,  1861,  of  10  members,  about  eighteen 
miles  northeast  of  Fulton.  In  1882  the  church  numbered  30 
members.  J.  F.  Smith  was  the  first  pastor.  It  has  no  house  of 
Avorship. 

Union  Church, — in  Audrain  County,  eight  miles  southeast  of 
Mexico,  grew  up  under  the  itinerant  labors  of  James  F.  Smith, 
and  was  organized  in  Jackson  School-house,  January  18,  1862, 
of  21  constituent  members.  Joshua  Pearee  was  pastor  in  1882, 
the  church  numbering  54  members. 

Martinsburq  Church — was  organized  September  24,  1866,  by 
a  colony  of  members  who  withdrew  from  Mt.  Zion  Church  on 
account  of  unmanageable  disorder  in  said  church.  There  were 
20  constituent  members.  The  organizing  council  consisted  of 
E.  S.  Duncan,  W.  O.  Eandolph  and  Geo.  B.  Leachman.  Duncan 
was  the  first  pastor,  and  was  succeeded  by  S.  A.  Beauchamp. 

Mexico  Baptist  Church. — The  first  Baptist  church  in  Mexico, 
Audrain  County,  was  organized  in  1857,  and  was  re-organized 
February  9,  1867,  by  S.  A.  Beauchamp  and  E.  S.  Duncan,  with 
25  members.     Beauchamp  was  the  minister  for  some  years.    His 

successors  were  J.  D.  Murphy, Cone,  J.  C.  Maple  and  J.  C. 

Armstrong.  For  a  time  a  beneficiary  of  the  General  Associa- 
tion, this  church  has  grown  into  one  of  the  most  efficient  bodies 
in  Eastern  Missouri,  with  a  membership  of  181,  having  built  in 
the  last  ten  years  a  beautiful  and  commanding  brick  edifice,  with 
basement,  40x70  feet,  the  whole  well  finished,  at  a  cost  of  from 
$12,000  to  #14,000. 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  403 

Bethlehem  Church, — fourteen  miles  northwest  of  Mexico,  in 
Audrain  County,  was  organized  May  1,  1867,  with  21  members. 
In  1882  it  numbered  onl}^  24  members.  It  meets  in  a  school- 
house,  having  for  some  time  met  in  the  grove  in  summer  and  in 
private  residences  in  the  winter.  W.  R.  Wigginton  and  R.  F. 
Babb,  being  members  of  the  church,  were  requested  to  preach 
for  it,  which  they  did,  most  likely  without  fee  or  reward. 

GrRAND  View  Church, — situated  on  a  beautiful  eminence  in  the 
Two  Mile  Prairie,  twelve  miles  northeast  of  Columbia,  was  or- 
ganized by  Elds.  "Wigginton,  Flood  and  Ayers,  38  members  en- 
rolling  their  names  on  the  25th  day  of  December,  1869.  Eld. 
Flood  was  selected  pastor.  The  church  has  since  grown  to  up- 
wards of  100  members,  and  now  worships  in  a  new  frame  edifice, 
neat  and  comfortable,  and  worth  we  should  think,  ^1,000.  J.  M. 
McGuire  was  pastor  in  1880. 

JVbte. — A  majority  of  these  churches  have  Sunday-schools  j 
some  are  what  they  call  "  Union  Schools,"  but  the  most  of  them 
are  Baptist  schools  j  and  not  a  few  of  them  are  prospering  and 
doing  much  good.  Can  any  one  give  a  valid  reason  why  there 
cannot,  as  a  rule,  be  a  Baptist  Sunday-school  where  there  is  a 
Baptist  church?  Some  tell  us  that  in  a  mixed  community,  we 
should  have  a  mixed  or  union  Sunday-school.  Then  why  not 
have  a  mixed  or  union  church,  too  ? 

Having  extended  our  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  Bap- 
tist principles  in  the  churches  of  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Asso- 
ciation quite  beyond  our  accustomed  limits,  and  as  there  is  so 
much  of  similarity  in  the  doings  of  associational  communities, 
we  shall  not  go  vei'y  far  into  the  details  of  work  in  the  subse- 
quent sketches  of  this  association. 

"The  membership  of  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association  in 
1842,  three  j^ears  after  its  organization,"  says  Dr.  Benedict  in 
his  History  of  the  Baptists,  p.  841,  "was  about  700.  At  that  time 
Little  Bonne  Femme  Church  was  the  largest  in  the  association, 
having  146  members;  Providence  Avas  next,  with  106,  and  Rich- 
land, 94." 

The  minutes  of  1846  furnish  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — Little  Bonne  Femme,  158;  Columbia,  82;  Provi- 
dence,  167;  Freedom,  62  ;  Mt.  Horeb,  42;  Nashville,  41;  Mil- 
lersburg,  73;  Richland,  104;  Unity,  24;  Union  Hill,  65;  Union, 
46;  New  Salem,  278;  Grand  Prairie,  32;  Loutre  (number  not 
given);  Washington,  26;  total,  1,200.  Contributions  to  minutes, 
$11.90;  to  associational  fund,  $10.30. 


404  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

Ministers. — N.  Flood,  P.  H.  Steenbergen,  T.  Howard  Ford,  Wm. 
M.  Jesse,  Eobt.  C.  Hill,  Dr.  D.  Doyle,  J.  C.  Eenfro,  E.  S.  Thom- 
as, W.  W.  Keep  and  James  Siiggett. 

The  corresponding  letter  this  year  states  that  "  under  the  la- 
bors of  Bro.  Ellis  the  cause  of  Sunday-schools  was  rapidly  ad- 
vancing in  the  bounds  of  the  association."  Another  indication 
of  progress  is,  that  on  the  Lord's  day,  at  the  session  of  1847,  a 
collection  of  $20.90  was  made  for  the  General  Association. 

A  very  tedious  case  came  up  about  this  time.  To  reach  a  de- 
cision on  any  and  all  questions,  the  tenth  article  of  the  rules  of 
decorum  required  a  unanimous  vote.  This  was  found  to  be  both 
inconvenient  and  impracticable.  But  it  was  no  easy  matter  to 
change  the  rule,  for  another  article  in  the  rules  of  decorum  (or 
it  may  have  been  simply  a  custom)  required  all  questions  per- 
taining to  the  constitution,  rules,  or  articles  of  faith,  &c.,  to  be 
referred  to  the  churches.  Under  this  state  of  things  the  associ- 
ation was  from  1846  to  1848  in  securing  a  change  in  this  tenth 
rule,  when  we  find  the  following  record  :  ''  The  tenth  article  of 
the  rules  of  decorum  was  so  altered  as  to  authorize  two-thirds  to 
govern  in  all  cases  which  do  not  involve  fellowship." 

At  this  date  (1848)  correspondence  was  held  with  the  Salt 
River,  Bethel,  Concord  and  Third  Creek  Associations. 

In  1849  the  association  published,  for  the  first  time,  a  list  of 
its  own  ministers  and  post-offices,  as  follows : 

Jas.  E.  Welch  and  E.  C.  Hill,  Hickory  Grove,  Warren  County  ; 
James  H.  Tuttle,  Danville,  Montgomery  County ;  Noah  Flood, 
Fulton,  Callaway  Count}' J  Wm.  M.  Jesse,  Mexico;  David  Doyle, 
Wiseman's  P.O.;  P.  H.  Steenbergen,  Bloomfield,  Callaway 
County,  and  John  M.  Black,  Wiseman's, 

This  year  the  churches  were  "urged  to  send  a  fund  annually 
to  the  association  for  the  purpose  6f  sustaining  some  one  of  the 
preachers  as  a  missionary,  who  shall  give  his  Avhole  time  to 
preaching  in  the  bounds  of  the  association." 

Their  method  of  itinerating  assumed  a  definite  shape  by  the 
year  1850.  At  the  session  this  year  it  was  "  agreed  that  nine  lay 
brethren  shall  be  appointed,  no  two  of  whom  shall  be  members 
of  the  same  church,  and  five  of  whom  shall  constitute  a  quorum; 
and  that  to  them  shall  be  committed  the  appointing  of  a  mission- 
ary, with  instructions  to  allow  him  $18  per  month  for  his  servi- 
ces. Committee. — C.  Lusk,  T.  Hubbard,  W.  Major,  I.  H.  Talbot, 
Samuel  Watson,  G.  Nunnelly,  F,  Burt,  J.  Eobinson  and  T.  Wil- 
liamson." 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  i()^ 

Subsequently,  at  the  same  session,  this  committee,  together 
with  the  treasurer,  were  constituted  the  executive  committee  of 
the  association;  and  reported  that  the  churches  had  sent  up 
$97.90  for  missions,  and  "  that  they  had  employed  P.  H.  Steeh- 
bergen  as  missionary  for  six  months." 

This  year  the  association  also  committed  itself  to  the  cause  of 
education — denominational,  general  and  ministerial.  Relative 
to  William  Jewell  College,  the  following  was  adopted  unani- 
mously : 

^'■Resolved,  That  it  is  with  gratitude  we  have  witnessed  the  suc- 
cess of  the  efforts  of  our  denomination  to  establish  a  college  at 
Liberty,  Clay  County,  and  we  recommend  it  to  the  patronage  of 
the  community  at  large,  and  to  the  denomination  in  particular." 

It  is  well  just  here  to  note  that  William  Jewell  College  origin- 
ated in  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association.  Dr.  Jew^ell,  the 
founder  of  said  institution,  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Columbia,  and  one  of  the  leading  spirits  of  this  association. 

In  1853  the  700  members  of  1842  had  grown  to  1,667,  and  the 
boundary  of  the  association  had  extended  far  down  the  Missouri 
River,  even  to  the  eastern  border  of  Warren  County.  At  the  ses- 
sion of  1857  the  association  gave  its  heartiest  endorsement  of  the 
Columbia  Baptist  Female  College,  then  a  newly  founded,  but 
growing  institution,  and  now  ''Stephens' College."  A  committee 
was  also  appointed  at  the  same  meeting  "  to  take  into  consid- 
eration the  propriety  of  establishing  an  *  associational  male 
school,'  and  report  to  the  next  annual  meeting."  The  committee 
consisted  of  D.  H.  Hickman,  Joseph  Flood,  Jas.  G.  Smith,  P.  R. 
Parks  and  J.  F.  Howell.  In  the  year  following  (1858)  the  report 
of  the  committee  indicates  the  successful  establishment  of  a  male 
school,  called  "Little  Bonne  Femme  Seminary,"  with  a  board 
of  curators  and  a  charter  from  the  legislature.  The  location  of 
this  institution  was  near  Richland  Church,  Callaway  County,  on 
land  donated  by  Dr.  Martin. 

The  following  additions  to  the  ministrj^  are  shown  by  the  rec- 
ords of  this  date :  J.  M.  Robinson,  X.  X.  Buckner,  M.  T.  Bibb, 
Gr.  L.  Black,  J.  P.  Jesse,  R.  F.  Babb,  J.  G.  Smith,  James  Jackson 
and  W.  R.  Wigginton. 

The  association  met  at  New  Salem  Church  in  August,  1861, 
when  the  executive  board  appointed  Eld.  J.  F.  Smith  to  labor 
as  an  evangelist  one  month  in  each  quarter  at  the  rate  of  $600  a 
year.  The  board  also  established  a  mission  at  Scull  Lick  School- 
house,  appointed  Eld.  W.  R.  Wigginton  to  preach  monthly  at 


40(1  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

that  point,  and  appropriated  $50  for  that  mission.  No  meetings 
were  held  in  1862  and  1863  on  account  of  the  war. 

By  appointment  of  D.  H.  Hickman,  the  moderator,  the  associ- 
ation convened  at  Dry  Fork,  August  23,  1864,  Though  the  land 
was  crimson  with  blood,  several  of  the  churches  had  enjoyed  re- 
vivals, and  13  of  the  22  sent  messengers  to  this  meeting.  The 
letters  reported  182  baptisms  and  a  total  membership  of  2,098. 
Our  latest  records  are  for  1880.  Dry  Fork  was  again  the  place 
of  meeting.  The  session  commenced  August  31st.  This  frater- 
nity was  at  that  date  composed  of  38  churches  in  the  counties  of 
Audrain,  Boone,  Callaway  and  one  in  Montgomery.  The  entire 
membership  was  3,155.  Among  her  pastors  were  some  of  the 
strong  men  of  the  state,  and  altogether  they  were  a  laborious, 
efficient  and  consecrated  body  of  men,  comparing  most  favorably 
with  the  ministry  of  any  other  denomination  in  the  same  terri- 
tory, or  with  the  Baptist  ministry  of  any  other  part  of  Missouri. 

Robert  Dale. — This  early  pioneer  who  traveled  all  over  what 
became  the  bounds  of  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association,  was  a 
cotemporary  of  Wm.  Thorp,  David  McLain,  Dr.  Doyle,  A.Woods 
and  others  of  the  advanced  guard  to  this  western  country.  He 
was  connected  with  some  of  the  first  churches  of  Boone  County, 
and  preached  in  every  neighborhood  from  the  western  line  of 
Howard  to  the  eastern  boundary  of  Callaway  County.  He  came 
to  Missouri  as  early  as  1818,  and  perhaps  1817.  Prior  to  1819 
his  name  appears  on  the  roll  of  Old  Bethel  Church,  Boone 
Count}'. 

James  Suggett. — Second  to  no  man  in  point  of  usefulness  in 
the  pioneer  days  of  Baptist  history  in  Missouri,  was  James  Sug- 
gett. With  a  limited  degree  of  culture,  but  with  an  active,  vig- 
orous intellect,  and  an  earnest,  burning  zeal,  like  the  strong  arm- 
ed axeman  he  entered,  with  a  bold  and  unflinching  purpose,  into 
the  forests  of  this  western  country,  and  preached  the  gospel  to 
the  primitive  settlers  gathered  together  under  some  shaded  grove, 
or  in  some  plain  log-cabin.  Such  were  the  earlier  days  of  this 
man  of  God  in  the  state  of  Missouri, 

James  Suggett  was  born  in  Orange  County,  Virginia,  May  the 
1st,  1775,  and  when  ten  years  old,  with  his  father,  John  Suggett, 
and  his  mother  Mildred  (whose  maiden  name  was  Davis),  moved 
to  Kentucky,  and  settled  within  two  miles  of  Great  Crossings, 
where  he  grew  up  to  manhood,  and  at  the  age  of  19  years  mar- 
ried Sally  A.,  daughter  of  Eld.  Joseph  Redding.  On  the  second 
day  of  May,  1800,  he  professed  religion  and  was  baptized  by  Eld. 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  407 

Bedding  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Great  Crossings  Church,  and 
the  following  year  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  by  the  same 
church.  In  this  section  of  the  state — Scott  County — he  spent 
about  twenty-four  years  in  the  ministry,  giving  most  of  the  time 
to  Great  Crossings,  Dry  Eun  and  McConnell's  Enn  Churches. 

Mr.  Suggett  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was 
made  both  chaplain  and  major  in  the  regiment  of  Col.  Eichard 
M.  Johnson,  with  whom  he  fought  in  the  celebrated  battle  of  the 
Thames,  where  the  British  and  Indians  were  so  overwhelmingly 
defeated  and  the  Indian  chief,  Teeumseh,  was  slain.  This  was 
Oct.  5,  1813.  In  the  fall  of  1825  he  emigrated,  with  his  family, 
to  Missouri,  then  recently  made  a  state,  and  settled  in  Boone 
County  near  Little  Bonne  Femme  Church,  with  which  he  became 
identified  and  for  which  he  preached  as  pastor,  filling  during 
the  same  period  the  same  office  at  Columbia  and  Eocky  Fork 
Churches.  Here  he  continued  until  1830,  when  he  sold  out,  mov- 
ed to  Callaway  Count}',  and  settled  on  Auxvaux  Creek,  near  the 
crossing  of  the  old  Jefferson  Eoad,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Prov- 
idence Church.  He  there  became  pastor  of  the  last  named,  of 
Union  Hill  and  of  Ham's  Prairie  Churches,  continuing  in  this 
relation  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  travel. 

Suggett  was  a  revivalist,  and  in  his  ministerial  work  was  re- 
markably successful  as  a  recruiting  officer,  having  baptized  into 
the  fellowship  of  the  churches  during  his  life  about  3,000  per- 
sons. 

In  February,  1843,  he  was  bereft  of  his  first  wife,  in  her  67th 
year,  whose  mortal  remains  were  deposited  in  the  graveyard  at 
Providence  Church.  As  the  companion  of  his  declining  years 
he  married,  in  1845,  the  widow,  Mrs.  Jane  Jacoby,  who  survived 
him,  and  in  1871  was  living  in  Jefferson  City. 

He  died  November  1,  1851,  full  of  years,  triumphing  by  a  liv- 
ing faith,  and  now  sleeps  by  the  side  of  the  companion  of  his 
early  life,  the  sacred  spot  being  marked  by  a  single  marble  tab- 
let. At  the  time  of  his  decease  he  was  nearly  seventy-six  years 
of  age. 

Hon.  J.  L.  Stephens  of  Columbia  says,  "  Suggett's  ability  as  a 
minister  was  in  exhortation,  in  which  but  few  early  day  preach- 
ers excelled  him.  He  was  a  successful  and  influential  preacher 
in  Boone  and  Callaway  Counties  for  about  twenty -five  years, 
and  many  of  his  descendants  live  in  this  part  of  the  state  now." 

Thomas  Howard  Ford. — This  eminent  minister  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  like  many  of  the  olden  time  Baptists,  was  very  much 


408  LITTLR    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOdlATION. 

indisposed  to  have  the  events  of  his  life,  previous  to  his  new  birth, 
related.  They  derive  this  from  the  fact  that  there  are  no  such 
chronicles  of  the  apostles. 

He  was  a  descendant  of  the  Fords  of  Bristol,  England,  one  of 
whose  names  is  found  in  the  early  records  of  the  Broad  Mead  Bap- 
tist Church  of  that  city.  His  father  was  what  we  call  a  licensed 
minister,  and  belonged  to  the  coast-guard,  or  custom-house  ser- 
vice, as  we  term  it,  of  England,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  about  the  year  1790,  some  distance  from  Bristol  on  the  Coast, 
and  spent  much  of  his  early  life  across  the  channel  in  Ireland  and 
Wales. 

He  commenced  preaching  at  the  age  of  eighteen  among  the 
Welsh  Baptists  and  Calvinistic  Methodists,  who  were  very  numer- 
ous in  that  country.  Under  the  tuition  of  one  Dr.  Burnett  he 
became  acquainted  with  the  rudiments  of  the  ancient  languages, 
and  became  deeply  versed  in  the  old  Puritan  theology,  often 
hearing  Toplady  and  such  men  preach.  Of  his  life  and  labors  as 
a  preacher  he  so  rarely  spoke,  even  to  his  own  son,  that  our  in- 
formation is  very  limited.  We  find  his  name,  however,  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Illinois  Baptist  Convention  and  Association;  also 
in  the  Missouri  (now  St.  Louis)  Association,  showing  that  he  was 
among  the  active  pioneers  who  early  labored  along  the  Missis- 
sippi Eiver.  He  was  the  associate  of  Ebenezer  Eogers,  Thomas 
E.  Musick,  Wm.  Hurley  and  J.  M.  Peck.  When  the  Second  Bap- 
tist Church,  St.  Louis,  worshiped  in  Shepard's  school-room,  op- 
posite the  court-house,  he  supplied  them  for  a  series  of  months, 
and  was  the  guest  and  special  friend  of  Samuel  C.  Davis,  of  Bos- 
ton. 

In  1844  he  was  unanimously  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  the 
Columbia  Baptist  Church,  for  half  his  time,  and  the  other  half  at 
Bonne  Femme  Church.  Columbia  was  then,  beyond  even  now, 
the  "Athens  of  the  West."  The  university  had  just  been  opened 
with  its  corps  of  learned  professors  from  the  East.  William  Jew- 
ell, Eobert  S.  Thomas  (afterwards  president  of  William  Jewell 
College),  the  Woodses,  the  Basses  and  the  Harrises,  men  of  cul- 
ture and  refinement,  were  members  of  the  Columbia  and  Bonne 
Femme  Churches.  Elder  Ford  was  fully  equal  to  the  wants  of 
the  congregation ;  and  with  a  store  of  information  that  was  sur- 
prising, a  logic  compact  and  often  blazing  with  manlj-  eloquence, 
and  with  appropriate  citations  of  Scripture  that  illuminated  his 
theme  as  with  light  from  heaven,  he  attracted  and  held  the  larg- 
est audiences  that  had  ever  been  gathered  regularly  in  the  old 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  409 

Baptist  church.  Of  his  great  ability  as  a  preacher  and  profound 
theologian  we  have  heard  from  those  capable  of  judging;  and 
Hurley  and  Thomas,  men  of  culture,  were  equal  in  their  expres- 
sions of  admiration  with  the  old  brethren  and  sisters  who  still 
love  to  linger  on  the  texts  and  sermons  and  pathos  of  old  Bro. 
Ford. 

In  1846  the  church  at  Richland,  Callaway  County,  purchased 
and  gave  him  a  small  farm  in  the  neighborhood,  near  the  dwell- 
ing of  Rev,  Theo.  Boulware.  He  preached  for  this  church  but  a 
short  time,  when  he  was  stricken  down  with  disease  and  closed 
his  life  in  peace. 

'•  I  knew  him  well,"  says  Noah  Flood  in  a  letter  to  a  friend  in 
Kentucky,  "and  was  with  him  in  his  last  moments,  and  closed 
his  eyes  when  he  died.  A  purer  or  better  man  I  never  knew, 
and  a  more  peaceful  and  happy  death  I  never  witnessed.  His 
dying  words,  'Happy,  happj^,  bless  the  Lord,'  I  shall  never  for- 
get." 

The  above  was  published  in  the  Western  Recorder  of  1849. 

Elder  W.  W.  Keep,  who  succeeded  Elder  Ford  as  pastor  at 
Columbia,  says,  in  a  communication  headed,  J£ow  I  Became  a 
Preacher,  "I  must  speak  of  him.  He  was  regarded  as  a  man  of 
warm  and  earnest  piety,  a  profound  and  practical  theologian,  a 
kind  friend  and  eminently  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  Christian 
ministry.  He  died  at  the  house  of  Bro.  John  Robinson  in  Calla- 
way County.  Long  did  he  suifer  and  patiently  did  he  bear  the 
pangs  of  a  sudden  attack;  and  as  he  wasted  he  felt  that  he  was 
only  nearing  his  home,  and  as  a  citizen  of  heaven  he  longed  for 
his  rest.  About  twenty-four  hours  before  he  died,  and  when  no 
one  thought  he  could  long  survive,  a  brother  at  tis  bed-side  said 
to  him,  'Brother  Ford,  we  think  you  cannot  probably  long  re- 
main with  us:  what  is  your  prospect  for  the  future?'  He  an- 
swered: '  Clear  and  bright  as  day.'  He  sank  into  a  stupor,  and 
seemed  scarcely  to  arouse  until  the  next  morning,  when  a  brother 
called  and  asked  him,  'How  are  you.  Brother  Ford?'  His  atten- 
tion seemed  fixed  a  moment,  his  eyes  brightened,  he  raised  his 
thin  arm,  and  in  a  feeble  voice  distinctly  said,  'Happy,  happy, 
bless  the  Lord.'     It  was  his  last  sentence."     {Western Recorder.') 

He  was  about  sixty  years  of  age.  He  left  two  sons  and  two 
daughters,  two  only  of  whom  are  now  living — Elder  S.  H.  Ford, 
D.D.,  of  St.  Louis,  and  Mrs.  Ann  Eubank,  of  Kansas  City.  Elder 
Ford's  first  wife,  the  mother  of  his  surviving  children,  died  while 
they  were  quite  young,  so  that  they  knew  but  little  of  a  mother's 


410 


LITTLE    BONNE    PEMME    ASSOCIATION. 


care.  He  married  a  second  wife  a  few  years  before  his  death,  by 
whom  he  left  one  child,  who  has  since  followed  his  father  to  the 
eternal  shore. 

The  brethren  at  Eichland  reared  an  unpretending  marble  mon- 
ument over  his  tomb,  and  his  body  rests  in  the  old  Eichland 
Church  grave-yard,  and  near  by  him  the  remains  of  his  loved  and 
devoted  friend  and  colaborer,  ISToah  Flood.  Their  spirits  live 
above  in  sweet  concord. 

David  Doyle. — The  following  sketch,  written  by  Dr.  S.  H. 
Ford,  was  first  published  in  the  Christian  Repository  in  1860,  and 
ten  years  afterwards  appeared  in  the  Cpntral  Baptist,  from  which 

last  paper  we 
clip  it. 

''  Soldiers 
of  the  Cross, 
whose  labors 
can  be  traced 
in  their  glori- 
ous results 
over  all  this 
great  valley, 
are  continual- 
ly passing 
away  without 
a  word  to  re- 
cord their  no- 
ble deeds — 
soon  to  be 
forgotten  by 
those  who 
stand  amid 
golden  har- 
vests where 
these  men 
went  forth 
weeping  into 
REV.  i> AVID  DOYLK.M.D.  the   wlntr}' 

fields,  bearing  the  precious  seed.  These  pioneer  preachers  who 
spent  their  lives  in  poverty  and  toil  for  Christ's  sake,  were  men 
who  walked  by  faith  and  not  by  sight.  They  believed  firmlj'in 
God  and  in  the  truth  they  preached ;  and  consequently  took  no 
heed  of  what  men  said  or  thought.     They  were  not  miserable 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATIOX.  411 

eye-servants  to  popular  applause.  They  were  not  looking  at 
every  turn  to  see  what  the  papers  said  about  them.  "What  work 
they  did  was  not  with  an  eye  to  the  outward  look  of  it.  They 
were  satisfied  to  know  that  the  eye  of  the  Eternal  smiled  ap- 
provingly on  their  toils,  their  sacrifices  and  their  victories.  Sel- 
dom did  they  make  even  a  note  of  the  privations  they  endured 
or  the  blessings  they  scattered  ;  and  when  they  departed,  in  the 
language  of  the  Roman,  'The  good  that  men  do  is  oft  interred 
with  their  bones.' 

"  The  memories  of  such  men  we  cherish.  To  us  it  is  a  delight- 
ful task  to  wipe  the  dust  from  their  tombstones  and  record  their 
humble,  obscure,  yet  glorious  lives.  '  The  memory  of  the  good 
man  shall  not  perish.' 

"A  noble  type  of  the  western  pioneer  preacher  was  David 
Doyle  of  Boone  County,  Missouri.  A  hale,  whole-souled  man, 
with  strong  sense,  keen  discernment,  natural  eloquence  and  a 
rich,  joyous  humor — he  seemed  fitted  by  Providence  to  influence 
and  win  the  confidence  of  the  early  settlers  of  a  frontier  state. 
For  a  more  independent  and  uncontrollable  class  of  people  can  be 
found  nowhere  on  the  earth  than  is  such  a  population.  They  are 
usually  bold  and  energetic,  who  part  with  old  homes  and  kin- 
dred, and  plunge  into  new  countries  to  win  a  home  from  the 
unbroken  forest.  It  is  not  every  man  that  is  adapted  to  gain  a 
permanent  influence  over  such  persons.  But  an  influence  almost 
omnipotent  David  Doyle  held  over  such  a  population  for  forty 
years. 

"He  was  born  in  Eutherford  County,  North  Carolina,  January 
13,  1779.  While  a  boy  he  was  the  subject  of  God's  grace  and  pro- 
fessed a  change  of  heart  when  about  sixteen  j^ears  of  age.  We 
have  heard  the  old  man,  after  sixty  years  had  intervened,  tell 
the  simple  story  of  that  work  upon  his  heart,  and  we  have  look- 
ed around  on  the  congregation  among  which  were  the  strong- 
minded,  the  educated  and  the  skeptic,  and  have  seen  all — yes, 
all — melted  into  tears  at  the  recital.  *Ah,'  he  would  say,  with  a 
voice  clear  and  silvery,  'the  remembrance  of  the  mercy  I  found 
that  day  will  gladden  my  poor  heart  as  it  beats  its  last  in  death, 
and  will  gladden  my  soul  as  it  sings  its  first  notes  in  heaven.' 

"  A  few  years  after  his  conversion  he  was  licensed  to  preach, 
and  at  about  nineteen  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try, in  which  he  continued  over  sixty  years. 

"  His  education  was,  for  his  time,  quite  liberal.  He  was  a  good 
English  scholar  and  had  paid  considerable  attention  to  Latin. 


412  LITTLE    BONNE    PEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

At  the  time  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  he  had 
made  considerable  proficiency  in  medicine;  and  in  1816  he  spent 
some  time  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  prosecuting  that  study.  But  to 
preach  the  gospel  was  the  desire  of  his  heart,  and  he  looked 
around  for  a  field  where  he  could  work  to  advantage  in  his  Mas- 
ter's cause.  Missouri  was  then  a  territory,  thinly  inhabited. 
It  took  some  three  or  four  weeks  to  pass  from  Kentucky  in  keel- 
boats  to  that  far-off  land.  A  party  of  Kentuckians  about  moving 
to  the  territory  were  joined  by  Doyle,  and  in  the  winter  of  1816 
he  landed  in  St.  Louis. 

'*  The  mighty  metropolis  of  Missouri,  destined  to  be  the  great- 
est inland  city  on  the  continent,  was  then  an  inconsiderable  town 
principally  inhabited  by  the  French.  Mr.  Doyle  remained  there 
through  that  winter  and  held  meetings  in  private  houses.  There 
were,  in  all,  four  Baptists  in  the  town,  and  to  them  he  broke  the 
bread  of  life.  This  was  in  1816,  one  year  before  the  Baptist 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions  sent  Elders  Peck  and  "Welch  to  Mis- 
souri. Forty-four  years  ago  the  Baptist  standard  was  raised  in 
St.  Louis  by  Doyle.  "What  changes  have  transpired  since  then  ! 
Its  seven  Baptist  churches,  with  their  numbers,  wealth  and  lib- 
erality, surrounded  with  a  population  of  200,000 — did  any  of 
them  ever  hear  the  name  of  David  Doyle,  the  first  man  that  rais- 
ed the  Baptist  standard  there? 

"The  following  spring  Doyle  moved  up  into  Howard  (now 
Boone)  County,  which  was  being  rapidly  settled.  He  soon  went 
to  work  to  gather  up  a  little  church,  and  in  December  following 
fifteen  Baptists  assembled  at  the  house  of  Anderson  "Woods  and 
were  constituted  into  a  church.  This  church  continues  to  this 
day — the  mother  church  in  all  that  country.  From  it  went  forth 
as  ministers  of  the  gospel  Anderson  "Woods,  whose  memory  still 
lives  in  the  hearts  of  thousands,  a  deeply  pious  and  most  labor- 
ious man,  who  died  in  the  harness  at  his  post;  and  Robert  S. 
Thomas,  former  president  of  "William  Jewell  College,  who  did 
more  to  direct  and  elevate  the  Baptists  of  Missouri  than  can  now 
be  possibly  appreciated ;  and  John  Harris,  who  labored  faith- 
fully the  short  time  he  lived;  and  among  others  the  writer  of 
this  memorial.  That  old  Bonne  Femme  Church,  where  thou- 
sands have  bowed  before  the  Cross — what  recollections  does  it 
awaken  !  The  Hickmans,  Harrises,  Johnsons,  Basses,  Jewells, 
Woods — tjhe  men  who  gave  energj^  to  the  cause  in  that  battle- 
ground with  Campbellism  and  Antinomianism — they  are  gone  to 
their  rest,  but  their  memories  are  immortal. 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  413 

"  He  died  July  29,  1859,  after  nineteen  days'  illness  of  typhoid 
fever.  For  more  than  twenty-nine  years  he  had  been  the  shep- 
herd and  teacher  of  New  Salem  Church,  near  his  home  in  Boone 
County.    He  was  venerated  and  beloved." 

Egbert  S.  Thomas. — The  following  brief  sketch  of  this  good 
man  is  from  the  classic  j^en  of  Dr.  A.  P.  Williams  : 

"Brother  Thomas  was  born  in  Scott  County,  Kentucky,  on 
the  20th  of  June,  A.  D.  1805.  His  parents'  names  were  John  P. 
and  Lucy  Thomas.  His  father  was  elected  treasurer  of  Ken- 
tucky in  1808,  which  office  he  held  for  some  eight  or  nine  years. 
He  was  at  one  period  of  his  life  in  affluent  circumstances — in- 
deed rich — for  that  period  or  age  ;  but  in  his  old  age,  by  some 
means,  he  lost  his  fortune.  This  happened  when  his  son  Eobert 
was  a  mere  boy.  Eobert  was  thus  thrown  upon  his  own  re- 
sources. Having  an  unquenchable  thirst  for  knowledge,  he  ac- 
quired an  education  by  writing  in  a  clerk's  office  in  Frankfort, 
Ky.,in  the  day,  and  going  to  school  at  night.  He  finally  grad- 
uated at  Transylvania  University  when  only  eighteen  years  of 
age.  Afterwards  he  secured  a  diploma  from  Yale  College  as  a 
testimonial  of  his  scholarship. 

"Brother  Thomas  made  a  profession  of  religion  when  a  young- 
man — at  what  age  I  have  been  unable  to  learn.  Nor  have  I  as- 
certained with  what  particular  church  he  first  united  or  by  what 
minister  he  was  baptized.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  he  chose  to  con- 
nect himself  with  the  Baptists.  Soon  after,  he  emigrated  to  this 
state  and  located  in  Boone  County.  He  came  to  Missouri  about 
the  year  1824,  and  engaged  in  the  arduous  but  glorious  work  of 
proclaiming  to  his  fellow-men  the  '  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ.'  He  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  by  those 
fathers  in  the  gospel,  Anderson  "Woods,  John  Greenhalgh  and 
James  Suggett,  who,  like  himself,  have  gone  to  their  reward. 
In  his  earlier  ministry  the  Bonne  Femme,  Salem  and  Columbia 
Churches,  in  Boone,  and  Millersburg  Church,  in  -  Callaway 
County,  shared.  And  in  the  latter  period  of  it  the  Liberty  and 
other  churches  in  Clay  County,  and  finally  the  Westport  and 
Kansas  City  Churches  in  Jackson.  Here  the  sun  of  his  ministry 
set. 

"  Brother  Thomas  must  be  numbered  amongst  the  fathers  and 
the  organizers  of  the  General  Association  of  our  state.  It  was 
first  known  as  the  '  Central  Society  of  Missouri. '  Hence  he 
performed  his  part  in  the  conflict,  which  at  that  time  and  for 


414  LITTLE    iJONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

some  years  aftei'  was  carried  on  between  the  primitive  mission- 
ary sjiirit  that  possessed  him  and  his  colaborers,  and  that  mod- 
ern antinomian,  anti-missionary  spirit  which  opposes  all  instru- 
mentality in  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  and 
the  conversion  of  sinners.  And  we  who  have  succeeded  him  and 
them  are  not  aware  j)erhaps  how  much  we  owe  to  them,  under 
Grod,  for  the  present  prosperity  of  all  our  benevolent  enterprises 
and  churches.  They  labored,  and  we  have  entered  into  their  la- 
bors. They  cleared  the  field,  broke  up  the  soil  and  cast  in  the 
seed ;  we  are  gathering  the  fruits. 

"  It  was  my  privilege  to  have  but  a  limited  personal  acquaint- 
ance with  Brother  Thomas,  but  I  was  permitted  to  know  him 
sufficiently  well  to  justify  me  in  endorsing  the  testimony  which 
others,  better  acquainted  than  myself,  have  borne  of  him.  '  As 
a  husband  and  father,'  says  Brother  D.  H,  Hickman,  of  Colum- 
bia, '  he  possessed  all  those  social,  refined  and  endearing  qual- 
ities which  make  home  attractive  and  lovel}-.' 

"As  a  citizen  and  neighbor,  all  testify  that  he  was  amiable, 
social,  kind  and  benevolent.  But  we  prefer  to  cherish  his  mem- 
ory as  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  here  the  testimony  is 
uniform.  Saj's  Brother  Hickman,  'He  was  an  able,  efficient  and 
self-sacrificing  preacher;  and  was  instrumental  in  building  up 
many  churches  in  Boone  and  other  counties.  *  *  *  Naturally 
kind,  affectionate  and  sympathetic,  he  exerted  a  wonderful  influ- 
ence over  his  hearers  3  and  it  would  be  impossible  to  estimate 
the  good  results  which  his  faithful  warnings,  expressive  of  such 
earnest  and  disinterested  love,  have  and  will  yet  accomplish  for 
the  benefit  of  immortal  souls.'  Again,  '  His  labors  of  love  were 
not  confined  to  a  limited  circle.  For  many  years  no  man  in  all 
Missouri  was  able  to  exert  so  strong  an  influence  over  the  minds 
of  his  brethren  and  associates;  and  none  have  used  it  more  ef- 
fectually for  good.' 

''Brother  Thomas'  health  had  become  somewhat  feeble,  when 
in  June,  185-,  a  beloved  daughter  was  prostrated  by  a  mostpain- 
ful  and  distressing  sickness  attended  by  long  protracted  spasms 
and  alienation  of  mind.  Night  and  day  he  hung  over  this  dear 
object  of  his  affections.  His  sympathies  for  his  suffering  child 
were  intensely  excited,  and  it  became  evident  that  his  mind  was 
yielding  to  the  agonies  of  his  heart.  Slowly  and  almost  imper- 
ceptibly at  first,  his  reason  yielded,  until  but  the  wreck  of  his 
noble  and  highly  cultivated  intellect  remained.     It  was  at  the 


LITTLE    BONNE    i'EMME    ASSOCIATION.  415 

time  my  privilege  to  be  with  him  aud  do  what  could  be  done  to 
mitigate  his  symptoms.  But  human  efforts  were  powerless  for 
good.  He  passed  under  the  influence  of  a  wild  mania.  He  was 
taken  to  the  asylum  at  Fulton,  where  under  the  kind  and  effi- 
cient management  of  Dr.  Smith,  he  was  restored  to  reason  and 
a  consciousness  of  what  had  passed.  His  beloved  daughter  had 
gone  to  heaven.  His  improved  condition  was  of  short  duration 
— his  work  was  done — the  Great  Shepherd  called  and  he  hasted 
away  to  his  reward."  (Dr.  Lykins  of  Kansas  City,  to  A.  P.Wil- 
liams.) 

"Brother  Thomas  died  at  Fulton,  June  18,  1859,  about  the /(/Y^- 
sixth  year  of  his  age.  Let  us  all  strive  to  follow  him  as  he  fol- 
lowed Christ."  {Missouri  Baptist  Journal,Yo\.  III.  ISTo.  2-  Dr. Wil- 
liams' Sketch.) 

Dr.  E.  S.  Dulin  offers  the  following  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
E.  S.  Thomas  : 

"  In  our  benevolent  operations  he  was  first.  First,  because  he 
gave  all.  His  time,  his  talents,  his  money  and  himself  were  laid 
as  a  holocaust  of  love  on  the  altar  of  Christ.  For  some  ten  years 
ho  labored  in  the  vineyard  of  his  Master,  with  the  next  thing  to 
no  remuneration;  and  (in  the  language  of  the  editor  of  the  Mis- 
xouri  States/nan)  '  devoted  himself  to  the  high  and  honorable  avo- 
cation of  teaching,  and  continued  so  to  do,  until  a  short  time  be- 
fore his  death.  *  *  *  His  whole  life  was  one  of  utility  to  the  pub- 
lic, inspiring  the  young  with  a  love  of  learning,  and  elevating 
the  moral  and  religious  tone  of  the  society  in  which  he  lived. 
Before  the  establishment  of  the  State  University  he  was  profes- 
sor in  Columbia  College,  and  was  afterwards  elected  to  fill  the 
chair  of  languages  and  moral  science  in  the  university,  the  du- 
ties of  which  places  he  discharged,  whilst  he  held  them,  with 
much  credit  to  himself  and  entire  satisfaction  to  the  patrons  of 
the  institution.' 

"  To  serve  the  denomination  of  which  he  Avas  a  member,  in 
1853,  at  a  sacrifice,  both  social  and  pecuniary,  he  resigned  his 
professorship  in  the  university  and  accepted  the  presidency  of 
William  Jewell  College.  This  position  he  resigned  in  1855  (when 
the  financial  condition  of  the  institution  compelled  the  trustees 
to  suspend  the  college),  and  the  same  3^ear  moved  to  Kansas  City. 
Here  he  labored  with  great  success.  The  Baptist  church  in  this 
place  was  constituted  by  him,  and  he  continued  the  successful  and 
beloved  pastor  until  his  death. 

"  In  all  the  relations  of  life,  Robert  8.  Thomas  was  a  model 


416  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

man.  As  a  son,  husband,  father,  friend,  neighbor,  citizen,  teach- 
er, Christian  or  pastor,  he  stood  forth  as  an  example  worthy  of 
imitation.  He  was  a  man  of  talents,  and  those  talents  were  con- 
secrated to  Christ.  He  was  a  man  of  education,  and  that  educa- 
tion was  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  mind  and  the  development 
of  thought.  He  was  a  man  of  influence,  and  that  influence  was 
wielded  for  the  best  interests  of  humanity.  He  was  a  man  of 
energy,  and  that  energy  was  given  to  the  church. 

"  He  has  left  his  family  a  reputation  unsullied  and  a  name  un- 
tarnished ;  to  the  world,  an  example  of  heroic  toil  and  disinter- 
ested self-sacrifice;  to  the  church,  a  life  of  labor,  of  self-denial, 
of  unwavering  consecration  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 

"  No  monumental  pile  may  record  his  name  and  deeds,  yet 
they  are  stereotyped  in  letters  of  living  light  upon  the  memories 
of  the  pure  and  good,  they  are  written  out  upon  the  rolls  of  hea- 
ven by  the  recording  angel  of  God.  His  conquests  were  achiev- 
ed on  spiritual  battle-fields,  and  his  rewards  are  among  the  'saints 
in  light.'  His  ambition  was  to  win  souls  to  Christ  and  these 
will  be  gems  to  stud  his  coronal  stars  in  the  crown  of  his  rejoic- 
ing to  shine  with  undimmed  lustre  before  the  throne  of  God, 
<  world  without  end.'  "  (E.  S.  D.  in  Missovri  Baptist,  Vol,  I,  No.  5.) 

William  Morgan  Jesse, — for  some  years  a  pastor  in  the  Little 
Bonne  Pemme  Association,  was  a  native  of  Cumberland  County, 
Virginia,  and  was  born  September  2,  1798.  In  January,  1820,  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Ann  Parker,  and  about  ten  years  afterwards 
they  both  made  a  profession  of  religion  and  were  baptized  by 
Elder  Jenkins.  Soon  after  this  he  commenced  exhorting.  In 
company  with  several  other  families  he  emigrated  to  Calhiway 
County,  Missouri,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  at  Millers- 
burg  in  1832.  The  following  year  he  settled  near  Mexico,  Au- 
drain County,  and  August  6,  1836,  he  and  his  wife  and  twelve 
others  organized  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Audrain  County, 
called  Hopewell,  located  about  one  and. a  half  miles  west  of  Mex- 
ico. Elder  Jesse  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  at  the  call  of  this 
church  in  1842,  Noah  Flood  assisting  in  the  services,  and  the  same 
year  (October,  1842)  was  made  pastor  and  continued  in  this  oflice 
until  his  death.  From  the  time  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  at 
Hopewell  there  was  a  constant  increase,  not  only  of  members  but 
of  vital  strength.  The  maintenance  of  the  doctrine  of  experi- 
mental religion  is  one  of  the  characteristic  elements  of  the  Hope- 
well Church  to  this  day,  due  in  a  great  measure  to  the  consecra- 
ted labors  of  Mr.  Jesse  in  the  earlier  times. 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION.  417 

Much  of  his  time  was  given  to  pastoral  work — in  addition  to 
his  home  church — at  Unity,  Long  Branch,  Cuivre,  Loutre  and 
other  churches.  While  Elder  Jesse  was  not  a  man  of  much  cul- 
ture, such  were  his  distinctly  marked  elements  of  character  that 
men  of  culture,  as  Noah  Flood,  R.  S.  Thomas  and  others,  were 
quite  fond  of  and  sought  his  company.  "What  he  lacked  in  polish 
was  fully  supplied  in  a  gushing,  overwhelming  zeal — a  soul  all 
aglow  with  love  for  souls  and  for  the  Master ;  and  back  of  all, 
godliness  of  life.  Speaking  of  him  on  one  occasion,  W.  W.  Keep 
said,  "A  man  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  He  was  no  Sunday  Chris- 
tian. His  every-day  life  was  a  commentary  on  the  divinity  of 
the  Christian  religion.  God  gave  him  eleven  children,  all  of 
whom  became  Baptists — four  of  whom  entered  the  ministry, 
three  of  the  four  having  been  ordained  ;  two,  John  and  Thomas, 
have  gone  to  their  rest,  and  one,  William  J.,  now  fills  his  father's 
pulpit  at  Hopewell. 

*'  Father  Jesse  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  August,  1857,  near  the  59th 
anniversary  of  his  natural  life."  (From  the  MS.  of  James  F. 
Smith.) 

''There  are  but  few  of  the  Lord's  servants  who  have  been  call- 
ed from  their  field  of  labor  on  earth  who  have  more  near  rela- 
tives following  in  their  foot-prints  to  the  heavenly  land  than  old 
Brother  Jesse,  besides  a  number  of  others  who  date  their  awak- 
enings under  his  sermons.  I  have  a  near  neighbor  who  tells  me 
that  the  first  eifectual  sermon  to  which  he  ever  had  listened  was 
one  from  him;  it  being  delivered  with  such  effect  that  himself 
and  wife,  'ere  they  were  aware  of  it,  were  both  prostrate  in  the 
midst  of  the  sermon,  calling  for  mercy.  The  husband  and  wife 
were  both  soon  members  of  his  church. 

"  He  traveled  and  preached  a  great  deal  during  the  twenty- 
seven  years  of  his  ministry,  swimming  creeks,  going  through 
cold  and  heat,  with  no  earthly  reward  in  view.  In  those  days 
there  was  very  little  said  about  paying  preachers.  His  object 
was  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  sinners."  {Central  Bap- 
tist, Vol.  I,  No.  3.) 

H.  W.  Dodge,* — pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Columbia,  Mis- 
souri, was  born  in  Albany,  New  York,  November  16,  1815,  and 
three  years  afterward  he  moved  with  his  parents  to  Richmond, 
Virginia.  In  1821  the  family  moved  thence  to  Culpepper  Coun- 
ty in  that  state,  where  his  early  life  was  mainly  spent.  He  was 
baptized  in  July,  1833,  by  Rev.  William  F.  Broadus,  a  prominent 

^  By  E.  W.  Stephens. 
27 


•418  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

Baptist  minister  of  Virginia.  In  October,  1839,  he  graduated 
with  honor  at  Columbia  College,  D.  C,  and  from  that  institution 
he  has  successively  received  the  degrees  of  A.B.,  A.M.  and  D.D. 
On  October  10,  1839,  he  was  married  to  Miss  A.  B.  Brown  of 
Washington  City,  who  died  in  1864. 

In  1839  he  entered  the  Baptist  niinistry,  his  ordination  taking 
place  at  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Washington  City,  October 
25, 1840,  the  presbytery  consisting  of  Eev.  O.  B.  Brown  and  Rev. 
Stephen  Chapin,  president  of  Columbia  College.  His  first  jias- 
torate  Avas  at  Springfield,  111,,  where  he  entered  upon  his  duties 
in  1840,  remaining  until  1843,  when  he  resigned.  For  some  fif- 
teen years  thereafter  he  had  pastoral  charge  of  several  churches 
in  Clark  and  Fauquier  Counties,  Va.  In  1843  he  was  invited  to 
take  charge  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Columbia,  Mo.,  and  also  of 
the  Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  but  declined  both  invita- 
tions. Commencing  in  1859  he  was  pastor  at  Lj'nchburg,  Ya., 
eight  years.  In  1865  he  was  again  married,  this  time  to  Mrs.  Ida 
Latham,  widow  of  E.  P.  Latham,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of 
Virginia;  and  tAvo  years  after  he  returned  to  his  old  churches  in 
Fauquier  and  Loudon  Counties,  Virginia.  Upon  an  invitation 
he  visited  Texas  in  1871,  and  soon  after  his  arrival  he  accepted  a 
call  from  the  Baptist  church  at  Austin,  in  that  state,  where  he 
remained  five  3^ears.  In  1876  he  was  chosen  pastor  of  the  church 
in  Columbia,  Mo.,  a  position  which  he  accepted  and  has  filled 
with  efiiciency  ever  since.  It  is  a  circumstance  worthy  of  special 
record  that  to  the  same  church  Avhose  call  he  declined  in  1843  he 
should,  while  located  in  a  difterent  section  of  the  Union,  have 
been  called  thirty-three  j^ears  afterwards  by  a  different  member- 
ship, who  at  the  time  had  no  knowledge  of  the  action  of  their 
predecessors.  An  overruling  Divinity  that  shapes  all  ends  seems 
to  have  thus  directed  his  destiny  to  the  charge  with  which,  in  his 
riper  years,  he  has  been  so  pleasantly  identified. 

To  the  labors  of  the  gospel  ministry  few  men  are  more  pecu- 
liarly adapted.  Nature  and  grace  combine  in  generous  degree 
to  qualify  him  for  his  high  calling.  In  disposition  singularly 
gentle  and  amiable,  he  is  excellently  fitted  for  the  delicate  duties 
of  pastoral  sj'mpathy  and  oversight.  In  originalit}^  of  thought, 
vividness  of  imagination  and  especially  in  felicity  of  expression 
— qualities  of  acknowledged  value  to  the  successful  preacher — 
he  is  greatly  gifted.  If  to  them  we  add  a  deep  consecration,  an 
earnest  zeal  and  a  conscientious  devotion  to  Baptist  doctrines 
and  usages,  Ave  but  make  a  faithful  portrait  of  him  as  a  minister 


LITTLE    BONNE    FE.MME    ASSOCIATION.  410 

and  a  man.  We  cannot  better  define  Dr.  Dodge's  characteristics 
than  by  quoting  the  following  pen  picture  of  him  a  few  years  ago 
in  the  Religious  Herald,  \>j  his  classmate  Dr.  John  A.  Broadus : 

"  Dr.  H.  W.  Dodge,  so  warmly  loved  in  Northern  Virginia  and 
Lynchburg,  has  found  the  climate  of  Missouri  better  suited  to  his 
constitution  than  that  of  Texas  was,  and  although  beginning  to 
show  that  he  will  some  day  grow  old,  is  still  every  inch  himself. 
What^curiosa  felicitas  verborum!  What  radiant  imagery  and  glow- 
ing sentiment!  What  delicate  and  gentle  satire!  And  best  of 
all,  what  unselfish  generosity,  brotherly  kindness  and  transparent 
honesty!  It  is  a  boy  schoolmate  of  many  years  ago,  distinguish- 
ed by  his  friendship,  and  delighting  in  his  eloquence,  who  utters 
this  passing  tribute;  but  it  expresses  also  the  candid  judgment 
of  advancing  age.  Dr.  Dodge's  ministry  is  said  to  be  highly  es- 
teemed in  Columbia,  the  seat  of  the  State  University  and  Steph- 
ens' Female  College." 

W.  H.  BuRNHAM — is  a  native  of  Boone  County,  Missouri.  He 
was  born  June  30,  1839,  and  spent  his  early  life  on  the  farm,  at- 
tending occasionally  the  common  schools  of  the  neighborhood. 
In  1853  he  made  a  profession  of  religion,  and  united  with  the 
New  Salem  Baptist  Church  near  his  home  at  Ashland,  and  soon 
became  quite  active  in  the  young  men's  prayer  meeting.  After 
preparation  in  a  high  school  he  entered  William  Jewell  Col- 
lege in  1857,  then  under  the  presidency  of  the  celebrated  Dr. 
Wm.  Thompson.  Here  he  spent  four  years,  then  entered  the 
State  University  and  graduated  in  one  year.  He  at  once  enter- 
ed upon  the  pastoral  work  in  four  churches  in  Callaway  County, 
with  three  of  which  he  continued  eleven  years,  baptizing  during 
the  time  several  hundred  candidates.  He  held  also  quite  a  num- 
ber of  protracted  meetings  with  great  success. 

In  1868  he  delivered  the  annual  sermon  before  the  Society  of 
Eeligious  Inquiry  in  the  Westminster  Presbyterian  College,  be- 
ing the  only  Baptist  minister  they  ever  honored  with  an  invita- 
tion to  do  so.  In  1876  he  moved  to  Clarksville,  Mo.,  where  he 
labored  for  many  years  as  pastor,  at  the  same  time  holding  many 
revival  meetings  in  other  places.  During  this  time  he  was  also 
pastor  at  Troy  and  Bowling  G-reen  (the  former  the  county  seat 
of  Lincoln,  the  latter  of  Pike  County).  In  1880  he  was  re-called 
to  his  old  field  in  Callaway  County,  and  has  filled  the  pastoral 
office  at  Second  Fulton  Church,  Eichland,  Unity  and  Dry  Fork, 
all  of  which  churches  have  enjoyed  revivals  during  his  late  pas- 
torates with  them  and  are  in  a  flourishing  condition. 


'420  LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 

Eld.  Burnham  is  somewliat  of  a  belligerent,  having  held  two 
religious  oral  discussions.  The  first  one  in  1868  was  with  Kev. 
Mr.  Marlow,  and  the  last  one  but  recently  with  Rev.  Mr.  Jar- 
rett;  both  of  whom  were  ministers  in  the  Campbellite  denomin- 
ation. Mr.  Burnham  is  said  to  have  triumphed  in  the  argument 
in  both  debates.  He  is  a  very  fluent  speaker  and  one  of  the  fin- 
est sermonizers  in  the  state. 

John  M.  Robinson. — In  the  year  1855,  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Bear  Creek  Association,  held  that  year  atMiddletown,  Montgom- 
ery County,  we  met,  for  the  first  time,  the  subject  of  this  brief 
sketch.  He  had  not  then  been  long  in  Missouri ;  was  young, 
active  and  zealous.  Yery  soon  after  his  removal  to  the  state,  he 
became  prominent  in  Baptist  movements  and  has  so  continued. 

J.  M.  Robinson  is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  having  been  born  in 
Fayette  County,  November  3,  1827.  His  parents  also  were  Ken- 
tuckians.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  and 
was  baptized  by  Dr.  R.  T.  Dillard  at  David's  Fork  Baptist 
Church  in  his  native  county.  Here  he  was  licensed  to  preach 
late  in  the  year  1849  ;  and  on  the  firstSabbathin  February,  1854, 
he  was  ordained  by  Dr.  Dillard,  and  Elds.  Wm.  M.  Pratt,  B.  E. 
Allen  and  P.  T.  Gentry.  One  month  after  this  he  moved  to  Ran- 
dolph County,  Missouri,  and  commenced  his  labors  inthegospel 
in  this  state,  at  New  Salem  Church,  Boone  County,  in  November, 
1854.  In  January,  1855,  he  was  elected  pastor  of  this  church, 
also  to  the  same  office  in  the  churches  of  Little  Bonne  Femme 
and  Nashville;  all  of  them  in  Boone  County.  In  this  field  of 
labor  his  preaching  was  fruitful  in  the  conversion  of  hundreds 
of  souls.  From  1855  to  1882  his  labors  were  confined  to  church- 
es in  Boone  and  Callaway  Counties,  except  three  years  of  efli- 
cient  service  as  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Greneral  Associa- 
tion. For  many  5'ears  he  also  served  as  a  member  of  the  execu- 
tive board  of  the  same  bod}-. 

Failing  health  constrained  him  in  February,  1882,  to  seek  a 
change  of  climate.  This  he  found  in  New  Mexico  where  he  was 
speedily  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  the  Baptist  church  at  So- 
corro. From  this  place  he  thus  wrote  under  the  date  of  March  28, 
1882:  "I  think  I  must  remain  here  until  my  health  improves. 
Then,  if  thought  prudent  and  the  Master's  cause  demands  it,  I 
may  return  to  Missouri.  The  tie  of  nearly  thirty  j^ears' labor 
with  brethren  is  not  easily  severed.  I  have  a  verj^  warm  place 
in  my  heart  for  my  brethren  in  Missouri.  We  differed  in  matters 
of  policy  at  times,  but  T  could  do  that  and  love  them  still." 


Little  bonne  femme  association  42l 

Erasmus  Darwin  Isbell — was  born  at  Paris,  Kentucky,  Octo- 
ber 17,  1825.  He  joined  the  church  in  1841  and  was  ordained  to 
the  ministry  in  1849.  He  is  a  graduate  of  G-eorgetown  College, 
Kentucky,  and  also  of  the  Western  Baptist  Theological  Semin- 
ary, completing  the  course  in  the  last  named  in  1852;  His  first 
regular  pastorate  was  in  the  Beale  Street  Baptist  Church,  Mem^ 
phis,  Tennessee,  where  he  continued  two  yearsj  adding  much 
strength  to  the  church  in  the  acc<^ssion  of  nearly  90  persons  to  hei* 
membership.  His  health  failed  and  he  returned  to  Kentucky; 
He  was  pastor  awhile  at  JSTew  Castle,  and  then  became  president 
of  the  college  at  Augusta^  Bracken  County^  Kentucky,  preaching 
every  Sunday  and  teaching  all  the  Weeki 

In  the  year  1862  he  was  elected  professor  in  G-eorgetown  Col^ 
lege,  in  which  position  he  remained  for  ten  years*  He  also 
preached  at  the  churches  of  Stamping  G-round,  Scott  County,  and 
Buck  Eun,  Franklin  County,  Kentucky.  During  the  two  years 
preceding  Mr.  Isbell's  removal  to  Missouri,  his  labors  seemed 
specially  blessed  both  in  his  own  and  in  other  churches  where 
he  held  a  number  of  meetings  and  gathered  in  near  three  hun- 
dred converts. 

In  January,  1873,  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  stopped  a  few 
months  in  Macon  City.  His  first  pastorate  was  at  Columbia, 
where  he  remained  nearly  four  years,  commencing  with  about  120 
members  and  leaving  the  church  with  nearly  300  members;  ad- 
ding about  280  during  his  pastoral  period.  This  church  has  a 
partially  floating  membership  on  account  of  the  schools. 

His  next  pastoral  work  was  at  Fayette,  where  he  found  the 
church  much  discouraged,  having  had  no  accessions  for  a  number 
of  years.  Here  he  continued  two  years,  during  which  time  the 
church  house  was  remodelled  and  the  membership  greatly  en- 
larged. 

For  the  past  three  years  he  has  been  pastor  at  New  Salem,  a 
most  desirable  country  church  in  the  heart  of  the  state.  During 
the  first  year  he  preached  here  only  once  a  month,  but  for  the 
last  two  years  he  has  given  all  his  time  to  this  church  and  Ash- 
land, an  outgrowth  of  New  Salem.  He  has  preached  virtually 
to  the  same  congregation,  these  churches  being  only  one  and  a 
half  miles  apart;  and  has  accomplished  much  good. 

Mr.  Isbell  was  raised  wholly  under  pedo baptist  influences.  He 
became  a  Baptist  from  reading  the  New  Testament,  and  is  the 
only  Baptist  in  his  family. 

He  is  a  logician^  a  profound  thinker  and  reasoner.     He  han- 


422 


LITTLE    BONNE    FEMME    ASSOCIATION. 


dies  his  subject  as  a  master  workman;  his  sermons  being  full  of 
deep  and  well  matured  thought,  method  and  unanswerable  scrip- 
tural argument. 

Jonathan  Martinie  McG-uire. — The  subject  of  this  notice  de- 
scended from  a  preaching  ancestry.  His  grandfather,  Alan  Mc- 
Guire,  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Columbia,  Mo.,  from 
1826  to  18.34.  His  father,  Levi  McGuire,  was  a  pioneer  of  Cen- 
tral Missouri,  coming  to  Boone  County  in  1819,  and  was  widely 
known,  and  preached  many  years  for  the  anti-mission  Baptists  in 
Boone  and  Callaway  Counties,  and  died  in  1873.     His  uncle,  the 

lamented  Jno. 
A.  McGuire, 
for  30  years 
an  active  and 
useful  Baptist 


minister  in 
Kentucky, 
died  recently 
at  Monroe, 
La.,  at  the  age 
of  83  years. 

J.  M.  Mc- 
Guire was 
born  in  Boone 
Co.,  Mo.,  May 
1,  1830.  Here 
he  grew  up 
and  was  edu- 
cated. "When 
in  his  nine- 
teenth year  he 
KEv.  J.  M.  MCGUIRE.  commeuccd 

active  life  as  a  teacher,  and  by  his  own  exertions  acquired  suffi- 
cient means  to  take  a  thorough  college  course.  He  graduated  at 
the  State  University  in  1855,  finishing  the  entire  curriculum  after 
an  attendance  of  nearly  four  years,  and  received  the  degree  of 
A.M.  in  1858.  In  1857  he  took  charge  of  the  academy  at  Green- 
field, Mo.,  where  he  taught;  and  at  the  same  time  engaged  in  the 
study  of  the  law,  two  years  after  which  (in  1859)  he  commenced 
the  practice  of  law  at  Eolla,  Mo. 

In  1861  Mr.  McGuire  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  Army ;  serv- 
ed the  entire  four  years  as  an  officer,  and  was  surrendered  at 


LITTLE    BONNE    PEMME    ASSOCIATION.  423 

Memphis,  Tenn,,  in  1865.  Eeturning  to  his  duties  in  the  school- 
room, he  taught  a  high  school  in  Kentucky,  in  1866,  and  here, 
"as  the  chief  of  sinners,"  he  obtained  a  hope  in  Jesus,  made  a 
public  profession  and  was  baptized.  This  event  occurred  in 
1868.  From  the  commencement  of  his  Christian  life  he  was 
zealous  in  the  Sunday-school  and  prayer  meeting.  He  entered 
the  ministry  by  ordination  at  Port  Eoyal,  Ky.,  March  1,  1870, 
and  at  once  gave  himself  wholly  to  the  work  of  preaching  the 
gospel,  and  has  thus  continued  ever  since,  never  having  an  idle 
Sunday,  nor  ever  lacking  a  support.  After  spending  four  years 
in  the  ministry  in  Kentucky,  he  returned  to  Missouri  in  1874, 
having  been  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  Eichland  and  Millers- 
burg  Churches,  in  Callaway  County.  To  the  former  he  gave  half 
his  time  for  four  years,  and  of  the  latter  he  has  been  pastor  for 
several  years.  Eld.  McGuire  has  filled  the  pastoral  office  in 
the  following  churches  in  Boone  and  Callawaj^  Counties,  name- 
ly: Little  Bonne  Pemme,  Bethel,  Grand  YieWjISTew  Providence, 
Pleasant  Grove,  Unity  and  Providence.  In  some  of  these  he 
still  fills  the  office,  and  is  blessed  with  as  cultured  and  liberal  a 
people  as  are  in  the  bounds  of  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Associ- 
ation. 

James  Harris. — The  subject  of  this  notice  was  one  of  the  no- 
ble men  of  Central  Missouri,  and  was  for  many  years  a  leading 
member  of  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association,  and  active  in 
almost  every  enterprise  of  the  denomination.  In  Christian  be- 
neficence he  was  a  companion  and  colaborer  with  Eli  Bass  and 
D.  H.  Hickman.  He  was  among  the  founders  of  Stephens'  Col- 
lege, and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  president  of  its  board  of 
curators.  He  gave  $5,000  towards  the  endowment  of  the  theo- 
logical school  in  William  Jewell  College.  As  a  business  man 
he  was  not  surpassed,  perhaps,  in  Boone  County,  and  was  at  one 
time  a  member  of  the  state  legislature.  He  was  a  steady,  earn- 
est, practical  Christian.  His  death  occurred  July  11,  1881,  at 
his  residence  near  Ashland,  Boone  County. 


CHAPTER  YITI. 


LITTLE  PINEY  AND  OTHEE  ASSOCIATIONS. 

At  First  "United  Baptists" — Then  Anti-Mission,  Anti-Bible,  Anti-Sunday-school 
Society,  and  Anti-College  Men — The  A'ersailles  Council — Trouble  About  a  Name 
— MotJXT  PiJLiSAjTT  Old  School  Association — Real  Beginning  of — Old  School, 
Not  Primitive  —  Eetrogression — Adopts  the  Name  "Old  School" — Change  of 
Policy — Protracted  Meetings — Revivals — The  Men  of  the  Past  Generation — The 
Present — Lamixe  Rm:R  Association — Two  RI^^:R  Old  School  Association — 
How  and  "\ATien  Formed — ^Rejects  the  Mission  System — A  Small  Body — Heury 
Louthan — F.  !M.  Turner — Wm.  Priest. 

THE  Little  Piney  Association  was  organized  in  1833  on  the 
platform  of  the  United  Baptists,  by  a  few  churches  in  the 
counties  of  Pulaski  and  Crawford.  In  1837  the  meeting  was 
held  at  Big  Piney  meeting-house  in  Pulaski  County.  There 
were  then  five  churches,  viz.:  Little  Piney,  33  members;  Dry 
Fork,  21;  Big  Piney,  21 ;  Grand  Glaize,  20;  in  all,  95.  Osage 
Church  sent  no  statistics.  Elds.  Thos.  Snelson,  David  Lenox 
and  Jesse  Butler  were  the  ministers.     Contributions,  $12.50. 

We  have  said  that  this  association  was  composed  of  "  United 
Baptists."  Such  was  its  appellation  when  first  founded,  and  it 
so  continued  up  to  1838.  But  it  took  most  decided  ground  against 
missions  at  this  session  and  subsequently  dropped  the  term 
"United"  and  adopted  the  appellation  "  Eegular  Predestin- 
arian,"  in  its  stead.  In  1838  there  were  only  4  churches,  Osage 
having  dropped  out,  and  this  year  the  membership  was  93,  against 
95  the  year  before.  The  following,  from  the  Confession  of  Faith 
(republished  by  order  of  the  association  this  year;  see  Art.  11), 
shows  that  the  Little  Piney  Association  was  anti-mission  from 
an  earlier  day,  though  it  claimed  to  be  "  United  Baptist"  on  its 
title  page. 

"Art.  11.  We  believe  that  everything  necessary  for  the  instruc- 
tion and  good  discipline  of  the  church  is  recorded  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  should  be  strictly  attended  to — at  the  same  time 
avoiding  every  tradition  and  invention  of  men,  such  as  the  Sun- 
day-school union,  Bible  society,  tract  societies  of  all  kinds,  rag 
societies,  temperance  societies,  and  what  is  generally  known  by 
the  Baptist  board  of  foreign  missions,  home  missions,  and  all  ec- 
clesiastical schools  for  thQ  instruction  of  preachers,  with  all  oth- 


LITTLE    PINEY  AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  425 

er  iuven.tions  of  men,  under  the  head  of  religion,  which  the  New 
Testament  does  not  warrant.  And  this  association  does  hereby 
declare  that  she  will  not  hold  any  member  in  fellowship  who 
will  invite  or  allow  preachers  or  tutors  of  the  above  societies 
into  their  houses  after  they  are  known  to  them  j  for  we  believe 
those  who  do  it  are  partakers  of  their  evil  deeds.  The  foregoing 
articles  are  not  to  be  so  construed  as  to  say,  we  forbid  our  mem- 
bers from  entertaining  strangers  and  travelers ;  nor  to  say  we 
are  opposed  to  learning  j  those  we  reject  are  only  to  be  rejected 
in  their  public  character,  as  not  being  able  ministers  of  the  New 
Testament."     {Minutes  of  Little  Piney  Association,  18.38,  p.  3.) 

In  the  year  1838  (the  day  and  month  not  given)  a  voluntary 
council  was  held  at  Versailles,  Morgan  County,  its  purport  being 
to  secure  union  among  the  Baptists  who  held  the  same  faith,  but 
were  divided  on  account  of  names.  Said  council  appointed  an- 
other meeting  at  the  same  place  December  25,  1838,  and  request- 
ed all  "orderly  orthodox  Baptists  who  were  opposed  to  all  the 
new  anti-scriptural  schemes  of  the  day,  to  appoint  two  members 
from  each  church  to  sit  in  said  council,  provided  they  would 
agree  to  resign  all  names  except  such  as  were  scriptural,  and 
permit  the  council  to  settle  upon  the  name."  The  churches  were 
also  requested  to  send  their  articles  of  faith.  To  this  proposition 
the  Little  Piney  Association  responded  as  follows  :  "  The  request 
of  the  council  at  Versailles  being  congenial  with  our  feelings  and 
views,  we  take  it  up  and  hereby  advise  all  the  churches  in  this 
association  to  comply  with  the  request  of  said  council." 

Every  reader  of  Baptist  history  will  see  at  once  that  the  Ver- 
sailles council  was  a  movement  of  the  anti-missionary  element  of 
the  Baptist  churches  of  the  state,  or  more  particularly  of  South 
Missouri.  We  have  no  record  of  its  next  meeting,  and  cannot 
give  an  account  of  its  proceedings  nor  of  the  number  that  sent 
messengers  to  it.  We  discover  this  only,  that  after  the  year  1838 
certain  associations  of  South  Missouri  with  anti-mission  procliv- 
ities dropped  the  appellation  "United"  and  took  the  name 
"Eegular,"  "Old  School,"  or  some  such  title. 

In  18.53  the  Little  Piney  Association  of  Eegular  Predestinarian 
Baptists — such  was  now  its  name — met  at  the  Bethel  meeting- 
house in  Cole  County,  May  21.  The  following  summary  will 
show  the  state  of  the  churches  at  this  date: 

Churches. — Little  Piney  (not  repi^esented);  Dry  Fork,  20;  Big 
Piney,  35  ;  Mt.  Zion,  31 ;  Union,  on  Osage,  23  ;  Prairie  Valley, 
21 ;  Little  Maries,  10  ;  Union,  on  Big  Maries,  dissolved  ;  Sardis, 


426  LITTLE    PINEY    AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

11 ;  Bethel,  43  ;  Pilgrim,  dissolved  ;  total  membership,  217  ;  bap- 
tisms, 9 ;  contributions,  $16. 

Ministers, — E.  M.  Newport,  David  Lenox  and  J.  W.  West. 

In  the  minutes  of  this  year  we  have  this  somewhat  remarkable 
action  recorded:  "Took  up  the  reference  respecting  the  articles 
of  faith.  The  Lord's  church  objecting  to  the  latter  clause  of  the 
17th  item,  it  is  agreed  to  strike  out  so  much  of  said  item  as  re- 
lates to  assisting  the  ministry."  We  make  no  comments,  as  none 
are  needed. 

MOUNT  PLEASANT  OLD  SCHOOL  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  originated  in  1835,  it  being  that  portion  of  Old 
Mt,  Pleasant  Association  which  ignored  the  principles  of  the 
United  Baptists.  The  facts  are  as  follows:  The  Mount  Pleasant 
United  Baptist  Association  was  formed  in  1818  and  continued  in 
harmony  until  1835,  in  which  year  a  division  occurred  on  the 
missionary  enterprise.  Both  parts  retained  the  name  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, neither  organizing  anew.  Those  favorable  to  missions  con- 
tinued the  old  constitution  and  name,  "United  Baptists."  Those 
who  took  a  stand  against  the  "benevolent  operations  of  the  day," 
at  first  simply  dropped  the  prefix  "  United,"  calling  themselves 
"  Baptists."  Subsequently,  however,  they  took  the  name  "Old 
School"  as  a  distinguishing  title.  This  is  now  the  "  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant Old  School  Baptist  Association,"  and  these  are  the  reasons 
why  we  place  its  commencement  in  1885,  and  not  in  1818,  as  some 
perhaps  would  have  it.* 

In  1840t  this  body  met  at  New  Hope  Church,  Howard  County, 
the  second  Saturday  in  September.  It  then  consisted  of  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Churches.— Salem,  32  ;  Mt.  Zion,  25  ;  Bethel,  20  ;  Silver  Creek, 
42;  Mt.  Ararat,  39;  Mt.  Gilead,  27  ;  New  Hope,  63;  Mt.Moriah, 
19 ;  Mt.  Hermon,  13 ;  Muscle  Fork,  45  ;  Little  Union,  63 ;  Do- 
ver, 26;  Friendship,  12;  Mt.  Nebo,  38;  Pleasant  Grove,  32; 
Liberty,  31;  Little  Zion,  61;  Hickory  Grove,  22;  Clear  Creek, 
28  ;  ^Enon,  18  ;  Mt.  Salem,  34 ;  Middle  Fork,  24 ;  total,  714  ;  bap- 
tisms, 19 ;  contributions,  $24.50. 

Ministers.— R.  Alexander,  F.  Eedding,  J.  Buster,  J.  W.  Gash- 
wiler  and  E.  Turner. 

Eeuben  Alexander  was  elected  moderator,  and  Jno.  A.  Pitts 
clerk.     One  new  church — the   last  named  in  the  list — was  re- 

*  For  a  full  account  of  the  division  in  Mount  Pleasant  Association,  see  Chapter  V, 
Period  Second. 

f  The  first  minutes  we  have  of  this  association. 


LITTLE    PINEY    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  427 

ceived.  Letters  of  correspondence  and  messengers  were  pres- 
ent aa  follows.  From  Salem  Association  :  T.  P.  Stephens,  Jas. 
Barnes,  M.  Davis,  T.  Turner  and  S.  Kennon;  Fishing  Eiver : 
Brethren  Evans  and  Allen ;  Two  River :  Patterson,  Fiiqua, 
Webb,  Fox  and  C.  Turner ;  Blue  Eiver  :  G.  Fitzhugh  and  T. 
Proctor. 

The  business  of  the  association  seemed  to  be  conducted  simply 
with  an  eye  to  the  "welfare  of  its  constituents,  and  of  its  sister 
communities.  They  met,  shook  hands,  read  letters  from  the 
churches,  enrolled  names  of  messengers,  received  and  appointed 
correspondents,  read  circular  letters  and  appointed  yearly  meet- 
ings ;  all  of  which  constituted  the  sum  of  the  proceedings. 
There  was  no  effort  to  evangelize  and  no  money  for  missions. 

In  1841  the  churches  reported  17  baptisms  and  a  total  mem- 
bership of  710— a  decrease  of  four  members  from  the  year  pre- 
ceding, and  one  church  less.  Contributions,  S28.50.  The  list 
of  the  churches  was  still  on  the  decrease  in  1842,  when  there 
were  only  18  reported.  There  were  25  baptisms  this  year.  A 
custom  prevailed  at  this  time  of  electing  ministers  to  preach  on 
Sunday  by  private  ballot. 

In  1847  the  number  of  churches  had  decreased  to  16  with  436 
members,  and  only  two  baptisms  were  reported  for  the  year. 
Contributions,  $15.25.  This  year  the  following  action  was  taken 
relative  to  the  name  : 

"  The  recommendation  of  Mount  Zion  Church  taken  up ;  which 
was,  that  this  association  be  hereafter  known  by  the  name  of  the 
'Mt.  Pleasant  Old  School  Baptist  Association.'  The  vote  being 
taken,  it  was  decided  in  the  affirmative."  {Minutes  Mt.  P.  0.  S. 
Asso.,  1847,  p.  4.) 

The  minutes  of  1859  show  that  there  were  13  churches  then  in 
the  union,  the  total  membership  of  which  was  306.  There  is 
nothing  indicating  the  number  of  preachers. 

In  1866 — our  latest  records  —  the  association  had  dwindled 
down  to  8  churches,  the  same  number  of  ordained  ministers  and 
a  total  membership  of  310,  showing  that  it  was  not  half  so  large 
as  when  the  division  took  place  ;  50  baptisms  this  year.  In 
speaking  of  the  foregoing  facts,  we  propose  no  invidious  com- 
parisons, but  in  the  shortest  possible  way  illustrate  the  ruinous 
policy  adopted  by  the  anti-missionary  faction  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination in  Missouri  in  days  gone  by. 

From  1866  to  the  present  day,  this  association  has  been  on 
somewhat  rising  ground.     We  are  unable  to  give  the  exact  fig- 


428  LITTLE    PINEY    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

ures  as  to  the  state  of  the  churches.  This  change  in  the  condi- 
tion of  things  is  doubtless  due  in  a  great  measure  to  the  fact  that 
a  new  generation  of  preachers  has  grown  up  in  these  bounds, — 
men  with  no  purer  motives  and  purposes  than  those  of  the  for- 
mer times  had ;  but  in  whom  perhaps  there  is  less  of  the  preju- 
dice which  resulted  from  the  controversy  of  nearly  50  years  ago; 
men  who,  while  thej^  believe  and  preach  the  doctrine  of  predes- 
tination as  fully  as  did  their  predecessors,  take  somewhat  broad- 
er views  of  divine  truth  and  address  themselves  more  directly 
to  the  consciences  of  men.  While  some  of  the  fathers  of  this 
association  were  accustomed,  in  days  goije  by,  to  ridicule  what 
they  called  "distracted  meetings" (protracted  meetings),  the  sons 
of  the  present  day  are  using  them  as  suitable  opportunities  for 
preaching  the  blessed  gospel  to  the  people,  and  the  consequences 
are  that  revivals  are  not  uncommon  among  them.  M.  J.  Sears, 
Dr.  Rothwell  and  J.  W.  Bradley  are  now  among  the  active  and 
aggressive  men  in  the  ministry  of  this  association.  The  church- 
es of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Old  School  Association  are  intermingled 
with  the  churches  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  United  Baptist  Associa- 
tion in  the  counties  of  Howard,  Chariton,  Randolph  and  parts 
of  Boone  and  Monroe ;  and,  it  is  hoped,  will  soon  be  engaged, 
heart  and  main,  in  efforts  to  send  the  gospel  into  the  regions 
bej^ond. 

lamest:  eiver  association. 

This  association  originated,  we  think,  during  the  anti-mission- 
ary controversy  in  Missouri  (about  1836  or  '37),  with  a  few  small 
churches  in  Pettis  and  Cooper  Counties.  The  earliest  minutes 
we  have  are  for  1839.  It  met  that  year  at  the  Walnut  Branch 
meeting-house,  Pettis  County,  and  numbered  only  four  small 
churches,  viz.:  Muddy  Fork,  Walnut  Branch,  High  Grove  and 
Vine,  with  a  total  membership  of  71;  contributions,  $14.25;  bap- 
tisms reported,  2.  There  were  no  indications  whatever  of  pros- 
perity. Elder  Martillas  Embree  was  the  moderator,  and  John 
Tutt  was  clerk.  Elds.  Jacob  Chism,  David  Lenox  and  Henry 
Avery  were  present  as  visitors  and  correspondents. 

Correspondence  was  held  with  Little  Piney  and  also  with  what 
they  called  "Old  Concord  Association."  Jacob  Chism  was  a  mes« 
senger  from  the  last  named.  Several  years  prior  to  this  date 
there  was  a  schism  in  Concord  Association  of  Coojier  County, 
when  one  or  two  churches  and  parts  of  one  or  two  others,  witli 
Elds.  Chism  and  Jennings,  went  off,  met  as  an  association  and 
claimed  to  be  the  original  Concord  Association.      The  above 


LITTLE    PINEY    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.  429 

named  "Old  Concord  Association"  was  doubtless  this  faction 
under  Chisra. 

Inasmuch  as  the  term  "Eegular  Baptist"  was  the  appellation 
usually  adopted  in  that  age  in  Missouri  by  the  anti-missionaries, 
and  forasmuch  as  this  is  the  title  of  the  Lamine  Eiver  fraternity, 
and  as  we  can  find  no  indication  whatever  of  a  missionary  spirit 
in  all  the  doings  of  this  institution,  we  place  it  among  the  anti- 
effort  and  anti-missionary  associations  of  the  state. 

The  latest  documents  before  us  are  the  minutes  of  1848.  The 
session  that  year  was  held  at  Charity  meeting-house,  Johnson 
County.  The  association  then  numbered  7  churches,  viz.:  Wal- 
nut Branch,  45;  Potiate  Saline,  21;  New  Bethel,  26;  Charity, 
12;  Zion,  31;  Little  Arrow  Eock,  10;  and  South  Fork,  12;  giv- 
ing a  total  membership  of  157.  The  whole  number  of  baptisms 
during  the  year  was  3;  receptions  b}^  letter,  6;  restored,  7;  dis- 
missions by  letter,  8;  exclusions,  3;  deaths,  5;  contributions,  $9. 
Its  ministers  were  Martillas  Embree,  James  H.  Baker,  TyreeH. 
Berry,  James  Eeavis  and  J.  D.  Loving. 

TWO  F,IVER  OLD  SCHOOL  ASSOCIATION.* 

By  a  call  from  Loonie's  Creek  Church,  the  following  churches, 
viz. :  Providence,  Clear  Creek,  Ebenezer,  Elk  Pork,  Bear  Creek, 
North  Fork,  South  Eiver,  Saverton  and  Loonie's  Creek,  met 
in  council  with  North  Fork  Church,  Monroe  County,  on  the 
first  Saturday  in  October,  1838,  and  organized  an  association, 
calling  it  "  Two  Eiver."  They  adopted  a  confession  of  faith 
embracing  the  fundamental  principles  of  doctrine  as  taught  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  adopted  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments  as  their  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  The  prin- 
cipal part  of  the  churches  originally  belonged  to  what  was 
known  as  Salt  Eiver  Association,  and  the  reader  will  be  bet- 
ter posted  in  the  object  and  design  of  forming  a  new  asso- 
ciation by  an  extract  from  their  confession  of  faith  :  ''We  believe 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  are  of  Divine  orig- 
in and  were  given  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that 
they  contain  everything  necessary  for  the  direction  of  our  faith 
and  practice;  therefore  we  reject  the  mission  system  as  now  in 
operation  among  professed  Baptists,  for  the  want  of  this  Divine 
authority."  It  will  be  seen  that  this  association  has  been  in  ex- 
istence forty  years,  and  has  maintained  its  doctrines  and  disci- 
pline intact,  having  allowed  no  innovations  from  any  source 
whatever.  The  total  membership  in  1838  was  243.  Elder  Wm. 
*B\  Kev.  F.  M.  Turner,  a  minister  in  this  association,  a  few  months  before  his  ^eatli. 


430  LITTLE    PINEY   AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

Fuqua  was  the  first  moderator  and  Henry  Louthan  clerk. 
Eld.  Louthan  remained  its  clerk  till  his  death.  Eld.  William 
Priest  of  late  years  has  presided  over  its  assemblies.  Some 
of  the  original  churches  have  gone  out  of  existence  and  others 
have  been  added.  In  1878  it  numbered  8  churches,  with  a  total 
membership  of  259,  one  licensed  and  four  ordained  ministers, 
viz. :  J.  M.  Dudley,  William  Priest,  Nathan  Fuqua  and  F.  M. 
Turner. 

The  most  of  the  churches  composing  this  body  may  be  num- 
bered among  the  pioneer  churches  of  Northeast  Missouri,  Bear 
Creek  being  the  first  Baptist  church  organized  north  of  Salt 
Eiver,  and  in  fact  the  first  church  of  any  kind,  having  been  con- 
stituted in  1820  in  one  of  God's  own  temples — in  the  shade  of  a 
large  sugar  tree — near  Palmyra,  Marion  County,  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Mr.  James  E.  Dudle3^  This  beautiful  spot  seems 
to  have  been  selected  by  the  God  of  heaven  for  the  planting  of 
the  mustard  seed  that  has  grown  to  be  such  a  great  tree.  Gentle 
reader,  the  imagination  is  our  onl}^  source  of  realizing  the  sol- 
emnity that  must  have  prevailed  at  this  first  meeting  of  God's 
children.  Only  ten  persons  besides  Eld.  Davis  Biggs,  the  emi- 
nent pioneer  minister,  were  present  in  a  wilderness  outside  the 
pale  of  civilization.  Nothing  but  the  pure,  disinterested,  unself- 
ish love  of  God  could  have  prompted  them  to  assemble  amid  such 
scenes  and  surroundings  and  there  pledge  themselves  to  meet  in 
the  name  of  the  blessed  Redeemer,  to  worship,  praise  and  adore 
the  God  of  their  being  and  Savior  of  their  souls.  The  Spirit  must 
have  guided  them  and  brooded  over  them  in  this  ancient  and 
emblematic  temple.  The  noble  old  forest  tree  with  its  dense  fo- 
liage shutting  out  the  scorching  raj's  of  the  sun,  while  within  its 
very  shadow  there  came,  bursting  forth  from  the  bosom  of  the 
earth,  a  clear,  beautiful  stream  of  water,  emblematic  of  the  Water 
of  Life,  winding  its  way  and  emptying  its  contents  into  a  beauti- 
ful stream  near  by — the  historic  waters  of  Bear  Creek,  where  so 
many  of  God's  dear  children  have  been  buried  with  Christ  in 
baptism.  Our  readers  may  be  possibly  led  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  hand  of  God  was  in  the  matter,  and  that  the  Two  River  Asso- 
ciation bearing  this  treasure  in  her  bosom  is  a  historic  fact  worth 
preserving. 

Henry  Louthan* — was  born  in  Frederick  County,  Virginia,  in 
1808.  At  two  years  of  age  he  was  reduced  to  orphanage  by  the 
death  of  his  father,  which  left  him  thus  early  to  the  care  of  a 

*  By  F.  M.  Turner,  a  colaborer  of  Eld.  Louthan. 


LITTLE    PINEY    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.  431 

widowed  mother  in  only  moderate  circumstances.  So  soon  as 
young  Louthan  was  old  enough,  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  hat- 
ter's trade.  Being  from  under  his  mother's  charge  he  expected 
to  revel  in  the  pleasures  of  this  life,  but  the  Lord  ordered  it  oth- 
erwise, and  soon  after  leaving  home  he  was  convicted  of  sin,  and 
at  the  age  of  17  years  united  with  the  Baptist  church  at  Winches- 
ter, Va.  Though  young,  he  soon  commenced  preaching,  but  was 
very  awkward  and  ignorant  so  far  as  books  were  concerned. 
Yet  in  his  zeal  for  the  cause  of  the  Eedeemer  he  persevered,  sur- 
mounting every  obstacle  that  presented  itself,  of  which  the  read- 
er may  imagine  there  were  many,  as  the  scene  of  his  early  min- 
istry was  among  the  erudite  and  the  wealthy  of  the  Old  Domin- 
ion. He  was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  in  1831.  In  1835 
he  married  Miss  Mary  Parsons,  of  Hampshire  County,  Va.  Leav- 
ing the  scenes  of  early  life  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1838  and 
settled  in  Shelby  County,  where,  with  the  aid  of  two  colored  men, 
he  opened  up  to  cultivation  a  large  farm,  and  when  completed 
engaged  extensively  in  stock  raising,  amassing  quite  a  fortune. 
All  of  this  time  he  was  not  idle  in  his  Master's  cause,  usually 
having  the  care  of  three  or  four  churches.  About  the  year  1864 
he  purchased  the  beautiful  residence  in  the  city  of  Palmyra, 
built  by  Hon.  J.  D.  S.  Dryden,  where  he  resided  from  that  until 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  February  20,  1870.  During 
his  life  he  built  two  houses  of  worship ,  one  in  Shelby  County 
and  one  in  Palmyra ;  and  in  his  will  he  left  $3,000  to  the  Pal- 
myra Church  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  its  pastor.  He  had 
■preached  on  the  day  of  his  death,  which  was  occasioned  by  apo- 
plexy. Thus  ended  the  life  of  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
faithful  ministers  of  his  denomination. 

Franklin  Matthew  Turner. — This  gifted  young  minister  of 
the  Two  River  Association  died  February  8,  1879,  only  a  few 
months  after  furnishing  the  foregoing  sketches.  He  suffered  se- 
verely for  seven  days  from  a  painful  attack  of  pleuro-pneumonia. 
He  was  born  July  16,  1837,  in  Marion  County,  Missouri,  being 
the  youngest  son  of  Eld.  Charles  L.  Turner,  a  cotemporary  of 
Boulware,  Stephens,  Hurley,  Yardeman  and  others.  He  receiv- 
ed a  liberal  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  county,  having 
attended  Bethel  Baptist  College  for  the  purpose  of  completing  a 
course  in  mathematics,  of  which  he  was  passionately  fond. 
There  were  at  the  time  several  theological  students  attending 
the  college.  Young  Turner  one  day  jestingly  remarked  in  their 
presence,  "  I  am  preparing  for  the  ministry,"  little  dreaming  that 


482  LITTLE    PINEY   AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

his  light  jest,  in  the  providence  of  God,  would  become  a  reality. 

Early  in  life  he  had  serious  impressions  on  the  subject  of  a 
personal  salvation,  and  acquired  an  extended  knowledge  of  the 
Scriptures  and  of  the  tenets  of  the  different  sects.  Yet  he  never 
embraced  Christ  as  his  Savior  until  he  was  27  years  of  age,  at 
which  time  he  was  baptized  by  William  Priest  and  became  a 
member  of  Bear  Creek  Baptist  Church.  In  1866  he  was  ordain- 
ed to  the  gospel  ministry  by  Elds.  Priest  and  Louthan,  and  from 
that  time  consecrated  himself  fully  to  the  work  for  ten  years, 
except  about  three  months'  service  in  the  28th  General  Assembly 
of  the  state.  For  more  than  two  years  prior  to  his  death  he  was 
seriously  afflicted  with  bronchitis,  causing  him  to  resign  the  pas- 
toral care  of  his  churches  and  retire  almost  entirely  from  the 
ministry.  Elder  Turner  was  an  exceedingly  pleasant  speaker, 
and  one  of  the  most  popular  preachers  in  his  denomination. 

Of  him.  Eld.  "William  Priest  says: 

"In  the  death  of  Brother  William  Turner,  the  church  has  lost 
an  able  minister  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ.  He  was  not  only  an  able  proclaimer  of  the  gospel,  but 
also  an  able  defender  of  its  truth.  He  is  gone  from  us,  but  we 
believe  that  our  loss  is  his  eternal  gain.  He  was  buried  at  Bear 
Creek  Church  on  the  9th  of  February.  His  funeral  was  largely 
attended — the  largest  procession  that  I  have  seen  in  this  coun- 
try."   (From  the  Messenger  of  Peace,  April,  1879.) 

William  Priest, — one  of  the  most  polished  and  eloquent  min- 
isters in  Missouri,  and  for  some  years  moderator  of  Two  River 
Association,  was  born  in  Fauquier  County,  Virginia,  March  4, 
1808.  In  1832  he  emigrated  to  Missouri,  and  twenty  years  after- 
wards was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  Flint  Hill  (Old  School) 
Baptist  Church,  Ealls  County.  He  was  ordained  to  the  gospel 
ministry  in  August,  1853,  by  Elds.  C.  L.  Turner,  Wm.  Davis  and 
T.  P.  Rogers.  For  20  years  before  his  baptism  he  had  entertain- 
ed a  hope  in  Christ. 

Eld.  Priest  is  a  man  of  very  superior  intellect.  He  is  a  self- 
made  man,  having  received  a  very  limited  education  in  the 
schools,  but  from  close  application  all  his  mature  years  he  has 
acquired  efficiency  in  the  principles  of  government,  law,  physic, 
theology  and  the  sciences.  His  whole  life  has  been  one  contin- 
ued series  of  sacrifices  for  the  benefit  of  those  around  him.  He 
is  eminently  a  Christian  gentleman,  and  has  filled  several  prom- 
inent offices  of  the  state — once  a  member  of  the  senate,  also  of 
the  late  constitutional  convention.     For  the  past  25  years  he  has 


LITTLE   PINEY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  433 

been  the  pastor  of  Flint  Hill,  North  Fork  and  Bear  Creek  Church- 
es, and  a  portion  of  the  time  of  Palmyra.  Mr.  Priest  is  an  emi- 
nent minister  in  his  denomination. 


28 


PERIOD  FIFTH. 

1840-1850. 


CHAPTER  I. 
LIBEETY  AND  OTHEE  ASSOCIATIONS. 

When  Organized — ^When  the  Weak  Are  Strong — Baptist  Camp-meetings — Plan  of 
Missions — The  Communion  Question — Knapp's  Treatise — Biographies  of  William 
Tatura — Henry  Akard — Evangelists — Tlie  Agency  System — Results — General  Re- 
vival Interests — Unites  with  The  Sac  River  Association — Mt.  Pleasant,  Greenfield, 
Slagle  Creek,  Friendship,  and  Springfield  Churches — Sac  River  Association — 
Organization — Appellation — Anti-^Iission  Proclivities — Elijah  AVilliams — Revivals 
— UxioN  Association — Xovel  Method  of  Forming — W.  F.  Spillman — B.  Buckner 
— Mission  to  the  Cherokees — Kansas  Applies  for  Help — Division  of  the  Association 
— Vfav  Troubles — Reorganization — Secession — Change  of  Name  to  Springfield 
Association — Greene  County  Association — Another  Sac  River  Association — 
New  Prospect  Association. 

THE  Liberty  Association  of  Enited  Baptists  was  organized 
by  messengers  from  Mt.  Pleasant,  Enon,  Providence,  Turkey 
Creek  and  Cedar  Churches,  assembled  in  convention  on  the  3d 
and  5th  days  of  May,  1840.  Eev.  Wm.  Tatum  was  moderator, 
and  James  Gilmorc  clerk.  The  convention  adopted  a  constitu- 
tion and  articles  of  faith,  after  which  it  adjourned  to  meet  in 
regular  session  the  next  Sej^tember. 

The  first  annual  session  of  Liberty  Association  was  held  at 
Turkey  Creek,  Polk  County,  commencing  September  25,  1840. 
Two  new  churches  were  added  to  the  list  above,  making  7  in 
all,  situated  in  the  counties  of  Polk,  St.  Clair  and  Greene,  hav- 
ing a  membership  of  112.  A  small  beginning,  indeed,  but  the 
few  are  strong  when  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  On  their  side.  So  it 
was  demonstrated  in  the  historj^  of  this  association.  Elds.  Wm. 
Tatum,  D.  E.  Murphy  and  Brethren  Obadiah  Smith  and  James 
Gilmore  were  among  the  leaders  at  this  time. 

At  the  second  annual  meeting,  1841,  held  at  Providence,  Polk 
County,  Sac  Eivcr  and  Coon  Creek  Churches  were  received  into 
the  association,  having  been  recently  constituted.  Correspond- 
ing messengers  were  present  from  Spring  Eiver  and  Concord 
Associations.  Baptist  cami^-meclings  were  somewhat  fashion- 
able in  that  day,  and  the  association  agreed  to  hold  one  at  the 


LIBERTY    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.  435 

time  and  place  of  her  next  session.  This  custom  grew  out  of  the 
fact,  in  part,  that  very  few  communities  were  prepared  to  enter- 
tain the  crowds  that  attended  these  meetings.  The  churches 
were  requested  to  send  up  funds  to  the  next  association  to  sup- 
port home  missions. 

Messengers  from  15  churches  assembled  on  the  4th  Saturday 
in  September,  1842,  at  Cumberland  Camp  Ground,  near  Provi- 
dence, Polk  County,  and  held  the  third  annual  session.  A  very 
considerable  revival  influence  had  passed  over  the  association- 
al  field,  and  138  baptisms  were  reported  at  this  meeting  as  a 
part  of  the  fruits.  The  aggregate  membership  had  increased  to 
388. 

The  following  plan  of  missions  was  adopted: 

"Resolved,  That  we  appoint  five  members  of  this  body,  to  be 
known  and  styled  *  The  Board  of  Home  Missions,'  ....  which 
shall  be  vested  with  power  to  manage  all  missions  in  the  bounds 
of  this  association,  subject  to  the  following  rules  and  regula- 
tions." 

There  were  in  all  eight  rules,  the  second  of  which  said  :  "The 
board  shall,  in  no  instance,  incur  a  greater  expense  than  it  has 
funds  to  meet." 

The  board  of  missions  consisted  of  E.  M,  Campbell,  A.  Mor- 
ton, U.  L.  Southerland,  "W.  Heraldson  and  C.  Dozenberry. 

In  1843  the  association  met  at  Cedar  Church,  St.  Clair  County. 
This  year  and  the  last  the  following  new  churches  were  admitted 
into  the  union,  viz. :  Clear  Creek,  Friendship,  Monagan,  Pisgah, 
Union,  Blue  Springs,  Horse  Creek,  Bethlehem,  Greenfield,  Flag 
Spring,  Alden  and  Salem.  The  entire  membership  of  the  asso- 
ciation was  now  614,  in  all  21  churches,  located  in  Polk,  Greene, 
Dade,  St.  Clair.  Niangua  (now  Dallas),  Pulaski  and  Camden 
Counties. 

To  the  session  in  1844,  held  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Greene  County, 
Coon  Creek  Church  sent  a  query  on  the  subject  of  communion, 
to  which  the  following  answer  was  given : 

"Resolved,  That  the  following  be  an  answer  to  the  query  from 
Coon  Creek  Church,  viz.:  "We,  as  a  body,  do  not  intend,  with 
our  present  views,  to  agree  to  open  communion  with  pedobap- 
tists:  nevertheless,  we  advise  our  churches  to  exercise  lenity  to- 
ward those  who  may  entertain  a  different  opinion." 

To  counteract  open  communion  sentiments,  the  association  re- 
published Knapp's  Treatise  on  Communion  and  appended  it  to  her 
minutes. 


436  LIBERTY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

This  vast  region  of  country  was  traversed  in  this  early  day  by 
zealous,  self-sacrificing  evangelists ;  revival  after  revival  follow- 
ed, churches  multiplied,  and  an  unusual  number  of  ministers 
were  raised  up. 

The  first  moderator  of  this  association,  and  one  of  her  leading 
ministers,  was  William  Tatum. 

Eld.  William  Tatum — was  one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of 
Southwest  Missouri,  having  also  previously  spent  twenty-seven 
years  of  pioneer  ministerial  life  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  He 
was  a  native  of  Gruilford  County,  North  Carolina,  and  was  born 
September  24,  1783.  In  1805  he  made  a  profession  of  religion 
and  soon  afterwards  commenced  preaching  in  his  native  state, 
not  long  after  which  he  moved  to  Kentucky  and  settled  in  Lo- 
gan County,  some  six  miles  north  of  Eussellville.  Here  he 
raised  a  family  of  thirteen  children,  having  married  before  he 
left  North  Carolina. 

Eld,  Tatum  was  a  farmer-preacher,  laboring  hard  during  the 
crop  season  to  secure  a  support  for  his  large  and  growing  fam- 
ily, and  giving  himself  up  to  the  ministry  the  balance  of  the 
year.  His  labors  during  most  of  that  period  were  confined  to 
middle  and  southern  Kentucky,  but  extended  at  times  into  the 
state  of  Tennessee. 

In  1837  he  closed  his  labors  in  Kentucky,  and  with  his  wife 
and  younger  children  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Greene 
County.  Soon  after  this  he  organized  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  not 
far  from  his  own  hoine,  of  which  he  became  pastor,  and  so  re- 
mained, we  think,  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  preach,  and  of  which 
he  was  a  member  until  his  death.  He  was  highly  esteemed  by 
his  brethren,  a  self-made  and  a  self-sacrificing  man,  spending 
much  of  his  later  life  in  sowing  the  gospel  seed  among  the  peo- 
ple in  his  adopted  state.  Large  numbers  under  his  ministry 
were  added  to  the  churches  both  in  Kentucky  and  Missouri.  Af- 
ter he  became  too  feeble  to  preach,  he  spent  most  of  his  time  in 
reading,  meditation  and  prayer,  and  died  in  the  hope  of  a  bless- 
ed immoi'tality  on  the  26th  of  January,  1856. 

Eld.  Tatum's  ancestors  descended  through  the  High  Church 
of  England,  but  his  parents  were  Baptists,  and  his  father  a  min- 
ister in  that  denomination.  He  has  two  sons  who  are  Baptist 
ministers,  living  in  Texas.  (Furnished  by  Lewis  F.  Tatum,  a  son, 
of  Greene  County,  Mo.) 

Henry  Akard, — an  old  settler  in  Polk  County,  Missouri,  and 
for  several  years  a  preacher  in  Liberty  Association,  was  born 


LIBERTY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  437 

in  Tennessee,  August  13,  1813.  As  he  grew  up  he  received  such 
an  education  as  the  common  schools  of  his  day  afforded.  In 
September,  1832,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lavinia  Jones,  and 
soon  after,  in  the  same  year,  moved  to  Polk  County,  Missouri. 
Here,  for  some  ten  years,  he  lived  a  stranger  to  God.  He  was 
converted  and  baptized  under  the  ministry  of  Eld.  D.  E.  Mur- 
phy, for  years  one  of  the  leading  ministers  of  that  section  of  the 
state. 

From  1844  the  Liberty  Association  moved  steadily  on,  through 
her  ministry,  planting  and  fostering  churches,  and  holding  regu- 
lar sessions  as  follows:  In  1845  at  Mt.  Zion,  Polk  County;  in 
1846  at  Enon,  Polk  County;  in  1847  at  Sac  Eiver;  in  1848  at 
Cedar  Church,  Cedar  County ;  in  1849  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Greene 
County;  in  1850  at  Mt.  Zion,  Polk  County;  in  1851  at  Union 
Creek  Church,  Greene  County ;  in  1852  at  Liberty,  Greene 
County;  in  1853  at  Brush  Grove,  Polk  County;  in  1854  at  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Hickory  County;  and  at  Enon  again  in  1855. 

The  custom  of  holding  camp-meetings  was  continued  from 
year  to  year  as  long  as  the  association  existed  in  its  present 
form  and  name.  In  1846  an  effort  was  made  to  unite  this  and 
Sac  Eiver  Association,  B.  Buckner,  H.  Akard,  Wm.  Tatum  and 
others  being  appointed  a  committee  for  that  purpose;  but  the 
effort  failed.  Seven  churches  were  dismissed  in  1848  to  form  a 
new  association,  which  was  so  done,  and  the  new  fraternity  was 
called  '*  Cedar  Association." 

At  the  meeting  in  1849  it  elected  by  private  ballot,  Elds.  S. 
L.  Beckley  and  W.  B.  Senter  as  evangelists,  and  authorized  them 
to  take  up  collections  wherever  they  thought  necessary.  The 
following  j^ear  was  one  of  marked  progress,  80  converts  being 
added  to  the  churches  by  baptism. 

The  session  of  1853  appointed  five  camp-meetings  with  as 
many  different  churches,  selecting  from  three  to  six  ministers 
to  attend  each  meeting.  Glorious  results  followed  these  efforts 
in  the  way  of  conversions,  the  work  continuing  far  beyond  the 
next  meeting.  At  this  session  the  association  appointed  a  col- 
lecting agent  with  powers,  privileges  and  duties  as  follows  : 

"Besolved,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  this  association  to  appoint  a 
traveling  agent  to  travel  and  preach,  to  take  up  public  and  pri- 
vate collections  for  missionary  purposes  and  pay  over  to  some 
one  appointed  to  settle  with  him;  and  that  the  said  agent  shall 
be  allowed  $250  for  his  compensation  provided  he  collect  that 
much,  the  overplus  to  go  into  the  hands  of  the  treasurer  of  the 


438  LIBERTY   AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

association,  provided  there  be  any,  for  missionary  purposes,  and 
E.  M,  Campbell  is  appointed  said  treasurer."  Eld.  B.  McCord 
Roberts  was  elected  as  said  traveling  agent  for  the  year  1854. 
This  system  of  traveling  agents  gave  new  life  to  the  missionary 
work  of  the  association,  as  the  contributions  to  her  benevolent 
work  will  show.  $210  were  reported  in  the  treasury  at  the  ses- 
sion in  1855,  the  like  of  which  had  not  before  been  known  in  that 
country. 

The  minutes  of  1855  make  the  following  exhibit  of  the  state 
of  the  work  :  churches,  20 ;  baptisms,  283 ;  aggregate  member- 
ship, 1,140. 

This  year,  by  agreement,  the  association  united  with  Sac  Eiv- 
er  Association  and  formed  Union  Association,  for  an  account  of 
which  see  history  of  said  association. 

SAC  mVER  ASSOCIATION. 

The  oldest  records  of  Sac  River  Association  which  we  have 
are  for  1850,  which  was  the  eighth  annual  meeting.  This  would 
carry  the  organization  of  this  body  back  to  1842.  Our  corres- 
pondent from  G-reene  County,  Eld.  A.  C.  Bradley,  says: 

"  The  Sac  River  Association  was  organized,  or  held  its  first 
session,  with  Pleasant  Hill  Church.  There  were  4  churches  rep- 
resented: Pleasant  Hill,  Union  and  Crisp  Prairie  in  Polk  Coun- 
ty, and  Mount  Pisgah  in  Dade  County.  Eld.  T.  J.  Kelly  was 
elected  moderator,  and  Nelson  McDowell  clerk.    Both  are  dead." 

Her  style  of  address  was  **SacRiver  Association  of  United  Bap- 
tists." The  session  of  1850  (8th  annual)  was  at  Mt.  Pisgah  Church, 
Dade  County.  From  her  organization  until  then  (eightyears)  only 
two  churches.  Bear  Creek  and  Sinking  Creek,  had  been  received ; 
which  made  six  churches  in  all,  with  217  members.  Eld.  D.  R. 
Murphy  says  that  this  association  was  considered  anti-mission- 
ary.    Confirmatory  of  this  statement  are  the  following  facts : 

1st.  Up  to  this  time  correspondence  had  been  kept  up  with  the 
Salem  Association,  which  was  avowedly  opposed  to  the  mission- 
ary enterprise. 

2d.  Eld.  Burrow  Buckner,  who  for  a  time  entertained  senti- 
ments antagonistic  to  missions,  was  for  some  time  identified  with 
this  association. 

At  this  date  (1850)  Elds.  Elijah  Williams,  T.  J.  Kelly,  Josiah 
Stogsdill  and  Burrow  Buckner  were  the  ministers. 

Elijah  Williams. — In  his  younger  days  Elijah  Williams  was  a 
schoolmate  of  the  late  Eld.  D.  R.  Murphy,  to  whom  we  are  in- 
debted for  the  facts  in  this  sketch. 


LIBERTY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  439 

Mr.  Williams  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  Tennessee,  and  in 
an  early  day  moved  to  Missouri  with  his  father.  The  next  we 
know  of  him,  says  Mr.  Murphy,  was  in  the  spring  of  1840,  when 
he  was  both  a  man  of  family  and  a  Baptist  minister.  He  lived 
on  a  farm,  and  was  a  man  of  industrious  and  economical  habits, 
and  was  successful  in  providing  a  comfortable  living  for  his  fam- 
ily. He  was  a  co-worker  with  Eld.  T.  J.  Kelly  in  organizing 
churches  and  then  of  forming  the  Sac  Eiver  Association. 

In  the  ninth  annual  session  of  the  Sac  Eiver  Association,  held 
at  Crisp  Prairie,  Polk  County,  in  September,  1851,  messengers 
were  present  representing  9  churches,  four  of  which,  viz.:  Slagle 
Creek,  Liberty  Hill,  Grassy  Hollow  and  Greenfield,  had  been 
received  this  year.  Several  of  the  churches  had  enjoyed  reviv- 
als, and  98  baptisms  were  reported  to  the  association. 

The  minutes  of  1852  indicate  less  of  prosperity — only  18  bap- 
tisms and  one  new  church.  Prospect,  Greene  County.  In  none 
of  the  records  of  this  community  do  we  find  any  references  to 
ministerial  education,  missions,  or  any  kindred  institutions. 

By  the  year  1855,  when  9  churches  sent  messengers  to  Bear 
Creek  Church  in  Polk  County,  the  numerical  strength  had  in- 
creased to  628.  This  year  85  baptisms  were  reported.  This  was 
the  last  meeting  of  the  Sac  Eiver  Association,  it  having  received 
and  accepted  a  proposition  from  the  Liberty  Association  to  form 
a  union  of  the  two  bodies. 

UNIOK  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Union  Association  was  formed  in  1855  by  the  Liberty  and 
the  Sac  Eiver  Associations,  both  of  which  occupied  the  same  ter- 
ritory. The  organization  was  accomplished  in  a  somewhat  singu- 
lar manner.    In  1855  Liberty  Association  adopted  the  following: 

"Took  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  making  an  overture 
of  union  with  Sac  Eiver  Association,  and  appointed  the  follow- 
ing brethren,  J.  B.  Callaway,  J.  E.  B.  Justice,  James  Bradley,  John 
Crain  and  E.  M.  Campbell  as  a  committee  to  meet  Sac  Eiver  As- 
sociation at  her  next  sitting  and  present  to  her  consideration  the 
following  resolves : 

"  Be  it  Resolved,  That  the  said  committee  shall  set  forth  the  rea- 
sons why  we  think  Liberty  and  Sac  Eiver  Associations  ought  to 
unite,  making  of  the  two  oneassociation,  viz.:  1st.  That  they  both 
occupy  a  portion  of  the  same  territory;  2d.  That  the  boundary 
of  the  two  is  not  too  large  for  one  ;  3d.  And  more  than  all,  it  will 
remove  the  appearance  of  a  difference  when  in  reality  there  is 
none. 


440  LIBERTY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

"^6'  it  Furthermore  Resolved,  That  provided  Sac  River  Association 
shall  accede  to  said  proposition,  the  said  committee  is  hereby  au- 
thorized to  pronounce  the  union  consummated,  and  to  propose  the 
word  'Union'  as  the  name  of  the  new  association," 

This  was  in  September.  In  the  following  month  the  Sac  Eiv- 
er  Association  met  and  responded  as  follows  : 

"  We,  the  Sac  Eiver  Association,  agree  to  the  proposition  made 
by  the  Liberty  Association,  through  their  committee,  Elds.  Cal- 
laway, Bradley  and  Justice,  to  unite  and  form  one  association  of 
the  two,  to  be  called  '  Union  Association  ;'  and  further, 

*'It  is  agreed  that  the  churches  of  Sac  River  Association  be 
advised  to  send  their  letters  and  messengers  to 'Union  Associa- 
tion,' to  be  held  with  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  Greene  County, 
the  fourth  Saturday  in  September,  1856."  Thus  was  consummated 
the  organization  of  "Union  Association." 

In  harmony  with  the  foregoing  agreement  the  Union  Associa- 
tion held  its  first  annual  meeting  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Greene  Coun- 
ty, in  September,  1856,  when  letters  and  messengers  were  pres- 
ent from  35  churches,  which  reported  a  membership  of  2,102. 
This  was  now  certainly  the  largest  association  in  Southwest  Mis- 
souri. Her  churches  were  scattered  over  the  counties  of  Polk, 
Greene,  Dade,  Hickory,  Webster,  Dallas,  Laclede  and  Lawrence. 
B.  McCord  Roberts  was  elected  moderator;  200  baptisms  were 
reported  and  over  $300  for  missionary  purposes.  The  associa- 
tion retained  the  appellation  of  "United  Baptists." 

The  following  ministers  were  embraced  in  the  new  organiza- 
tion: E.  Williams,  J.  and  A.  C.  Bradley,  W.  F.  Spillman,  T.  J. 
Kelley,  S.  S.  Beckley,  H.  H.  Williams,  J.  H.  Tatum,  J.  Kennon, 
W.  B.  Scnter,  J.  F.Wheeler,  G.  B.  Mitchell,  and,  wethink,  Burrow 
Buckner. 

W.  F.  Spillman — was  an  active  servant  of  Christ  for  several 
years  in  the  bounds  of  this  association.  He  was  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee, the  son  of  Thomas  and  Frances  Spillman,  and  was  born 
March  5,  1821.  From  boyhood  he  spent  a  number  of  years  in 
Allen  County,  Kentucky,  where,  in  1840,  he  was  converted,  uni-. 
ted  with  the  Bethlehem  Baptist  Church,  and  was  soon  after  or- 
dained by  Elds.  Zechariah  Emberson  and  Thomas  Scribner. 

His  removal  to  and  settlement  in  Polk  County,  Missouri,  oc- 
curred in  the  year  1854.  He  became  a  member  of  Mt.  View 
Church,  and  in  Polk  and  surrounding  counties  spent  seven  years 
of  faithful  and  useful  labors  in  the  ministry,  and  terminated  his 
life  June  5,  1862. 


LIBERTY  AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.  441 

Burrow  Buckner* — spent  some  years  in  Missouri  as  a  gospel 
builder.  He  was  uncle  to  Eev.  H.  F.  Buckner,  the  missionary 
to  the  Indians.  Mr.  Buckner  was  born  in  Lawrence  District, 
South  Carolina,  in  1796,  and  under  parental  care  grew  up  a  far- 
mer's boy  in  East  Tennessee,  where  his  father,  Henry  Buckner, 
had  moved  in  an  early  day.  His  education  was,  almost  of  neces- 
sity, limited.  He  was  led  to  the  Cross  at  the  age  of  19  years, 
and  seven  years  after  entered  theministry  and  became  a  mission- 
ary, under  his  own  appointment,  to  the  Cherokee  Indians,  in 
northern  Georgia  and  southern  Tennessee.  Here  he  soon  gath- 
ered a  church  of  the  natives,  preaching  mainly  at  such  times  as 
the  labors  of  the  farm  would  permit  him. 

His  removal  to  Missouri  occurred  in  1840  or  '41,  occasioned 
by  the  emigration  of  the  Cherokee  nation  from  Georgia  to  their 
present  home.  For  a  time  after  he  came  to  Missouri,  he  held 
what  was  then  called  anti-mission  views,  but  was  convinced  of 
his  error,  and  was  for  some  20  years  a  useful  minister  of  the  JSTew 
Testament  in  Sac  Eiver,  Liberty,  Spring  Eiver  and  afterwards 
Union  Association.  His  forte  was  in  exhortation,  in  which  he 
greatly  excelled.  In  fact,  when  aroused,  he  had  few  equals.  He 
was  also  regarded  as  an  excellent  disciplinarian  both  in  his  fam- 
ily and  in  his  churches.     In  this  he  was  truly  a  bishop. 

In  August,  1861,  having  gone  to  the  blacksmith-shop  to  get  his 
horse  shod  for  the  purpose  of  going  to  the  association,  he  was 
suddenly  stricken  with  apoplexy,  and  died  before  his  wife  could 
reach  him. 

The  wife  of  his  early  life,  Mrs.  Matilda  Buckner,  survived  him, 
and  was,  we  think,  in  1875,  living  in  Dade  County,  Mo.  Tradition 
says:  "All  the  Buckners  of  the  United  States  descended  from 
three  English  brothers  named  Benjamin,  Jesse  and  John,  who 
came  to  America  in  colonial  days.  John,  the  middle  brother, 
moved  to  Georgia  in  1792.  They  were  all  large  men,  having 
large  ears,  high  cheek  bones,  large  blue  eyes  and  hair  black  and 
straight.  All  of  them  became  Baptists  j  Benjamin  was  a  minister, 
and  all  became  fathers  of  large  families."  (Eld.  H.  P.  Buckner, 
of  Muskogee,  Indian  Territory.) 

The  following  is  a  record  of  Union  Association  up  to  1860. 

In  1857  the  session  was  held  at  Freedom,  Polk  County  j  in 
1858,  at  Pisgah,  Dade  County;  in  1859,  at  Sinking  Creek,  Dade 
County;  and  in  1860  at  Mt.  Zion  in  Polk  County.  At  the  meet- 
ing in  1857  a  letter  was  received  from  a  small  Baptist  community 

*  Prom  Daniel  Buckner,  a  brother,  of  Paris,  TeiJig,  and  H.  P.  Buckner. 


442  .LIBERTY    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

in  Kansas  Territory,  asking  that  a  minister  visit  and  organize 
them  into  a  church.  A  committee,  appointed  thereon,  reported 
that  the  subject  was  "worthy  of  consideration  and  liberal  pa- 
tronage." 

The  association  continued  the  missionary  plan  of  last  year  and 
appointed  an  executive  board  to  employ  missionaries.  The  board 
consisted  of  John  Grain,  Jas,  P.  Thompson,  John  Slagle,  Charles 
Bunch  and  E.  M.  Campbell,  who  were  instructed  to  employ  two 
missionaries,  instead  of  one,  and  send  them  to  the  destitute  parts 
of  the  association.  Amount  of  funds  on  hand  for  missions 
S333.20 ;  baptisms  reported,  233 ;  members,  2,320. 

By  the  year  1858  the  association  had  grown  to  43  churches,  the 
same  number  of  ministers  and  2,646  members.  At  this  session,  a 
committee  having  been  appointed  on  the  subject,  reported  that 
it  was  expedient  to  divide  the  association  as  follows  : 

"Beginning  at  Springfield,  thence  to  Enon  Church  in  Polk 
County;  thence  to  Brush  Grrove  Church;  thence  north  to  the 
northern  line  of  said  association;  the  churches  on  said  line  to 
have  choice  as  to  which  association  they  will  belong  to ;  the 
western  association  to  retain  the  name  and  constitution,  and  the 
eastern  one  to  form  a  constitution  for  themselves." 

The  division  left  only  17  churches  in  Union  Association,  with 
1,048  members.  The  treasurer's  report  shows  $115.50  as  having 
been  expended  for  all  associational  missionary  purposes.  Two 
new  churches  were  admitted  to  membership  in  1860 — Bolivar 
and  Zion  Hill. 

The  entire  Southwest  being  overrun  with  troops,  both  Federal 
and  Confederate,  no  meetings  were  held  in  1861  and '62.  A  small 
number  of  messengers  from  Mt.  Pleasant,  Asher  Creek,  Turkey 
Creek  and  Mt.  Pisgah  Churches  met  in  convention  at  Turkey 
Creek,  Polk  County,  August,  1863,  and  organized  an  association, 
calling  it  "  Union,"  after  the  old  name.  "  This,"  sa,js  Judge  Nel- 
son McDowell,  the  moderator  of  the  convention,  "was  consider- 
ed a  reorganization  of  old  Union  Association."  The  sessions 
were,  however,  numbered  from  1863. 

The  numerical  strength  of  the  association  in  1864  was  no  more 
than  265,  and  there  were  onlj'  two  ordained  ministers — J.  E.  B. 
Justice  and  Thomas  J.  Kelley. 

In  1865  the  meeting  was  held  at  Asher  Creek  Church,  Greene 
County,  at  which  time  the  records  exhibit  a  decrease  of  14  dur- 
ing the  year.  This  decline, was  owing  doubtless,  in  jsart,  1st. 
To  a  spirit  of  revenge  and  bloodshed  that  prevailed  at  this  time 


LIBERTY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  443 

throughout  this  section  of  the  state;  and,  2d.  To  the  fact  that  at 
the  meeting  in  1863  or  '64  the  association,  under  excitement, 
placed  a  clause  in  her  constitution  in  the  following  language  : 

"  Resolved,  That  we  are  opposed  to  secession  in  every  shape 
and  form,  and  that  we  will  not  fellowship  any  church  that  holds 
members  who  are  secessionists,  and  churches  should  not  hold  nor 
admit  members  who  are  secessionists." 

Eegular  meetings  were  held  in  1866  at  Mt.  Pleasant  Church, 
Greene  County,  and  in  1867  at  Mt.  Pisgah,  Polk  County.  The 
session  in  1868  was  at  Mt.  Zion,  Polk  County.  Up  to  this  time, 
since  the  war,  only  8  churches  had  been  enrolled,  having  an  ag- 
gregate membership  of  690.  The  ministerial  list  had  been  en- 
larged by  the  names  of  M.  Gr.  Conn,  A.  C.  Bradlev,  J.  Kennon 
and  Geo.  Kline.  At  this  meeting,  by  a  vote  of  16  to  6,  the  fore- 
going sectional  clause  in  the  constitution  was  abolished,  and  the 
following  inserted  in  its  stead  : 

"We  believe  that  the  Scriptures  teach  that  civil  government  is 
of  divine  appointment,  for  the  interest  and  good  order  of  human 
society;  and  that  magistrates  are  to  be  prayed  for,  conscien- 
tiously honored  and  obeyed ;  except  in  things  opposed  to  the  will 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  only  Lord  of  the  conscience 
and  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth." 

A  Sunday-school  convention  was  organized  this  year  with 
Eld.  Geo.  Kline  as  president  and  J.  D.  Bicknell  as  secretary, 
which  for  a  time  did  a  commendable  work  in  promoting  Sunday- 
schools  in  the  bounds  of  the  association. 

The  association  met  at  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Springfield, 
in  October,  1869.  Received  two  new  churches,  viz. :  Friendship 
and  Thornhill ;  making  10  in  all,  with  a  membership  of  769 — 85 
having  been  added  b}^  baptism.  At  this  meeting  the  name  of  the 
association  was  changed  from  "Union"  to 

SPRmGFIELD  ASSOCIATION. 

This  change  was  made  because  there  were  at  the  time  three 
Union  Associations  in  the  state.  In  1870  the  prefix  "  United  " 
was  dropped.  During  this  and  the  previous  year  the  asso- 
ciation raised  for  its  own  expenses  and  missionary  purposes 
nearly  $8,000.  The  minutes  from  1870  to  1873  indicate  only  a 
moderate  degree  of  prosperity,  only  one  church,  Pleasant  View, 
having  been  received  during  that  time.  The  aggregate  member- 
ship in  1873  was  817.     This  year  the  following  was  adopted: 

"  Resolved,  That  the  association  grant  as  many  of  the  churches 
of  this  body  as  wish  to  do  so,  the  liberty  of  going  into  a  county 


444  LIBEKTY   AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

association."  Aftei*  the  transaction  of  one  or  two  other  business 
items,  the  association  adjourned  without  time,  place  or  preacher 
for  the  next  meeting.  A  part  of  the  churches  which  had  com- 
posed Springfield  Association  met  in  the  fall  of  1873  and  formed 
GKEEXE  COUNTY  ASSOCIATION. 

''The  residue  of  the  churches,"  says  Eev.  A.  C.  Bradley,  "-met 
in  1874  at  Turkey  Creek  Church,  in  the  name  of  Springfield  As- 
sociation, and  changed  to  the  old  name  of  Sac  Eiver  Association. 
This  body,  in  1876,  embraced  the  following  churches :  Asher 
Creek  and  Thornhill  in  Greene  County ;  Mt.  Zion,  Pleasant  Eidge 
and  Turkey  Creek  in  Polk  County;  and  Pleasant  View  in  Dade 
County  ;  with  a  membership  of  385.  This  year  it  was  agreed  to 
consolidate  with  New  Prospect  Association,  whose  churches 
were  situated  mostly  in  Greene  and  Polk  Counties.  The  consol- 
idation was  accomplished  in  October  of  the  same  year  through 
Eld.  Geo.  Long,  at  the  session  of  the  last  named  association. 
For  a  further  account  of  this  transaction  see  history  of  New  Pros- 
pect Association  in  Period  Seventh  of  this  book. 

We  shall  follow,  as  the  successor  of  Springfield  and  Union  As- 
sociations, the  Greene  County  Association.  Its  churches  are 
mostly,  if  not  wholly,  situated  in  Greene  County.  The  object  in 
its  formation  was,  if  possible,  to  secure  harmony  among  those 
churches  which  w^ere  dissatisfied  at  the  change  of  name  from 
Union  to  Springfield  in  1869.  The  formal  organization  of  the 
Greene  County  Association  occurred  at  Friendship  in  the  fall  of 
1873.  In  1877  this  fraternity  had  grown  to  15  churches  and  an 
aggregate  membership  of  1,102.  Among  the  ministers  at  that 
time  were  B.  McCord  Eoberts,  J.  S.  Buckner,  G.  B.  Mitchell, 
Jas.  D.  Biggs,  J.  E.  B.  Justice,  G.  W.  White  and  James  P.  Aikin. 
Foreign  and  domestic  missions  received  a  hearty  suj)port  at  the 
hands  of  the  ministers  and  members  of  this  association. 

In  1879  there  were  17  churches,  12  ministers  and  1,380  mem- 
bers. The  meeting  was  held  at  Slagle  Creek  Church,  Polk  Coun- 
ty. The  eighth  annual  session  was  at  Prospect  Church,  Greene 
County,  September  30,  1880.  Eock  Prairie  Church,  Polk  Coun- 
ty, was  the  place  of  meeting  Sej)tember  29, 1881.  Twenty  church- 
es are  on  the  roll,  all  of  which  save  three  sent  messengers.  To- 
tal membership  1,497.  The  officers  were  J.  S.  Buckner,  moder- 
ator; J.  H.  Garnett,  clerk;  and  C.  F.  Corum,  treasurer.  Number 
of  ordained  ministers,  24;  licentiates,  11.  A  Treatise  on  the 
Lord's  Supper,  by  Eld.  Peter  Brown,  was  appended  to  the  min- 
utes.    It  was  searching,  concise  and  scriptural. 


LIBERTY   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  445 

Mount  Pleasant  Church.— This  is  one  of  the  older  churches 
in  the  G-reene  County  Association,  having  been  organized  in 
January  (third  Saturday),  1838,  by  David  Coffman,  J.  Gilmore 
and  Elijah  Williams,  with  14  members.  Its  location  is  in  Greene 
County,  twelve  miles  northwest  of  Springfield.  The  first  pastor 
was  William  Tatum,  who  continued  fifteen  years,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  E.  Williams.  George  Wilson  was  pastor  in  1882,  the 
church  numbering  102  members. 

Greenfield, — the  county  seat  of  Dade  County,  was  once  a 
member  of  Springfield  Association.  The  church  here  was  organ- 
ized July  1,  1843,  with  7  members,  by  Brantley  Wright  and  S. 
Liles,  the  former  of  whom  was  elected  first  pastor. 

Slagle  Creek. — ^Numerically  this  is  the  strongest  church  in 
Greene  County  Association,  having  in  1881  206  members,  when 
B.  M.  Eoberts  was  the  pastor.  The  date  of  the  organization 
was  not  given.  This  church  gave  $20.80  for  foreign  missions, 
$25  for  home  missions,  and  $60  for  pastor's  salary. 

Friendship  Church. — This  church  is  also  in  Greene  County, 
fifteen  miles  northwest  of  Springfield.  It  was  founded  in  July, 
1843,  with  23  constituent  members.  Its  house  of  worship,  re- 
built in  1870,  was  a  frame,  36x42  feet,  and  was  valued  at  $1,000. 
Eld.  Wra.  Tatum  was  the  first  pastor.  B.  M.  Eoberts  was  pastor 
in  1881. 

Springfield.* — The  Baptist  church  in  this  city  was  organized 
on  the  second  Saturday  in  July,  1852,  by  Eld.  B.  McCord  Eob- 
erts, one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  Southwest  Missouri.  Mr. 
Eoberts  was  for  a  time  apresidingelderin  the  Methodist  church, 
but  a  short  time  before  this  had  become  a  Baptist.  For  furth- 
er notice  of  him,  see  Southwest  Missouri  Convention. 

In  1861  the  church  for  the  first  time  entered  their  new  house 
of  worship  which  they  commenced  to  build  in  1853.  Only  a  few 
months  after  the  soldiei'S  took  possession  of  the  house  for  for- 
age purposes,  and  no  meetings  were  held  from  1861  to  1866. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  1866,  the  church  was  reorganized 
with  13  members,  by  Eev.  E.  Alward.  There  were  eleven  con- 
stituent members  in  1852.  From  that  time  until  1861  the  pas- 
tors were  B.  McCord  Eoberts,  E.  Eaton,  Geo.  White  and  James 
Kennon.  Since  the  reorganization  in  1866  the  following  have 
filled  the  pastoral  office:  E.  Alward,  Charles  Whiting,  J.  C.  Ma- 
ple, J.  F.  Howard,  J.  D.  Biggs,  M.  D.  Beavan  and  J.  H.  Garnett. 
In  1882  the  numerical  strength  of  the  church  was  120. 

*  From  sketch  of  J.  H,  Garnett. 


CHAPTER  II. 


SPEING  EIYER  ASSOCIATION. 

Its  Fonnation — Location — Lunsford  Oliver — Customs — First  Preachers — Novel  Pro- 
ceedings— Revivals — Plan  of  Missions — Division  of  the  Association — Institution  of 
Learning — War  Period,  No  Meetings — A  Wise  Action — Second  Division — Shoal 
Creek  Association. 

THE  Spring  River  is  emphatically  one  of  the  pioneer  associ- 
ations of  Southwest  Missouri.  Its  organization  took  place 
at  a  school-house  in  what  was  then  Barry  County,  near  the  pres- 
ent Mt.  Olivet  Church,  Lawrence  County,  July  11, 1840.  Abram 
May  was  moderator  and  David  G-uthrie  clerk. 

"Only  ten  years  before  this,  the  first  white  man,  Lunsford  Oli- 
ver, a  native  of  Tennessee,  settled  in  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
located  in  what  is  now  Newton  County  and  had  no  neighbor 
within  forty -miles."     {CamphelVs  Gazetteer  of  Mo.,  p.  399.) 

Five  churches,  namely,  Liberty,  Freedom,  Peace,  Dripping 
Spring  and  Friendship  went  into  the  organization.  The  entire 
membership  was  91.  The  title  was  "  Spring  River  Association 
of  United  Baptists,"  and  owing  to  an  anti-missionary  spirit  en- 
tertained by  some  of  the  members,  a  resolution  was  adopted, 
agreeing  that  the  cause  of  missions  should  be  no  bar  to  fellow- 
ship, and  that  the  subject  should  not  be  stirred  in  the  associa- 
tion, but  that  each  church  be  left  free  to  think  and  act  as  she 
pleased.  (R.  J.  Dale,  clerk  of  the  association.)  The  first  annual 
session  was  held  in  October,  1840,  at  Liberty  Church  in  Barry 
County.  Abel  Lee  was  chosen  moderator;  clerk  same  as  in  July. 

In  1841  the  session  was  at  Freedom  Church,  when  Mt.  Pisgah 
and  Union  Churches  were  admitted  with  32  members. 

Peace  Church  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1842.  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Lost  Creek,  Prosperity  and  Bethlehem  Churches  were  received 
with  87  members.  This  year  Eld.  Snelling  Johnson,  messenger 
from  Concord  Association,  two  hundred  miles  distant,  visited  the 
association  and  preached  a  missionary  sermon  which  somewhat 
allayed  the  anti-missionary  spirit. 

The  fourth  annual  session  was  held  at  Dripping  Spring  Church 
in  Newton  County,  in  1843.  Eld.  Greenville  Spencer  preached 
the  introductory  sermon.     This  man  (though  uneducated)  was  a 


SPRING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION.  447 

power  in  the  bounds  of  the  association,  and  was  moderator  from 
1844  until  his  departure  for  Texas  in  1855.  The  meeting  in  1843 
was  not  much  more  than  an  annual  reunion,  but  little  business 
having  been  transacted.  Saturday  and  Sabbath  were  wholly  de- 
voted to  preaching;  Friday  and  Monday  to  the  hearing  of  the 
letters  from  the  churches  and  receiving  messengers  from  and  ap- 
pointing messengers  to  corresponding  associations.  From  Con- 
cord Association  three  correspondents  were  present,  viz. :  Elds. 
Snelling  Johnson,  K.  Scott  and  E.  Taylor;  also  one  from  Liberty 
— Elijah  Burch  ;  and  one  from  Blue  Eiver  Association — Eld.  John 
Farmer. 

"Agreed  to  set  apart  the  Fourth  of  July  next  as  a  day  of  fast- 
ing and  prayer  to  God."  Well  done!  Perhaps  it  were  better 
the  day  were  spent  in  like  manner  in  this  age. 

There  were  at  this  time  (1843)  eleven  churches  located  in  what 
are  now  Newton,  Jasper,  McDonald,  Barry  and  Lawrence  Coun- 
ties. 

Churches. — Liberty,  Friendship,  Peace,  Freedom,  Dripping 
Spring,  Mt.  Pisgah,  Union,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Lost  Creek,  Prosper- 
ity and  Bethlehem. 

Ministers. — G-reenville  Spencer,  W.  H.  Farmer,  G.  J.  Endicott, 
Abram  May,  J.  W.  Maxey  and  Samuel  Liles. 

Aggregate  membership,  239;  baptisms,  38;  contributions,  $9. 

The  fifth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Friendship,  in  Barry 
County,  the  first  Saturday  in  October,  1844.  Two  new  churches 
were  added,  viz.:  Enon  and  Crane  Creek.  There  had  been  106 
baptisms,  and  the  membership  had  increased  to  357,  One  church 
(Freedom)  more  than  doubled  its  membership,  having  added  46 
by  baptism. 

For  its  novelty,  we  record  here  the  following  action  taken  by 
the  association  at  its  meeting  in  1846: 

"Appointed  Brethren  W.  H.  Farmer,  A.  Brite,  E.  F.  Pinson 
Caleb  Martin,  W.  H.  Maxey,  Basil  Lewis,  Ellis  Neice,  Samuel 
Liles  and  T.  J.  Holman,  to  attend  at  Union  Church  on  the  first 
Friday  in  January  next,  and  to  dissolve  said  church,  if  they  think 
it  necessary." 

This,  of  course,  is  something  new  under  the  sun  in  relation  to 
Baptist  chxirch  polity.  If  any  power  on  earth  can  dissolve  a 
Baptist  church,  save  the  church  itself,  we  should  be  pleased  to 
witness  the  operation.  A  gospel  church  is  the  highest  ecclesias- 
tical power  known  among  men.  This  principle  is  as  old  as  the 
Christian  era. 


448  SPRING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

One  new  church  (Shoal  Creek)  was  admitted  in  1846,  and  two 
in  1847,  viz.:  Fellowship  and  Eamah.  The  total  membership 
was  511,  indicating  that  the  Spring  Eiver  fraternity  was  an  ag- 
gressive body,  even  in  its  youngest  days.  Still  greater  evidence 
of  its  evangelic  character  may  be  seen  in  the  doings  of  its  ninth 
annual  session,  at  Friendship  Church,  Lawrence  County,  in 
1848.     At  this  meeting  the  following  was  adopted  : 

"Agreed  to  open  correspondence  with  the  General  Associa- 
tion of  United  Baptists  of  the  State  of  Missouri;  and  that  we 
send  Brethren  J.  F.  Pinson  and  W.  H.  Farmer  as  delegates  to 
said  General  Association,  and  recommend  the  latter  to  the  pa- 
tronage of  said  association  as  a  preacher  to  ride  and  preach  in 
the  bounds  of  this  association,  and  that  we  send  the  sum  of 
$13.30  to  said  General  Association  by  the  hands  of  Eld.  D.  Stites." 

And  again  the  following  resolution  was  adopted  at  the  same 
session : 

^'Eesolved,  That  we  recommend  to  the  churches  of  this  associa- 
tion to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  sending  two  del- 
egates each  to  a  meeting  to  be  held  with  Fellowship  Church, 
commencing  Friday  before  the  first  Sunday  in  March,  1849,  and 
that  each  church  take  up  a  contribution  as  they  may  see  fit,  and 
send  the  same  to  the  above  named  meeting  to  be  disposed  of  in 
loosing  the  hands  of  some  of  our  ministers  to  preach  in  the 
bounds  of  this  association ;  also  that  each  church  take  action  to 
know  if  they  are  willing  that  the  funds  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
treasurer  be  used  for  the  same  purpose,  and  that  the  said  dele- 
gates be  authorized  to  make  choice  of  any  minister  they  may 
think  best  as  said  preacher."  (Minutes  Spring  Eiver  Association, 
1848,  pp.  3,  4.) 

The  table  in  this  year's  minutes  shows  an  increase  of  three 
new  churches,  viz.:  Elk  Eiver,  Ozark  and  Neosho ;  and  50  by 
baptism.  The  total  membership  was  now  545.  J.  F.  Pinson  and 
A.  Davidson  were  added  to  the  list  of  ministers. 

In  1849  one  new  church,  Shady  Grove,  made  application  and 
was  received.  The  revival  influence  extended  over  almost  the 
entire  association  and  was  fruitful  in  the  baptism  of  over  150 
converts,  all  of  whom  were  added  to  the  churches.  The  meeting 
was  held  this  year  with  Prosperity  Church  in  Newton  County. 

The  convention  arranged  for  last  year  met  at  Fellowship 
Church,  took  action,  and  sent  a  committee  to  this  meeting,  the 
report  of  which  was  received;  whereupon, 

"  The  association  agreed  to  spend  the  surplus  funds  now  in  the 


SPRING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION.  449 

hands  of  the  treasurer,  also  the  extra  contributions  sent  up  by 
the  churches,  in  employing  some  one  or  more  ministers  to  ride 
and  preach  in  the  bounds  of  the  association." 

In  1850  JSTew  Salem  and  Buck  Prairie  Churches  were  admitted 
into  fellowship.  The  session  was  held  at  Peace  Church,  Jasper 
County.  The  custom  of  meeting  on  Friday  and  adjourning  on 
Monday  continued;  Saturday  and  Sunday  being  spent  in  preach- 
ing and  other  religious  exercises. 

Another  missionary  convention  was  appointed  to  be  held  the 
following  December  with  Buck  Prairie  Church;  said  convention 
being  empowered  to  select  one  or  more  ministers  to  ride  as  itin- 
erants. The  churches  were  requested  to  make  collections  for 
said  purpose,  and  sent  two  messengers  to  the  convention.  All 
the  churches  report  baptisms  aggregating  69. 

In  1851  the  association  met  at  Neosho.  This  year  she  divided 
her  territory  into  four  districts,  and  appointed  in  each  an  execu- 
tive committee  of  five  to  superintend  the  missionary  work.  Said 
committees  had  power,  each  one  in  its  own  district,  to  select  a 
missionary  for  said  district,  fix  his  salary,  &c.  These  commit- 
tees were  required  to  make  an  annual  report  of  their  work  to  the 
association.  Prospect  and  Bethpage  Churches  were  admitted  into 
the  union  this  year.  The  churches  reported  80  baptisms.  Ag- 
gregate membership,  846. 

The  thirteenth  anniversary  was  held  in  1852  at  Shady  G-rove 
Church  in  Greene  County.  Applications  for  membership  pre- 
sented and  accepted  from  the  following  new  churches,  viz.:  Enon, 
Carthage  and  Mt.  Zion.  For  the  first  time  since  1843  the  consti- 
tution and  articles  of  faith  appear  in  the  minutes. 

In  1853  the  session  was  held  at  Fellowship  in  Lawrence  Coun- 
ty. The  associational  boundary  now  extended  over  the  counties 
of  Newton,  Jasper,  McDonald,  Christian,  Stone  and  Taney,  giv- 
ing rise  to  the  following  action  : 

"Took  up  the  request  of  the  churches  in  regard  to  a  division 
of  the  association,  and  agreed  to  divide,  the  line  designated  to 
be  as  follows:  commencing  at  the  northern  boundary  of  the  as- 
sociation, and  running  due  south  to  Arkansas,  so  as  to  leave  six 
miles  of  Lawrence  County  to  the  east  of  said  line.  The  churches 
west  of  said  line  to  retain  the  name  of  Spring  River  Association, 
and  those  east  of  said  line  to  be  given  letters  of  dismission" — six 
in  all.  These  formed  what  is  now  Southwest  Bethel  Association. 
At  this  meeting  the  foundation  of  an  institution  of  learning  was 
laid  in  the  following  language; 
29 


450  SPRING   RIVER  ASSOCIATION. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  as  an  association  will  establish  an  institu- 
tion of  learning  of  a  high  character,  and  appoint  Brethren  !N".  C. 
Hood,  Joseph  W.  Ellis,  Henry  C.  Lawler,  George  Bright  and 
James  F.  Herrall  a  committee,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  present 
some  plan  at  the  next  annual  meeting  of  this  association,  for  car- 
rying out  the  above  object." 

The  plan  of  districting  the  association  for  missionary  work  was 
discontinued  and  there  was  appointed  an  executive  committee 
for  the  entire  bounds,  consisting  of  W.  H.  Maxey,  G-eo.  Bright, 
John  McMahan,  N.  Eutledge  and  John  Colley.  The  churches  had 
154  accessions  by  baptism. 

Friendship,  Lawrence  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting  in 
1854.  By  a  vote  of  the  association  the  institution  of  learning 
was  located  at  or  near  Neosho,  Newton  County,  and  W.  H. 
Farmer  was  appointed  financial  agent  to  collect  funds  for  erect- 
ing suitable  buildings.  This  did  not  succeed,  and  in  1856  the  as- 
sociation proposed  to  locate  the  aforesaid  high  school  in  what- 
ever county  in  its  bounds  should  give  the  most  money  to  erect 
buildings,  &c.  In  1859  the  matter  was  indefinitely  postponed  j 
at  the  same  time  the  Spring  River  Association  made  this  proposi- 
tion to  the  Union  and  Bethel  (S.  W.)  Associations,  that  the  three 
would  unite  in  the  building  up  of  such  an  institution  at  some 
point  within  their  bounds.  The  Union  Association  responded  fa- 
vorably and  appointed  a  meeting  at  Springfield,  to  be  held  Octo- 
ber, 1860,  to  form  a  constitution  and  organize  an  educational 
board.  Further  than  this  we  can  get  no  information  from  the 
records  about  this  matter.  We  may  hear  of  this  institution  again. 

The  association  met  in  1855  at  Freedom  Church,  Jasper  Coun- 
ty, Indian  Creek,  Union,  Pineville  and  Sarcoxie  Churches  had 
been  added  since  the  division  in  1853.  The  total  membership  had 
again  reached  to  upwards  of  1,100.  During  the  year  there  were 
132  baptisms.  The  ministerial  force  had  been  increased  by  the 
following  additions:  A.Brown,  O.  Shirtliff,  T.  J.  Holman,  "W. 
B.  Taliaferro,  S.  L.  Beakley,  W.  McReynolds,  F.  J.  Oliver  and  J. 
Eobinson. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted : 

^^  Resolved,  That  we  advise  the  churches  of  this  association  to 
abandon  the  practice  of  receiving  members  from  pedobaptists, 
on  their  baptism,  or  from  any  other  unorthodox  denomination." 

In  1856  Limestone  Church,  Dade  County,  entertained  the  asso- 
ciation. Corresponding  messengers  were  present  from  Sac  Elver, 
Cedar  and  Mt.  Zion  Associations.    The  finance  committee  re- 


SPRING  RIVER    ASSOCIATION.  451 

ported  1103.71  in  the  treasury.  W.  H.  Farmer  rode  as  mission- 
ary. Eevivals  prevailed  in  almost  all  the  churches  and  were 
fruitful  in  246  baptisms.     Aggregate  membership,  1,347. 

In  1857  the  association  met  at  Prosperity  Church,  Newton 
County.  The  new  churches  received  were  as  follows :  Bethel, 
Eock  Spring,  Washburn,  Cassville  and  Newcite  in  Barry  County, 
and  Center  Creek  in  Lawrence  County.  The  association  opened 
correspondence  with  the  "Baptist  Convention  of  Southern  Mis- 
souri." Contributions  on  hand,  $131.24.  Baptisms,  142.  Total 
membership,  1,708. 

In  1859  Enon,  Jasper  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting.  Three 
new  churches — Antioch,  Elm  Spring  and  Coon  Creek — were  ad- 
mitted into  the  union ;  98  baptisms  were  reported ;  funds  on 
hand,  $205.45;  total  membership,  1,816. 

By  1860  the  membership  had  grown  to  2,044.  The  meeting  was 
held  with  Bethpage  Church,  McDonald  County.  (In  1861  mes- 
sengers were  present  from  only  5  churches  out  of  27,  and  no  busi- 
ness of  importance  was  done.  The  meeting  adjourned  indefin- 
itely.) 

In  1867,  upon  the  joint  call  of  the  Elm  Spring  and  Neosho 
Churches,  the  association  convened  with  the  last  named,  Septem- 
ber, 13,1867.     We  copy  from  the  records  as  follows: 

"  The  body  not  having  met  for  five  years,  an  hour  was  spent  in 
prayer  and  conference,  as  to  the  course  to  be  pursued." 

The  committee  on  credentials  reported  the  enrollment  of 
delegates,  by  the  following  resolution,  which  was  adopted  : 

^'Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  and  decision  of  this  committee, 
that  each  church  here  rej)resented,  located  within  the  bounds  of 
Spring  Eiver  Association,  be  entitled  to  a  seat  by  delegates,  pro- 
vided it  has  adopted  the  articles  of  faith  as  found  in  Brown's  En- 
cyclopedia of  Religious  Knowledge,  and  that  each  church  be  entitled 
to  three  votes." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  war  had  but  recently  closed, 
and  there  was  no  little  sectional  feeling  in  many  places.  The 
members  of  this  association  were  not  all  exempt  from  this  rule. 
This  fact  was  fully  demonstrated  in  a  request  sent  by  one  of  the 
churches  to  this  meeting.  It  was  doubtless  a  firebrand,  but  by 
the  prompt,  and,  we  think,  wise  and  discreet  action  of  the  asso- 
ciation, harmony  was  preserved,  and  prosperity  followed.  We 
give  the  facts  in  the  language  of  the  records : 

"Bethel  'Union  Baptist'  Church,  on  Lost  Creek,  presented 
her  letter  with  the  following  request : 


452  SPRING  RIVER  ASSOCIATION. 

''We  ask  your  body  to  request  the  different  churches  compos- 
ing your  body,  to  request  a  scriptural  acknowledgment  of  all  its 
members  that  went  into  the  rebellion. 

''  Whereupon,  Brother  Freeman  oifered  the  following  . 

^^  Resolved,  That  we  receive  the  Bethel  Church  upon  her  peti- 
tionary letter  and  articles  of  faith. 

"Adjourned  until  9  o'clock,  Saturday. 

"  Saturday  morning  session  opened,  &c. 

"  Brother  H.  Euark  called  for  a  division  of  the  question,  which 
consequently  was  soon  disposed  of,  as  follows  : 

"  1.  On  motion,  the  church  was  unanimously  received. 

"  2.  Resolved,  That  we  affectionately  request  the  Bethel  Church, 
on  Lost  Creek,  to  resume  the  name  she  formerly  held  while  a 
member  of  this  body,  viz.:  'United  Baptist.' 

"  3.  Resolved,  That  the  request  of  Bethel  Church  be  returned  to 
her." 

Thus  ended  a  matter  that  might  have  rent  the  association 
asunder  and  produced  alienation  throughout  her  borders. 

The  association  convened  with  Washbourne  Prairie  Church, 
September  18,  1868.  The  preceding  year  was  one  almost  unpre- 
cedented for  ingatherings — it  was  almost  Pentecostal.  The  im- 
mediate fruit  was  464  conversions  and  baptisms,  and  the  acces- 
sion of  9  new  churches  to  the  association. 

In  1869  the  meeting  was  held  at  Freedom  Church,  Jasper  Coun- 
ty. Another  year  of  revival ;  368  baptisms  and  9  new  churches 
indicate  the  results. 

In  1870  the  session  was  appointed  to  be  held  at  Mount  Zion 
Church  in  Newton  County. 

In  1871  the  association  met  at  Elm  Springs.  It  was  again 
found  to  be  too  large  for  convenience,  and  divided  its  territory, 
making  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Railroad  the  line  of  division. 
The  name  Spring  Eiver  was  retained  for  the  north  division.  Of 
the  42  churches  now  composing  the  association  20  were  retained 
in  the  old  organization,  and  22  formed  the  "  Shoal  Creek  Asso- 
ciation," an  account  of  which  will  be  found  in  another  place. 
Just  prior  to  the  division  the  Spring  River  Association  number- 
ed 2,220  members. 

From  1871  to  1881  the  association  continued  its  regular  ses- 
sions. In  September  of  the  year  last  named  it  met  at  Avilla  in 
Jasper  County,  and  was  presided  over  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Wheeler. 
Six  of  the  25  churches  failed  to  give  full  statistics.  The  total 
membership  of  the  19  that  did  was  1,049.     She  then  had  18  or- 


SlPRING   RIVER   ASSOCIATION^  463 

dained  and  7  licensed  ministers.  The  executive  board  consisted 
of  J.  Tol  Miller,  J.  M.  Wheeler,  M.  Williams,  E.  J.  Dale  and 
Simpson  Smith. 


CHAPTER  in. 


NOETH   GEAND   EIYEE  AND    OTHEE  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Organization — A  Blunder  and  How  Mended — Voluntary  Missions — Great  Territory 
— Family  Prayer,  Circular  Letter  On — The  Colony  of  Ten  Churches — Endorses 
the  Test  Oath — Chesley  Woodward — W.  Herron — J.  G.  Benson — Trenton,  Lin- 
neus,  Union,  Pleasant  Grove,  ilt.  Nebo,  Providence,  Liberty,  Parson's  Creek,  Chil- 
licothe  and  Mt.  Olive  Churches — Lixn  County  Association — Litingston  Coun- 
ty Association — W.  W.  Walden. 

IN  February,  1841,  messengers  from  three  small  churches  met 
at  the  house  of  Wm.  Mabley  in  Livingston  County  (another  in- 
formant says  at  Mr.  Culverson's),  and  organized  the  North  G-rand 
Eiver  Association  of  United  Baptists.*  The  churches  were  Lo- 
cust Creek  (now  Linneus),  Carrollton  and  Salt  Creek,  the  aggre- 
gate membership  of  which  was  about  100.  A.  D.  Eock  of  Car- 
rollton was  the  moderator,  and  John  Gr.  Flourney  was  clerk. 
One  article  in  the  constitution  read  thus :  "We  will  not  be  known 
as  a  missionary  or  as  an  anti-missionary  association."  This  sen- 
timent was  prevalent  until  about  the  year  1845.  This  year  the 
Trenton  Church,  in  its  letter  to  the  association,  sent  the  follow- 
ing query:  "What  can  be  done  to  supply- the  destitute  portions 
of  the  association  with  the  preached  gospel  ?"  The  subject  was 
discussed  kindly  and  freely,  and  the  conclusion  was  finally  reach- 
ed that  the  constitution  forbade  any  action  favorable  to  missions 
further  than  to  request  Eld.  A.  F.  Martin  to  travel  and  preach, 
while  the  churches  were  recommended  to  sustain  him.  In  1846 
the  association  met  at  Yellow  Creek  Church  in  Linn  County. 
Such  had  been  the  development  of  the  missionary  spirit  under 
the  labors  of  Eld.  Martin  and  others,  that  at  this  session  the 
messengers  contributed  liberally  and  employed  Eld.  Kemp  Scott 
to  ride  as  an  itinerant  at  a  salary  of  S18  a  month.  He  spent 
much  of  the  year  in  preaching,  and  at  the  session  of  1847,  held 
at  Zoar  Church,  Harrison  County,  he  read  his  report  by  permis- 
sion, giving  an  account  of  97  baptisms  during  the  year.  These 
things  gave  a  decisive  turn  to  matters,  the  aforesaid  article  was 
expunged  from  the  constitution  by  an  overwhelming  majority, 

*  The  facts  pertaining  to  the  organization  of  this  body  have  been  furnished  by  Eld. 
A.  F.  Martin  and  Bro.  W.  H.  Kobertson. 


NORTH    GRAND   RIVER   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  455 

and  the  association  took  positive  ground  on  the  missionary  ques- 
tion, and  has  been,  from  that  time  on,  an  aggressive,  evangelical 
body. 

Among  the  ministers  of  this  institution  may  be  mentioned  the 
names  of  A.  F.  Martin,  Elijah  Merrill,  J.  M.  Goodson,  W.  C. 
Ligon,  John  Kurl,  Thomas  Barbee,  Kemp  Scott,  Jesse  Goin, 
Henry  M.  Henderson,  Edward  Benson,  Paul  McCollum,  W.  W. 
Walden,  L.  L.  Wellman,  W.  S.  Huif,  Z.  Goin  and  H.  H.  Turner. 
Numbered  with  the  active  laymen  in  the  early  days  of  the  asso- 
ciation, were  John  and  Augustus  Flourney,  Thomas  Barley, 
William  Burt,  Frank  Preston,  Ephraim  Huff,  Samuel  Benson, 
Edward  Benson,  William  Benson,  James  G.  Benson,  Eobert 
Benson,  Isaac  Henderson,  Henry  M.  Henderson,  James  R.  Mer- 
rill, James  Cash  and  W.  H.  Robertson,  a  number  of  ■whom  have 
crossed  over  the  river  and  rest  from  their  labors. 

This  association  has  been  a  prolific  institution,  having  contri- 
buted to  the  formation  of  five  other  bodies  of  the  same  kind, 
viz. :  West  Fork,  Missouri  Valley,  Locust  Fork,  Livingston 
County  and  Linn  County  Associations.  It  increased  in  minis- 
terial and  numerical  strength,  its  territory  all  the  Avhile  widen- 
ing, until,  in  1854,  its  boundary  extended  from  the  Missouri  Riv- 
er on  the  south  to  the  Iowa  state  line  on  the  north.  At  this 
time  it  was  composed  of  the  following 

Churches. — Big  Creek,  75;  Carrollton,  63;  Chillicothe  No.  1, 
46;  ChillicotheNo.  2,  67;  Deep  Spring,  59;  Fairland,  66;  Indian 
Creek,  28;  Liberty,  43;  Linneus,  116;  Little  Ridge,  27;  Mount 
Nebo,  47;  Mount  Pleasant  No.  1,  55;  Mount  Olive,  57;  Mount 
Pleasant  No.  2,  41 ;  Parson's  Creek,  56;  Princeton,  69;  Provi- 
dence, 35;  Trenton,  154;  Utica,  60;  Wyaconda,  49;  Yellow 
Creek,  60 ;  Zoar,  47  ;  Hurricane,  17 ;  and  Mount  Zion,  23  ;  total 
membership,  1,316. 

Brethren  Goins,  Brashear  and  Scott  had  labored  as  mission- 
aries, reporting  about  16  months  of  labor  and  92  baptisms;  also 
great  destitution  in  the  extensive  bounds  of  the  association. 
Amount  expended  for  missions  was  $419.70. 

In  1855  the  fourteenth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Fairland  in 
Livingston  County.  Three  new  churches,  New  Garden,  McCros- 
ky's  Creek  and  De  Witt,  were  admitted  into  the  union.  By  au- 
thority of  the  body,  a  public  collection,  amounting  to  $17.66, 
was  made  on  Sunday  for  missions.  This  year  the  churches  gave 
for  the  same  purpose  $156.15,  and  individuals  $52.50. 

In  1856  the  association  met  at  Carrollton,  Carroll  County,  and 


456  NORTH    GRAND   RIVER   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

the  custom  of  writing  circular  letters  was  revived.  This  yeai* 
it  was  on  the  subject  of  "  Prayer."  Family  prayer  was  special- 
ly urged.  The  following  paragraph  in  the  circular  is  noteworthy  j 

"  In  the  primitive  ages  of  the  Christian  church,  when  the  peo- 
ple of  God  were  environed  by  enemies,  sympathy  and  affection 
drew  them  together;  and,  as  a  common  means  of  defense,  they 
habitually  engaged  in  united,  fervent  prayer,  in  answer  to  which 
they  were  not  only  often  delivered  out  of  the  hands  of  their  en- 
emies, but  God  answered  their  prayers  by  adding  to  their  num- 
bers such  as  should  be  saved.  Alas  !  how  far  short  of  primitive 
Christianity  many  of  the  churches  of  the  present  day  have  fal- 
len! Then  they  statedly  met,  at  least  weeklj",  for  social  wor- 
ship ;  now,  many,  very  many,  are  the  churches  which  live  habit- 
ually without  so  much  as  an  effort  to  revive  that  ancient  order  of 
things.  *  *  *  Even  a  casual  observer  will  easily  detect  the  dif- 
ference existing  between  such  churches  and  those  who  'forsake 
not  the  assembling  of  themselves  together'." 

Even  now  the  indifference  of  churches  upon  this  subject  is  ut- 
terly astounding.  When  will  the  people  of  God  arise  to  a  pro- 
per conception  of  their  obligations,  and  learn  to  meet  every 
Lord's  day  to  worship  Him  and  to  study  the  Scriptures.  We  have 
met  with  no  association  in  which  the  churches  of  North  Grand 
River  Association  have  been  surpassed  in  liberality  for  the  cause 
of  Christ. 

In  1859  the  session  was  held  at  Linneus.  The  association  now 
numbered  34  churches  and  1,988  members.  Contributions,  1494.65. 

In  1860  a  colony  of  ten  churches  in  Carroll  County  was  sent 
out  to  form  a  new  association  (see  Missouri  Valley  Association). 
This  year  the  meeting  was  held  at  Princeton,  Mercer  County. 

There  having  been  no  session  held  since  1861,  the  association 
met  August  26,  1865,  at  Trenton,  Grundy  Count}',  at  the  request 
of  the  church  in  that  place.  13  of  the  24  churches  failed  to  send 
messengers.  The  aggregate  membership  of  those  that  reported 
was  889.  Three  messengers,  viz.:  P.  McCollum,  A.  F.  Martin 
and  Wm.  Hildreth,  were  appointed  to  attend  the  meeting  of 
the  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention  at  Palmyra  the  following 
September.  The  association  expressed  itself  thus  on  the  "Test 
Oath :" 

'^Whereas,  Questions  have  arisen  in  regard  to  the  position  we 
as  an  association  will  take  with  reference  to  ministers  and  dea- 
cons taking  the  oath  as  required  by  the  constitution  of  the  state 
of  Missouri,  and  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  our  position;  therefore, 


North  grand  river  and  other  associations.  457 

'■^Resolved,  That  we  as  an  association  advise  all  ministers,  dea- 
cons and  trustees  within  our  bounds  to  comply  with  the  require- 
ment of  said  constitution." 

In  1866  the  session  was  held  at  Chillicothe.  Here  a  Sunday- 
school  convention  was  formed  which  was  two  years  in  advance 
of  the  state  Sunday-school  convention.  E.  J.  Scott  was  the  pres- 
ident and  H.  H.  Turner  secretary.  Also  at  this  meeting  H.  H. 
Turner  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  by  an  "ecclesiastical  coun- 
cil" composed  of  the  ministers  present. 

In  1868  the  association  met  again  at  Linneus,  and  by  resolution 
declared  that  all  moneys  raised  by  public  collections  should  be 
for  associational  missions  only. 

In  the  session  of  1871,  held  at  Trenton,  a  motion  prevailed 
that  brethren  be  requested  to  make  pledges  for  their  churches 
for  the  support  of  home  missions.  In  such  cases  it  was  exj)ect- 
ed  that  the  messengers  would  pay  the  amount  if  the  churches 
failed  to  do  so.  It  was,  however,  generally  understood  that  the 
church  was,  in  honor,  bound  to  pay  the  amounts. 

Between  the  meetings  of  1872  and  1873  the  most  of  the  church- 
es in  Livingston  and  Linn  Counties,  by  permission  of  the  asso- 
ciation, organized  new  interests,  which  left  only  14  churches  in 
the  North  Grand  Eiver  Association.  In  1872  Grand  Eiver  Col- 
lege was  adopted  by  the  association.  This  body  in  1881  aggre- 
gated 15  churches  and  1,221  members. 

"Chesley  "Woodward, — one  of  the  ministers  of  North  Grand 
Eiver  Association,  was  born  in  the  state  of  Kentucky  in  1799, 
where  he  spent  his  early  life.  In  1820  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Blankenship,  a  few  years  after  which  he  removed  to  Indiana  and 
resided  there  some  19  years,  preaching  to  four  and  five  churches 
regularly.  Thence  he  moved  to  Davis  County,  Iowa,  where  he 
spent  some  six  years  dispensing  the  gospel.  From  there  he  mov- 
ed to  Missouri,  settled  near  Cainsville,  Mercer  County,  where  he 
labored  several  years,  and  then  removed  to  the  centre  of  the 
county,  near  Princeton,  preaching  for  that  and  surrounding 
churches  for  a  few  years,  when  he  located  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county,  near  Eavanna,  of  which  church  he  was  the  beloved  pas- 
tor, and  where  he  finished  his  earthly  race. 

"  Elder  Woodward  was  a  faithful  sentinel  on  the  walls  of  Zion, 
giving  forth  no  uncertain  sound,  and  never  disappointing  a  con- 
gregation.    He  leaves  two  sons  in  the  ministry. 

"  He  died  at  his  residence  near  Eavanna,  Mo.,  early  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week  February  18,  1877,  being  in  the  79th  year  of  his 


458  NORTH    GRAND   RIVER  AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

age,  and  the  49th  year  of  his  Christian  ministry."  (From  the 
Minutes  of  North  Grand  River  Association,  1877,  p.  8.) 

George  "Washington  Herron. — This  minister  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  Henry  County,  November 
21,  1818,  and  when  six  years  of  age  with  his  parents  moved  to 
and  settled  in  Decatur  County,  Indiana.  In  July,  1835,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Eliza  Ann  Smith,  who  died  March  3,  1859.  He 
was  again  married  the  25th  of  the  following  September  to  Miss 
Catherine  Burton,  and  in  the  year  1869  removed  to  Wayne  Coun- 
ty, Iowa,  and  ten  years  afterwards  to  Grundy  County,  Missouri. 

*'  He  was  converted  and  united  with  the  Baptists  in  his  18th 
year,  entered  the  ministry  in  his  25th  year  and  was  regarded  a 
faithful  worker  in  the  denomination  until  his  death. 

"  On  the  11th  day  of  September,  1880,  he  died  at  his  home 
near  Spickardsville,  Grundy  County.  This  was  the  first  day  of 
the  meeting  of  the  North  Grand  Eiver  Association,  and  when 
the  news  was  received  of  his  death,  business  was  suspended,  and 
the  association  united  in  prayer,  led  by  Eld.  H.  H.  Turner." 
(From  the  Minutes  of  Xorth  Grand  River  Association,  1880,  p.  7.) 

Deacon  James  G.  Benson — was  born  in  1813,  in  Worcester  Coun- 
ty, Maryland,  where  he  spent  his  early  life.  In  the  year  1837 
he  emigrated  to  and  settled  iu  Grundj'-  County,  Missouri,  and  in 
1840  he  united  with  the  Trenton  Baptist  Church,  of  which  he 
remained  a  faithful,  devoted  and  consistent  member  until  his 
death — thirty-eight  years — during  the  mostof  which  time  he  fill- 
ed the  ofiice  of  deacon  with  universal  acceptance  with  his  breth- 
ren. He  possessed  the  Scripture  qualification  for  the  deacon's 
ofiice,  viz. :  "  Of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  wis- 
dom," *'  holding  the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure  conscience." 

He  was  twice  married  and  left  the  widow  of  his  second  mar- 
riage and  a  number  of  children,  several  of  whom  are  members 
of  the  church.  He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  at  his  residence  in  Tren- 
ton, on  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  November  23,  1878.  (Min- 
utes JV.  G.  R.  Association,  1879,  p.  21.) 

Trenton  Baptist  Church. — This  church,  formerly  called  Wash- 
ington Baptist  Church,  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1837,  un- 
der a  large  elm  tree  one-half  mile  south  of  Trenton,  on  the  bank 
of  North  Grand  River,  in  whose  waters  thousands  of  willing 
converts  have  been  baptized.  Elijah  Merrill  was  the  only  min- 
ister present  at  the  organization.  He  was  formerly  from  Mary- 
land. This  church  held  aloof  from  the  association  for  several 
years,  having  heard  that  it  was  "not  sound  in  the  faith." 


NORTH    GRAND    RIVER    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  459 

Carrollton  Church. — (The  history  of  this  body  will  be  given 
in  the  sketch  of  Missouri  Yalley  Association.) 

LiNNEUs  Church, — (formerly  called  Locust  Creek),  was  in  the 
organization  of  the  North  Grand  River  Association  in  1841, 
but  how  long  prior  to  this  date  it  was  formed  we  have  been  un- 
able to  ascertain.     Its  membership  in  1878  was  100. 

Union  Church. — This  body  now  meets  some  six  or  eight 
miles  north  from  Chillicothe.  It  was  organized  in  that  town  by 
Elijah  Merrill,  in  1840,  with  10  constituent  members.  (From  the 
MS.  of  W.  H.  Robertson.)  Eld.  Merrill  filled  the  pastoral  of- 
fice until  1845,  and  was  succeeded  by  H.  M.  Henderson. 

Pleasant  Grove  Church,  —  is  situated  in  Sullivan  County, 
and  was  organized  October,  1843,  of  9  members,  by  Eld.  A.  F. 
Martin,  who  became  the  first  minister.  In  1867  the  church  built 
a  frame  house  of  worship,  24x36  feet,  at  a  cost  of  $800,  In  1881 
the  church  numbered  only  35  members. 

Mt.  Nebo  Church. — Eld.  A.  F.  Martin  gathered  9  members 
into  an  organization  with  this  name,  June  25,  1843.  The  meet- 
ing place  is  in  Linn  County,  twelve  miles  north  of  Linneus,  the 
county  seat.  In  1861  this  church  was  broken  up,  numbering  at 
the  time  59  members.  It  was  reorganized  in  November,  1870, 
with  19  of  the  old  members,  and  two  years  afterwards  formed  a 
Baptist  Sunday-school.     The  first  pastor  was  Alton  F.  Martin. 

Providence. — On  the  1st  of  September,  1844,  this  church  was 
formed  by  H.  M.  Henderson,  with  9  members.  It  was  at  first  in 
Grundy  County,  but  is  now  in  Mercer.  Ira  Blakely  became 
their  first  minister,  and  so  continued  twelve  years.  In  1870  it 
met  in  a  school-house. 

Liberty  Church — was  organized  by  Edward  Benson,  August 
2,  1846,  who  became  at  once  the  pastor.  The  church  worships 
in  a  frame  house,  35x40  feet,  erected  in  1856  at  a  cost  of  $500, 
and  is  situated  near  Alpha,  Grundy  County.  Our  correspond- 
ent, W.  H.Robertson,  is  a  member  of  this  church.  It  is  among 
the  larger  churches  in  the  association,  numbering  131  members 
in  1881. 

Parson's  Creek  Church, — ten  miles  southwest  of  Linneus, 
Linn  County,  5rst  met  as  a  church  in  June,  1847,  having  com- 
menced with  7  members.  It  has  a  commodious  house  of  wor- 
ship, built  in  1858,  which  cost  $1,150.  This  body  now  belongs  to 
the  Linn  County  Association. 

Chillicothe. — What  is  now  called  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
Chillicothe,  was  organized  on  the  fourth  Sunday  in  March,  1848, 


460  NORTH    GRAND    RIVER   AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

by  Elds.  Kemp  Scott  and  W.  W.  Walden.  13  members  were  in 
the  organization.  Eld.  Walden  became  their  minister,  and  so 
continued  ten  years.  His  successors  have  been  S.  A.  Beau- 
champ,  J.  B.  Puqua,  "Wm.  Hildreth,  Jas.  S.  Green  and  G-.  W.  Eog- 
ers.  This  church  is  now  in  the  Livingston  County  Association, 
and  had  a  membership  of  151  at  the  date  of  our  last  inform- 
ation. 

Mount  Olive.— On  the  8th  of  June,  1849,  Eld.  Kemp  Scott 
formed  this  church.  Eight  persons  signed  the  covenant.  The 
first  pastor  was  Jesse  Goin,  for  nine  years,  and  he  was  then  suc- 
ceeded by  A.  E.  Martin.  In  1871  it  had  an  unfinished  frame 
church  edifice,  30x40,  then  valued  at  S400.  It  is  in  Linn  Coun- 
ty, belongs  to  the  association  of  that  name,  and  has  190  mem- 
bers, being  the  largest  in  the  association. 

LINN   COUNTY  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Linn  County  Baptist  Association  is  an  ofi'shoot  of  the 
North  Grand  Eiver  Association,  having  been  organized  of  church- 
es dismissed  from  that  body  November  2,  1872.  The  meetingfor 
this  purpose  was  held  at  Linneus.  The  following  were  the  con- 
stituent churches:  Linneus,  New  Garden,  Parson's  Creek,  Mt. 
Olive,  Noi'th  Salem,  Pleasant  Grove  and  Mt.  Nebo.  Two  others 
(Ebenezer  and  Grove  Hill)  came  into  the  union  at  the  first  regu- 
lar meeting.  The  entire  membership  of  these  churches  was  538. 
The  constitution  and  rules  of  decorum  of  the  mother  association 
were  adopted,  after  changing  the  name  in  Art.  1  of  the  constitu- 
tion. As  an  expression  of  its  faith  the  association  adopted  the 
New  Hampshire  confession  as  found  in  the  Encyclopedia  of  Relig- 
ious Knowledge. 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  at  Linneus,  commencing  Sept. 
27, 1873,  when  Eld.  A.  F.  Martin  preached  the  opening  sermon 
from  John  18  ;  36:  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  Eld.  A. 
F.  Martin  was  elected  moderator,  J.  M.  Cornett  treasurer,  and 
L.  E.  Martin  clerk.  The  ministers  were  A.  F.  Martin,  Jesse 
Goin,  Z.  Goin,  L.  Wellman  and  E.  J.  Scott.  Licentiates:  John 
Walkup,  William  Burt,  S.  S.  Childers,  L.  D.  Lamkin,  J.  M.  P. 
Martin  and  L.  E,  Martin. 

At  this  session,  on  Sunday,  the  28th,  a  district  Sunday-school 
convention  was  organized  by  electing  W.  D.  Crandall,  Jr.,  pres- 
ident, John  Eawlins,  secretary,  and  W.  S.  McClanahan,  treasur- 
er, and  one  vice-president  in  each  church.  Also,  on  Monday,  the 
last  day  of  the  session,  a  ministers'  and  deacons'  conference  was 
formed  and  agreed  to  meet  on  the  day  preceding  the  next  an- 


NORTH    GRAND    RIVER    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  461 

nual  meeting  of  the  association.  The  object  of  the  conference 
was  the  mutual  edification  of  one  another,  by  an  interchange  of 
sentiments  in  essays,  discussions,  &c. 

In  1876  the  association  met  at  Browning,  when  one  new  church 
(Bethel)  was  received. 

The  fifth  anniversary  (1877)  was  held  with  New  Garden  Church, 
Brookfield.  Two  churches  ("White  Oak  Hill  from  Mt.  Pleasant 
Association  and  Meadville,  organized  March  4,  1877)  applied 
for  membership  and  were  received  at  this  meeting.  This  increas- 
ed the  number  of  churches  to  14.  Baptisms  during  the  year  134 ; 
receipts,  $84.70  ;  total  membership,  1,085. 

In  1878  the  meeting  was  at  Yellow  Creek  Church,  with  the  us- 
ual order  of  business. 

The  strength  of  the  association  in  1879  was  some  less  than  it 
was  two  years  before,  being  975,  but  the  number  of  churches 
was  the  same — 14. 

LIVINGSTON  COUNTY  ASSOCIATION. 

Pursuant  to  an  action  of  the  North  Grand  Eiver  Association, 
and  of  churches  dismissed  from  that  body,  the  Livingston  Coun- 
ty Baptist  Association  was  organized  at  Chillicothe  in  the  fall  of 
1872.  Constituent  churches  :  Chillicothe,  Mount  Pleasant,  Har- 
mony, Zion,  Union  and  "Wheeling  —  all  in  Livingston  County. 
Aggregate  membership,  about  650.  The  third  meeting  in  1875 
was  also  held  at  Chillicothe,  when  the  Fairland,  Utica  and  Dawn 
Churches  withdrew  from  the  Missouri  Yalley  Association  and 
united  with  this.  The  ministers  in  the  organization  were  F.  M. 
"Wadley,  James  Turner  and  W.  W.  Walden. 

The  fourth  anniversary  was  held  at  Utica,  commencing  Sep- 
tember 15,  1876.  Farmersville  Church  made  application  and 
was  received.  There  were  now  11  churches  and  905  members. 
Contributions  to  the  association  fund,  $173.70.  They  agreed  to 
adopt  Grand  Eiver  College,  and  appointed  "W.  T.  Harper  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  trustees  of  said  institution.  The  missionary 
work  was  committed  to  an  executive  board  consisting  of  Robert 
Filby,  W.  S.  Morgan,  A.  S.  Cloud,  J.  K.  Stone  and  John  S.  Har- 
per, together  with  an  agent  in  each  church. 

The  Mt.  Pleasant  Church  entertained  the  fifth  session  in  Sep- 
tember, 1877.  Eleven  churches  sent  messengers  representing  a 
constituency  of  916.     Receipts,  $98.10. 

In  the  minutes  of  this  meeting  we  find  published  a  permanent 
order  of  business  in  lieu  of  the  annual  appointment  of  a  commit- 
tee of  arrangements.    This  is  a  method  of  work  desirable  in  all 


462  NORTH    GRAND   RIVER   AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

institutions  of  this  kind.  This  movement  was  inaugurated  by  J. 
J.  Felts,  a  minister  then  late  from  Kentucky. 

In  1878  the  association  met  with  the  Dawn  Church,  Officers : 
"W.  W.  "Walden,  moderator;  W.  T.  Harper  and  I.  E.  M.  Beeson, 
clerks.  Pastors:  E.  M.  Eichardson,  J.  J.  Felts,  W.  W.  Walden, 
I.  E.  M.  Beeson,  James  Turner,  B.  Eobinson,  A.  Hunt  and  jN".  M. 
Allen. 

The  seventh  annual  meeting  (1879)  was  held  at  Union  Church. 
Only  10  churches  reported,  the  numerical  strength  of  which  was 
955.  Intense  earnestness  was  manifested  throughout  the  proceed- 
ings in  all  the  objects  for  which  Baptists  meet  together  to  pray 
and  labor  J  such  as  home  missions,  foreign  missions,  Bible  cause, 
Bible  schools,  denominational  literature  and  schools  and  colleges. 

Considering  its  strength  and  its  facilities,  this  association  is 
doing  a  good  work  in  the  defense  and  promotion  of  a  pure  faith. 

William  W.  Walden. — This  brother  stands  among  the  oldest 
native  Missouri  Baptist  ministers,  having  been  born  in  Howard 
County,  January  19,  1823.  He  is  of  Scotch  and  Welsh  ancestrj^. 
He  was  converted  in  1838 ;  was  married  June  1,  1843,  and  the 
following  year  moved  to  Livingston  County.  He  and  his  wife 
were  constituents  of  the  Fairland  Baptist  Church,  Livingston 
County,  in  1847,  and  the  year  after,  by  the  same  church,  was  li- 
censed and  then  ordained  as  a  gospel  minister.  He  emphatically 
founded  the  Baptist  church  at  Chillicothe,  and  has  given  his  life 
to  the  building  up  of  Baptist  interests  in  that  section  of  Missouri, 
having  been  pastor  of  Fairland,  Chillicothe,  Parson's  Creek, 
Union,  Liberty,  Linneus,  Mt.  Olive,  Hurricane,  Ebenezer,  Mead- 
ville  and  Chariton  Churches,  the  last  named  in  his  native  coun- 
ty. One  element  in  his  success  has  been  the  keeping  of  his 
churches  well  disciplined  and  united.  Though  almost  60  years 
old   his  zeal  is  unabated  in  his  Master's  cause. 


CHAPTER  IV 


MOUNT  ZION  AND  OTHEE  ASSOCIATIONS. 

How  jVIt.  Zion  Originated — When  Formed — Sweeping  Condemnation  of  the  Mission- 
ary Enterprise — Henry  Avery,  Arrival  in  Missouri — John  Warder,  the  Pioneer  of 
Lafayette  County — Platte  Kiter  Association  or  "Kegular"  Baptists — 
Nodaway  Association — Osage  Association  of  Baptists. 

THE  origin  of  Mount  Zion  Association  is  due  to  a  division  in 
the  Blue  Eiver  Association  on  the  missionary  question  in 
18-il,  an  account  of  which  has  been  given  in  the  history  of  the 
last  named  body.  Four  churches,  viz.:  Big  Sniabar,  Mt.  Zion, 
Mt.  Pleasant  and  Bethlehem,  and  majorities  from  Big  Blue  and 
Little  Blue,  met  at  Mt.  Zion,  the  fourth  Saturda}'-  in  March,  1842, 
formed  the  Mount  Zion  Association,  and  took  the  name  "Eegu- 
lar  Baptists."  The  ministers  were  John  Warder  (the  moderator), 
Gr.  Fitzhugh  and  Henry  Avery. 

The  association  declared  non-fellowship  for  all  churches  that 
gave  countenance  to  what  they  called  *' benevolent  institutions, 
such  as  Bible  societies,  missionary  societies  and  kindred  agen- 
cies." The  following  is  her  own  language  on  the  subject :  "In 
order  that  our  brethren  and  the  community  in  general  may  know 
what  we  believe  in  regard  to  those  modern  institutions  that  now 
exist — 

"  1st.  This  association  believes  that  all  societies  or  combina- 
tions of  men,  professing  for  their  object  the  promotion  of  Grod's 
kingdom  and  the  spiritual  good  of  man  (except  the  church  of 
Christ  and  civil  government)  are  unauthorized  by  the  word  of 
God  and  are  a  fruitful  source  of  contention  and  strife, — such  as 
foreign  and  domestic  missionary  societies,  Bible  and  tract  socie- 
ties. Sabbath-schools,  state  conventions,  &c. ;  all  of  which  we  be- 
lieve are  unscriptural  and  anti-Christian  in  their  origin,  opera- 
tion and  tendency. 

"  2d.  As  such,  we  will  not  fellowship  them,  nor  admit  to  our 
church  privileges  any  that  belong  to  them."  {Minutes  Mt.  Zion 
Association,  1859,  p.  12.)' 

Eelative  to  the  above  we  submit  two  questions  : 

1st.  How  does  civil  government  promote  the  spiritual  good  of 
men? 


464 


MT.    ZION   AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 


2d.  Is  there  not  as  much  Bible  authority  for  the  existence  of 
missionary  societies  as  there  is  for  Baptist  associations? 

Coming  from  an  association,  for  which  no  one  can  claim  any 
direct  Bible  authority,  are  not  such  denunciations  as  the  forego- 
ing ill-timed  and  unaccountable? 

One  by  one,  such  churches  as  were  in  sympathy  with  the  non- 
aggressive  and  non-fellowshipping  policy,  united  with  the  asso- 
ciation, until  there  had  been  connected  with  it  in  all  eighteen 
churches,  situated  in  the  counties  of  Johnson,  Lafayette,  Jackson, 
Cass,  Bates,  Benton  and  Henry. 

Its  faith  was,  in  the  main,  in  harmony  with  the  great  Baptist 
family,  but  its  policy  was  withering  and  blighting,  as  may  be 
seen  from  its  records. 

The  minutes  of  1859  are  upon  our  table.  They  are  contained 
in  a  pamphlet  of  12  pages,  and  give  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — Big  Sniabar,  Mt.  Zion,  Sardis,  Bethlehem,  Virginia 
Grove,  Walnut  Brunch,  Muddy  Fork,  Charity,  Oak  Grove  and 
Freedom.  These  churches  reported  no  more  than  three  baptisms 
and  a  total  membership  of  171.     Contributions,  $10.60. 

Ministers. — Joseph  Warder,  Wm.  C.  Garrett,  Martin  Corder  and 
James  Teague. 

At  that  time  the  association  corresponded  with  Fishing  Eiver, 
Mt.  Pleasant  (Old  School),  Nodaway  and  Salem  Associations. 

From  the  MS.  of  Eld.  Joseph  Warder,  the  moderator,  we  learn 
that  of  the  18  churches  once  belonging  to  Mt.  Zion  Association, 

two  have  joined  Creek  Association;  one,  Cold   Spring, 

went  to  Fishing  Eiver,  subsequently  withdrew,  and  now  belongs 
to  no  association;  Dry  Wood  united  with  Turkey  Creek  Associa- 
tion; Bethlehem  and  Sardis  consolidated;  Big  Blue  and  Mount 
Pleasant  dissolved;  and  Mt.  Zion  was  dropped;  which  leaves 
nine  churches  in  the  association  now,  with  a  membership  of  from 
three  to  four  hundred,  and  six  ordained  and  three  licensed  min- 
isters. 

Henry  Avery.* — When  the  Blue  Eiver  Association  was  rent 
asunder  in  1841,  Henry  Avery  was  one  of  the  three  preachers 
that  took  ground  against  missions  and  went  into  another  organ- 
ization.  He  was  born  in  Eoane  County,  Tenn.,  October  18,  1793, 
and  was  raised  a  farmer.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Greene 
when  he  was  about  21  years  old,  and  raised  a  family  of  four  sons 
and  two  daughters.  Messrs.  A.  C.  and  J.  M.  Avery  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  Clinton,  Mo.,  are  sons  of  his. 
*  Abridged  from  the  MS.  furuished  by  the  son,  A.  C.  Avery,  of  Clinton,  Mo. 


MT.    ZION   AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  465 

In  1830  he  emigrated  to  Missouri.  Spending  a  season  in  St. 
Louis  County,  he  continued  his  course  westward,  raised  a  crop 
in  Morgan  County,  and  thence  moved  to  what  is  now  Henry 
County  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
to  this  county,  being  among  the  first  emigrants.  He  built  the 
first  hewed  log-house  ever  erected  in  the  county,  in  which  Hon. 
Chas.  Allen,  of  Palmyra,  held  the  first  circuit  court  in  the  coun- 
ty, in  1834. 

Henry  Avery  became  a  Baptist  in  1826,  in  Tennessee,  having 
united  with  Big  Fork  Church.     He  became  one  of  the  constitu- 
ent members  of  High  Point  Church,  Johnson  County,  in  1832,  by 
which  church  he  was  ordained  a  preacher  in  the  followiug  spring 
by  Elds.  J.  Warder,  J.  White,  Thos.  Eicketts  and  Wm.  Simpson. 

From  this  time,  until  his  death,  though  called  an  Old  School 
Baptist,  he  was  a  great  missionary,  working  hard  on  his  farm 
most  of  the  time,  and  spending  often  from  Friday  until  Monday 
preaching  the  gospel  in  all  the  surrounding  country  without  fee 
or  reward;  going  at  times  as  far  east  as  St.  Louis,  and  west,  far 
beyond  the  state  limits,  and  preaching  to  the  Indians. 

Through  industry  and  strict  economy  he  gained  a  competen- 
cy. His  house  was  the  home  of  many  a  weary  traveler;  and  in 
it  elections,  court  and  preaching  were  held  for  many  years.  He 
held  a  public  debate  with  Eld.  Joshua  Page,  a  Campbellite,  in 
Henry  County,  the  first,  perhaps,  held  so  far  out  west  at  that 
date  (1842).  He  had  a  good  English  education,  was  a  very  su- 
perior penman,  and  when  a  young  man  taught  school. 

His  preaching  was  pathetic,  persuasive,  earnest.  The  great 
theme  with  him  was  Christ.  He  dwelt  upon  this..  On  the  last 
Sunday  next  preceding  his  final  illness,  this  was  his  theme.  He 
preached  at  Salem  Church,  and  something  very  remarkable  about 
the  occasion  was,  that  every  member  of  the  family  was  present. 
His  text  was,  "  Say  ye  to  the  righteous  it  shall  be  well  with  him, 
&c."  Soon  after  this  he  was  prostrated  with  bilious  fever,  ter- 
minating in  congestion,  (Jf  which  he  died  September  26,  1845. 
The  scene  around  his  death-bed  was  truly  an  affecting  one,  says 
an  eye-witness.  His  family  were  standing  around  him,  and  for 
the  last  time  he  spoke  to  each  of  his  children  and  pointed  them 
to  the  Savior  of  sinners.  He  sent  a  number  of  aflfecting  messages 
to  his  ministerial  brethren  and  others  with  whom  he  had  been 
intimate  as  a  colaborer.  The  last  words  he  was  heard  to  utter 
were,  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,"  and  finishing  the  sentence 
he  sweetly  fell  asleep, 
90 


466  MT.    ZION   AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

John  Warder, — a  minister  of  decided  strength  of  character 
and  influence,  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  the  year  1825,  settling  in 
Lafayette  Count5%  soon  after  which  he  united  by  letter  with  the 
Big  Sniabar  Baptist  Church,  then  a  member  of  the  Fishing  Elv- 
er Association.  Here  he  remained  until  the  organization  of  the 
Blue  River  Association  in  1834,  when  his  church  became  a  con- 
stituent member  of  that  institution.  In  1836  he  was  elected  mod- 
erator of  Blue  River  Association,  and  so  continued  by  re-elec- 
tion until  the  split  on  missions.  When  the  heated  controversy 
came  up  on  this  question  in  the  association  last  named,  Mr. War- 
der and  his  church,  with  three  other  churches,  and  parts  of  two 
others,  withdrew  and  formed  the  Mt.  Zion  Association  of  Regu- 
lar Baptists,  in  1842.  Eld.  Warder  was  elected  moderator  of  this 
fraternity  and  so  continued  from  year  to  year,  as  long  as  he  was 
able  to  attend  its  meetings. 

In  June,  1825,  he  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  Big  Snia- 
bar Church,  which  relation  he  sustained  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  late  in  the  year  1858.  This  church  aided  at  different 
times  in  the  formation  of  three  associations :  first  of  Fishing  Riv- 
er in  1823;  then  of  Blue  River  in  18,34;  and  finally  of  Mt.  Zion 
in  1842  ;  and  was  one  of  the  pioneer  churches  of  Western  Mis- 
souri. 

Eld.  John  Warder  was  the  first  Baptist  minister  that  settled 
in  Lafayette  County. 

PLATTE  KIVER  ASSOCIATION  OF  "KEGULAK"  BAPTISTS. 

The  Platte  River  Association  of  Regular  Baptists  was  organ- 
ized by  a  convention  composed  of  messengers  from  eight  church- 
es formerly  belonging  to  the  Fishing  River  Association,  June  7, 
1842,  at  Union  Church,  Buchanan  County.  It  adopted  unani- 
mously the  Fishing  River  constitution  and  form  of  government. 
The  churches  of  this  new  interest  were  situated  in  Buchanan  and 
Nodaway  Counties. 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  in  the  October  following  its 
organization,  with  the  First  Nodaway  Church,  when  one  new 
church,  Flag  Spring,  was  admitted  into  the  Union,  which  in- 
creased the  number  of  churches  to  nine  and  the  constituents  to 
313.  For  awhile  this  association  corresponded  with  the  Fishing 
River,  after  which  we  lose  sight  of  it  altogether.  We  think  it 
failed  to  maintain  an  existence,  and  some  of  the  churches  went 
into  the  organization  next  to  bo  mentioned. 
NODAWAY  ASSOCIATION. 

This  body  was  formed   in  1849,  and  by  its  messengers  was 


MT.    ZION   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  467 

present  and  offered  correspondence  with  the  Fishing  Eiver  As- 
sociation in  September,  1850.  Three  of  the  churches  in  the 
Nodaway  Association  appear  on  the  list  of  the  Platte  Eiver  com- 
munity in  1842.  Another  fact  we  note  is  that  at  the  time  of 
which  we  write  (1850)  Platte  Eiver  was  not  in  correspondence, 
as  formerly,  with  Fishing  Eiver.  From  these  two  consider- 
ations our  conclusion  has  been  drawn  that  the  Nodaway  is  a  suc- 
cessor of  the  Platte  Eiver  Association. 

The  first  annual  meeting  of  this  body  was  held  at  Nodaway 
Church,  Nodaway  County,  the  first  Saturday  in  October,  1850. 

In  1870  only  six  churches  of  the  seven  that  composed  it,  sent 
messengers  to  the  meeting  of  the  association  at  Mill  Creek 
Church,  Holt  County.  This  church  was  situated  in  the  town  of 
Oregon.  This  year  7  baptisms  were  reported,  and  the  aggregate 
membership  of  the  churches  was  183.  One  of  the  seven  church- 
es (Liberty)  was  in  the  state  of  Iowa ;  the  rest  were  scattered 
over  the  counties  of  Northwest  Missouri. 

OSAGE  ASSOCIATION  OF  BAPTISTS. 

Before  us  lie  the  minutes  of  an  association  with  this  title,  for 
the  year  1844.  The  title  page  does  not  say  whether  this  was  the 
first,  third,  fourth  or  tenth  annual  meeting  j  hence  we  are  totally 
in  the  dark  as  to  the  date  of  its  organization.  In  1844  it  num- 
bered ten  churches,  viz.:  Wablau,  Bethel,  Tebo,  Pleasant  Grove, 
Mt.  Yernon,  New  Hope,  Fairfield,  Pomme  de  Terre,  North  Prai- 
rie and  Antioch,  located  in  Polk,  Benton  and  probably  some 
other  adjoining  counties.  The  entire  membership  was  202.  Te- 
bo, with  44  members,  was  the  largest  church,  and  New  Hope, 
with  7  members,  was  the  smallest.  Daniel  Briggs  acted  as  mod- 
erator, and  H.  Y.  Parker  was  clerk — both  ministers.  Other  min- 
isters :  Marquis  Monroe,  Eobert  Briggs,  C.  T.  Woodall  and  M.  D. 
Eobinson.  The  Wablau  Church  presented  this  query  in  her  let- 
ter: "  Is  it  gospel  order  to  receive  members  into  our  fellowship 
and  union  without  baptizing  them  again,  that  have  been  received 
by  a  missionary  church,  and  baptized  by  a  missionary  preacher, 
or  any  other  church  not  in  union  with  us."  On  the  last  day  of 
the  session,  the  association  took  up  the  query,  and  after  discus- 
sion, answered,  "  We  think  not."  This  action  places  this  asso- 
ciation with  the  anti-missionary  Baptists.  Further,  deponent 
saith  not. 


CHAPTER  T. 


CHUECHES    AND    ASSOCIATIONS  OF    THE    '^PLATTE 

PTJECHASE.'' 

"  Platte  Purchase,"  "Where  and  What — Platte  Kiver  Association — Union  Association 
— Change  of  Name  to  " West  Union" — The  War  Cloud — Devastation — Graham 
Church — Northwest  Missouri  Association — C.  L.  Butts— St.  Joseph  Association — 
Churches  in  "  Platte  Purchase  ":  Pleasant  Grove,  Mt.  Zion,  Nishnabotany,  Sonora 
and  Others — The  Mission  Band — Jonas  D.  Wilson — ^Wm.  Harris — E.  S.  Dulin. 

THE  famous  ''Platte  Purchase"  is  all  that  part  of  Missouri 
west  of  a  line  running  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kaw  (Kansas) 
Eiver  due  north  to  the  Iowa  state  line,  embracing  the  counties  of 
Platte,  Buchanan,  Andrew,  Holt,  Nodaway  and  Atchison.  The 
first  associational  convocation  in  this  section  of  the  state  was  the 
PLATTE  KIVEE  ASSOCIATION  OF  UNITED  BAPTISTS.* 

"This  body  was  organized  in  1842  at  Bee  Creek  meeting-house, 
Platte  County,  with  three  small  churches,  containing  in  the  ag- 
gregate about  125  members."  (Benedict's  Baptist  History,  p.  841.) 
By  the  year  1845  it  had  increased  to  18  churches  scattered  over 
a  large  portion  of  the  six  counties  aforesaid,  two  of  the  churches 
being  far  toward  the  northern  limits  of  the  territory,  viz.;  Flor- 
ida Creek  in  Nodaway  and  Nishnabotany  in  Atchison  County. 

This  association  was  greatly  prospered,  and  new  churches  were 
continually  being  added  to  the  list,  until,  in  1854,  when  the  thir- 
teenth anniversary  was  held,  October  13th,  at  High  Prairie 
Church  in  Andrew  County,  there  were  on  the  roll  26  churches, 
with  a  total  membership  of  1,284.  The  minutes  afford  no  infor- 
mation as  to  who  were  the  ministers  at  this  date.  *'  The  propri- 
ety of  dividing  the  associational  bounds  being  conceded,  it  was 
agreed  that  the  clerk  be  authorized  to  write  letters  of  dismission 
for  all  churches  wishing  to  go  into  a  new  organization."  Six 
churches  got  letters  and  formed  the  association  next  to  be  men- 
tioned on  this  list. 

By  the  year  1869  this  association  had  been  reduced  to  13  church- 
es, containing  an  aggregate  of  482  members.  This  decrease  was 
occasioned  by  giving  off  churches  to  other  associational  frater- 

*  The  Platte  Eiver  Association  of  Regular  Baptists  was  formed  in  June  of  the  same 


CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OP  THE  ''PLATTE  PURCHASE."      469 

nities.  The  clwirehes  at  this  time  were  Platte  Eiver,  Vernon, 
Mt.  Vernon,  High  Prairie,  Union  Grove,  "Whitesville,  Union, 
Friendship,  Jeiferson,  Antioch,  Lost  Creek,  Middle  Fork  and 
New  Hope.  The  ministers  were  J.  H.  Best,  Lewis  Allen,  A.  S. 
JSTorris,  J.  S.  F.  Wood,  N.  Allen  and  S.  Atterberry;  licentiates: 
M.  Agee  and  Simeon  Wood. 

The  board  of  missions  reported  that  J.  S.  F.  Wood  and  N.  Al- 
len had  labored  as  itinerants,  and  that  to  them  they  had  paid 
$120  for  said  services.  The  cause  seemed  to  be  in  a  moderately 
prosperous  condition  at  this  time. 

The  Platte  Eiver  Association  was  very  much  weakened  by  the 
formation  of  the  St.  Joseph  Association  in  1871,  some  of  its 
churches  having  gone  to  that  new  interest,  and  others  to  the  Mt. 
Moriah  Association,  about  the  same  time.  It  held  one  or  two 
m.ore  meetings,  and  in  the  year  1873  (we  think  this  was  the 
date)  it  dissolved,  granting  letters  of  dismission  to  the  churches, 
some  of  which  united  with  the  St.  Joseph  Association  and  some 
with  the  Northwest  Missouri.  The  Bolckow  Church  united  with 
the  latter.     (From  the  MS.  of  Eld.  J.  S.  F.  Wood.) 

UNION  ASSOCIATION  OF  UNITED  BAPTISTS. 

Messengers  from  six  churches  dismissed  from  Platte  River 
Association  met  with  the  Nodaway  Church,  in  Holt  County, 
Missouri,  November  10,  1854,  and  organized  the  "  Union  Asso- 
ciation." The  churches  were:  Florida  Creek,  22;  Nishnabot- 
any,  30;  Nodaway,  70;  Freedom,  14;  Sidney,  35;  and  Lebanon, 
16;  total,  187  members.  So  soon  as  the  organization  was  com- 
pleted, three  other  churches — Eush  Bottom,  14;  Linden,  8;  and 
Maryville,  7 ;  total,  29 — were  received  into  the  compact.  The 
constitution  and  abstract  of  principles  adopted  were  the  same  as 
those  commonly  adopted  by  the  United  Baptists  generally. 

In  1857  the  name  of  the  association  was  changed  to  "West 
Union."  That  year  it  met  at  Nishnabotany  Church,  Atchison 
County,  and  contained  12  churches,  with  311  communicants. 
The  ministers  were  S.  T.  Eenfro,  D.  V.  Thomas,  Eeuben  Alex- 
ander, E.  Lampkins,  J.  C.  Eenfro,  A.  M.  T.  Zook,  Elias  Findley, 
C.  A.  Miller,  J.  G.  Bowen  and  M.  Smock. 

This,  too,  was  a  growing  institution,  and  in  1861  16  churches 
reported,  in  which  was  an  aggregate  of  506  members,  and  the 
names  of  the  following  ministers  present  and  laboring  in  the 
bounds  of  the  association  :  E.  Alexander,  E.  Lampkins,  S.  T. 
Eenfro,  A.  M.  Wallace,  Elias  Findley,  C.  A.  Miller,  W.  H.  Da- 
vis, J.  C.  Eenfro  and  T.  Campbell ;  some  of  whom  have  been  call- 


470        CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OP  THE  "PLATTE  PURCHASE." 

ed  home  to  be  crowned,  while  others  are  still  standing  on  the 
walls  and  crying  aloud. 

The  association  met  in  1862,  but  because  of  the  war  troubles 
five  churches  only  were  represented;  and  the  following  year 
only  four  churches  sent  messengers.  Little  business  was  trans- 
acted at  either  of  these  sessions.  From  its  organization  a  mis- 
sionary had  been  kept  in  the  field  much  of  the  time,  at  $1  per 
day. 

In  1861  the  Jacksonville  (now  Graham)  Church  had  a  union 
house  in  which  to  worship  ;  Nodaway  had  enclosed  a  good  spa- 
cious brick  edifice;  Sidney  Church  had  a  brick  house;  Sonora 
had  raised  $4,000  to  erect  a  house  of  worship. 

When  the  war  closed,  quite  a  number  of  the  churches  of  what 
had  been  the  West  Union  Association  were  in  confusion,  with 
the  membership  scattered  almost  to  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  ; 
but  few  ministers  remained  in  the  field,  having  been  driven  out 
by  the  Jayhawkers  or  the  Missouri  Test  Oath.  The  latest  pub- 
lished list  of  the  churches  of  West  Union  was  in  1863,  when  only 
four  sent  messengers  to  the  meeting.  There  were  then  13  in  all, 
viz.:  Nodaway,  Linden,  Jacksonville,  Bethel,  Sonora,  Nishna- 
botany,  Lebanon,  Maryville,  Union,  Quitman,  Irish  Grove,  Ma- 
rietta and  Forest  City.  Very  few  of  these  churches  were  in 
working  order  at  the  close  of  the  war. 

NORTHWEST  MISSOUEI  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  occupies  the  territory  of  the  old  "  West  Un- 
ion "  fraternity,  embracing  the  counties  of  Holt,  Nodaway  and 
Atchison,  one  of  the  most  fertile  regions  of  the  commonwealth 
of  Missouri.  In  the  winter  of  1865-'66,  under  the  labors  of  Eld. 
J.  H.  Best  of  the  Platte  River  Association,  the  work  of  gather- 
ing together  the  scattered  remnants  of  the  disorganized  church- 
es of  these  counties  commenced.  In  March,  1866,  Eev.  G.  W. 
Huntley,  under  the  appointment  of  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society,  entered  this  field  and  at  once  gave  his  influence 
to  the  task  of  rebuilding  ''the  waste  places."  During  the  sum- 
mer of  this  year,  Jacksonville  (now  Graham),  Forest  City  and 
Nodaway  Churches  were  reorganized,  and  the  churches  of  Free- 
dom and  New  Hope  founded;  and  on  the  2d  of  August,  1867, 
messengers  from  these  five  churches  met  at  Nodaway  Church  in 
Nicholl's  Grove,  Holt  County,  and  organized  an  association, 
adopting  the  name  of  "Northwest  Missouri  Baptist  Association." 
The  aggregate  membership  of  the  five  constituent  churches  was 
only  139.     Dr.  J.  S.  Backus  of  A.  B.  H.  S.  was  present  at  this 


CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  "PLATTE  PURCHASE."      471 

meeting;  a  collection  was  made  for  said  society  on  the  second 
day,  and  Bros.  G.  W.  Huntley  and  G.  Gates  were  appointed  del- 
egates to  the  Baptist  State  Convention,  which  met  that  year  at 
Jefferson  City. 

At  the  first  anniversary  of  the  association  in  1868  two  new 
churches — Mound  City  and  Sonora — were  received  into  the  body, 
and  the  following  report  on  "Eeligious  Destitution"  was  adopt- 
ed :  "  While  the  past  year  has  witnessed  the  conversion  of  souls 
and  the  organization  of  new  churches  in  this  field,  the  wide  sec- 
tions remaining  entirely  destitute,  the  rapid  incoming  of  new 
settlers,  and  the  growing  importance  of  the  rising  towns  and  vil- 
lages within  our  limits  call  loudly  for  increased  effort.  In  the 
opinion  of  your  committee,  it  is  neither  wise  nor  Christian  to 
rely  upon  foreign  aid,  but  every  Baptist  should  enter  the  field 
himself,  in  humble  reliance  upon  Him  who  with  five  loaves  sup- 
plied five  thousand."  This  report  was,  in  some  respects,  the 
key-note  of  future  success  by  the  development  of  a  missionary 
spirit. 

The  committee  on  "religious  destitution"  at  the  next  annual 
meeting — September,  1869 — re-echoed  the  same  sentiments  in  a 
full  and  well  prepared  report,  from  which  we  make  the  follow- 
ing extract :  "  We  need  a  true  missionary  spirit — a  thorough  con- 
secration to  Christ.  Each  church  should  be  a  missionary  society 
and  each  member  a  missionary,  with  a  heart  full  of  love  to  the 
Master  and  to  the  souls  of  men.  We  need  a  stronger  faith — faith 
that  will  bring  victery.  *  *  *  Only  by  praying  and  paying — 
praying  and  giving — can  the  wants  of  this  field  be  supplied." 
This  year  the  association  numbered  eight  churches,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  230. 

In  1870  the  association  had  increased  to  eleven  churches  and 
297  members.  The  Sunday-school  convention  of  the  association 
was  then  in  successful  operation. 

By  the  minutes  of  the  fourth  annual  meeting,  held  with  Gra- 
ham Church,  September  1,  1871,  we  see  a  still  increasing  interest 
manifested  by  the  association  in  the  missionary  and  Sunday- 
school  work  of  the  field;  6  ordained  ministers,  13  churches  and 
451  members  are  reported. 

Since  the  dissolution  of  the  state  convention  the  association 
has  been  in  active  sympathy  and  co-operation  with  the  General 
Association  of  the  state,  and  also  with  the  educational  and  other 
interests  of  the  denomination. 

From  the  minutes  of  1879  we  gather  the  following  summary : 


472      CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  "PLATTE  PURCHASE." 

Churches. — Bethel,  Bolekow,  Clearmont,  Forest  City,  Graham, 
Grange  Hall,  High  Creek,  Hope  Chapel,  Maryville,  Mt.  Yernon, 
Mt.  Zion,  New  Liberty,  Nodaway,  North  Prairie,  Rockport,  Sa- 
lem, Sharp's  Grove,  Yernon,  Walkup's  Grove  and  White  Cloud; 
in  all,  20  churches,  in  which  there  were  1,193  members;  bap- 
tisms, 81. 

Ministers. — J.  H.  Best,  P.  M.  Best,  C.  L.  Butts,  N.  Barton,  Wm. 
Haw,  H.  J.  Latour,  R.  M.  Rhodes,  Jacob  Sharp,  A.  M.  Wallace, 
J.  H.  Whipple,  J.  S.  F.  Wood  and  Wm.  H.  Wood.* 
SAINT  JOSEPH  BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION. 

On  the  3d  of  November,  1871,  a  convention  of  brethren  from 
fourteen  churches  met  at  Easton,  Buchanan  County,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  adopting  measures  to  unite  the  churches  in  Buchanan 
County,  and  in  the  Platte  River  and  Mt.  Moriah  Associations, 
into  one  organization.  After  prayerful  deliberation,  it  was 
agreed  unanimously  that  such  a  union  was  highly  desirable  for 
the  good  of  the  churches  and  the  glory  of  God.  Pursuant  to 
the  action  of  this  convention,  messengers  met  at  Bethel  Church, 
Andrew  County,  December  30,  1871,  and  organized  the  "St.  Jo- 
seph Baptist  Association."  Sixteen  churches  composed  this 
body,  viz.:  Platte  River,  Friendship,  High  Prairie,  Union  Grove, 
Whitesville,  Bethel,  First  Baptist  of  St.  Joseph,  Second  Baptist 
of  St.  Joseph,  Agency,  DeKalb,  Bethlehem,  Mt.  Pleasant,  East- 
on, New  Harmony,  Walnut  Grove  and  Missouri  Yalley.  The 
first  five  churches  named  were  from  the  Platte  River  Associa- 
tion, and  the  next,  Bethel,  from  the  Mt.  Moriah. 

The  second  anniversary  was  held  at  New  Harmony  Church, 
Clinton  County,  commencing  October  3d,  1873,  when  three  new 
churches,  Frazer,  Zion  Hill  and  Pleasant  Ridge  were  admitted 
into  the  union. 

This  association  is  active  in  promoting  missions,  education, 
Sunday-schools,  and  whatever  is  conducive  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  denomination.  Numbered  among  its  ministry  are  men  of 
culture,  refinement  and  consecration.  From  the  minutes  of 
1879  we  are  able  to  present  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — Bethel,  Bethlehem,  DeKalb,  Frazer,  Flag  Spring, 
First  St.  Joseph,  High  Prairie,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Mt.  Yernon,  New 
Hope,  New  Harmony,  New  Prospect,  Nodaway,  Pleasant  Grove, 
Sugar  Lake,  Savannah,  Taos,  Whitesville,  Walnut  Grove,  Ziou 
Hill  and  Missouri  Yalley;  21  in  all,  with  an  aggregate  of  1,719 

*■  Rev.  C.  L.  Butts  rendered  valuable  aid  in  furnishing  many  facts  in  the  fore- 
going sketch. 


CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  '^PLATTE  PURCHASE."      473 

members.  These  churches  are  located  as  follows  :  11  in  Buchan- 
an County,  7  in  Andrew  and  3  in  DeKalb. 

Ministers. — (Pastors)  :  B.  Clark,  D.  Gr.  Saunders,  Isaiah  T.  Wil- 
liams, Wm.  Harris,  J.  S.  F.  Wood,  E.  W.  Dunegan,  G.  W.  Ever- 
ett, B.  F.  Eice,  J.  H.  Best,  J.  Clay  and  L.  Farris. 

Pleasant  Grove  Church, — now  one  of  the  vigorous  Baptist 
institutions  of  Platte  County,  was  organized  at  the  cabin  of 
Elijah  Pumphrey,  with  14  members,  October  12,  1844,  by  Peter 
M.  Swain.  Two  years  after  a  brick  house  of  worship  was  built, 
the  lumber  for  the  floor,  doors,  &c.,  of  which,  was  sawed  with  the 
old-time  whip-saw.  In  1867  the  present  commodious  frame  build- 
ing was  erected,  35x50  feet,  at  a  cost  of  $3,350.  This  church 
belongs  to  the  North  Liberty  Association. 

Mount  Zion  Church — was  constituted  near  a  village  called 
''  Hell  Town,"  about  14  miles  northeasterly  from  Platte  City, 
March  6,  1844,  by  Elds.  Swain  and  M.  Cline,  with  eleven  mem- 
bers who  had  been  expelled  from  the  anti-mission  church  near 
by,  for  "heresy"  (so  called).  Among  the  constituents  were  Isaac 
Moody,  his  wife,  a  son  and  three  daughters ;  and  Wm.  Newman 
and  wife.  A  log-house  was  first  built;  but  now  the  church  wor- 
ships in  a  large  frame  building,  40x60  feet,  not  far  from  the  old 
site. 

JSTishnabotany  Church. — The  first  Baptist  church  in  Atchison 
County,  far  to  the  northwest,  was  the  Nishnabotany,  organized 
by  the  old  pioneer  preacher,  Eichard  Miller,  in  1844. 

SoNORA  Church, — situated  in  Atchison  County,  was  formed  in 
1854,  and  subsequently  merged  into  High  Creek  Church. 

NoDAWAY  Church — dates  back  to  1845.  It  is  located  in  Holt 
County.  In  1848  Eld.  Jonas  D.  Wilson,  now  an  old  man,  visited 
this  church  and  preached  seventeen  days  and  nights.  Many  were 
converted  and  18  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism.  The 
race-track  and  card-table  were  broken  up.  This  church  is  not 
now  very  prosperous.  The  last  two  named  churches  belong  to 
the  Northwest  Missouri  Association. 

Walnut  Grove  Church — is  situated  some  six  miles  southeast 
of  St.  Joseph.  It  was  organized  at  a  meeting  held  at  St.  Joseph, 
February  11,  1871,  by  Elds.  J.  T.  Wilson  and  J.  M.  C.  Breaker. 
There  were  5  constituent  members,  and  immediately  after  the 
organization  9  were  added  by  baptism.  J.  T.  Wilson,  by  unani- 
mous consent,  became  their  minister.  This  body  first  united 
with  North  Liberty  Association,  and  one  year  after  with  the  St. 
Joseph  fraternity. 


474     CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  ''PLATTE  PURCHASE/* 

Frazer  Church. — In  January,  1873,  5  persons  covenanted  to- 
gether and  formed  this  church,  being  assisted  by  J.  D.  Wilson 
and  Gr.  W.  Pumphrey.  The  meeting  was  continued  some  days 
and  resulted  in  30  accessions  to  the  new  interest.  Among  the 
number  wasEev.  D.  Wood,  a  Methodist  minister;  also  some  five 
or  six  of  his  flock. 

St.  Joseph  (formerly  called  Eobidoux)  was  founded  by  Joseph 
Eobidoux,  a  French  Catholic,  and  the  first  settler  of  Buchanan 
County.  "  In  1843  the  town  contained  only  two  log  houses  and 
a  small  frame  flouring  mill,  situated  on  Black  Snake  Creek." 
(Campbell's  Gazetteer  of  Missouri,  p.  77.)  In  June  of  that  year 
Mr.  Eobidoux  laid  off  the  town,  and  at  the  close  of  1845  it  con- 
tained 600  inhabitants.  In  1846  the  county-seat  was  moved  from 
Sparta  to  St.  Joseph,  when  the  town  took  its  present  name  from 
the  proper  name,  rather  than  the  surname  of  its  founder. 

First  Baptist  Church,  St.  Joseph — was  organized  as  early 
as  1845,  as  in  August  of  that  year  it  became  a  inember  of  the 
Platte  Eiver  Association.  For  a  number  of  years  the  church 
used  a  small  log  school-house  to  worship  in.  In  the  winter  of 
1847-'48,  the  pastor,  I.  T.  Williams,  was  assisted  in  a  meeting 
of  twelve  days  by  Jonas  D.  AVilson,  resulting  in  28  accessions  to 
the  church  by  baptism.  At  that  date  large  numbers  of  Indians, 
from  across  the  river,  could  be  seen  in  the  town  daily,  and  many 
of  them  attended  the  baptismal  scene  which  took  place  at  the  old 
Eobidoux  boat  landing.  This  church  is  now  one  of  the  largest, 
if  not  the  largest,  in  North  Missouri. 

Second  Baptist  Church. — In  1870  J.  T.  Wilson  held  meetings 
in  South  St.  Joseph,  baptized  about  a  hundred  converts,  and  or- 
ganized the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  the  city.  In  about  two 
years  the  church  dissolved  and  appointed  a  committee  to  sell  the 
house  and  pay  the  indebtedness.  A  few  months  after  this  a  part 
of  the  members  formed  the  Calvary  Church,  St.  Joseph,  which 
dissolved  in  about  three  months.  Prior  to  the  dissolution  first 
above  named,  .T.  T.  Wilson  had  formed  the  "  Mission  Band  Baptist 
Church"  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  city,  and  when  the  house 
of  worship  in  South  St.  Joseph  was  sold  he  purchased  it  and  mov- 
ed the  last  named  church  into  it,  which  took  the  name  of  the 
"Second  Baptist  Church  in  St.  Joseph." 

On  Thursday,  February  9,  1882,  another  Baptist  church  was 
organized  in  South  St.  Joseph  of  twenty  members.  Dr.  E.  S. 
Dulin  was  chosen  pastor  and  accepted. 

Jonas  D.  Wilson. — This  zealous  servant  of  Christ,  who  trav- 


CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  ''PLATTE  PURCHASE."      475 


eled  all  over  Northwest  Missouri  as  a  pioneer  preacher  of  the 
gospel,  and  has  done  a  large  share  in  building  up  the  Baptist  in- 
terest, emigrated  from  Madison  County,  Kentucky,  to  Missouri 
in  1845,  and  settled  in  the  Platte  Purchase.  He  is  now  border- 
ing on  fourscore  years,  having  served  in  the  public  field  a 
half  century,  and  witnessed,  since  he  came  to  Missouri,  1,000  con- 
versions, six  or  seven  of  whom  have  become  preachers  of  the 
gospel. 

William  Harris, — pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  St.  Jo- 
seph, Mo.,  was  born  in  Frankfort,  Ky.,  June  2,  1848,  and  is  a 
great  grandson  of  Eld.  "Wm.  Hickman,  the  first  Baptist  preacher 
on  Kentucky  soil.  He  was  reared  in  Henderson,  Ky.,  where  he 
learned  the  print- 
ers' trade.  la  the 
year  1868,  under 
the  preaching  of 
Eev.  B.  T.  Taylor 
(now  of  Missouri), 
he  was  converted 
to  Christianity; 
in  August  of  the 
same  year  he  was 
licensed  to  preach 
by  the  Baptist 
church  in  Hen- 
derson, and  one 
month  after  this 
entered  George- 
town College, 
Kentucky,  in 
which  institution 
he  graduated  in 
the  year  1874. 
Immediately  af- 
ter this  he  assumed  charge,  as  pastor,  of  the  East  Baptist  Church, 
Louisville,  Ky.,  and  continued  three  years.  He  then  (in  1877) 
removed  to  Missouri,  and  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  St.  Joseph,  where  he  is  doing  a  most  excellent 
work  in  building  up  and  developing  the  powers  of  the  body  over 
which  he  presides. 

His  marriage  with  Miss  Flora  I.  Johnson  occurred  in  Louis- 
ville, Ky,,  in  1877,  the  joyful  i^rsue  of  which  is  a  promising  son. 


REV.  WM.  HARRIS. 


476        CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  "PLATTE  PURCHASE.' 


As  a  preacher,  Mr.  Harris  stands  in  the  front  ranks  ;  as  a  pas- 
tor, he  is  excelled  by  none. 

Elijah  Shelton  Dulin.* — On  his  father's  side  he  is  descended 
from  the  Huguenot  family,  Dulon.  His  mother  belonged  to  the 
English  Quaker  family,  Shelton.  E.  S.  Dulin  was  born  near  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac,  Fairfax  County,  Virginia,  January  18, 
1821.  In  1823  his  father  moved  to  Washington,  D.  C,  where  he 
died  when  the  subject  of  our  sketch  was  nine  years  old,  leaving 
his  family  entirely  without  support  or  income,  his  property  all 

having  been 
swept  away  by 
his  indorsements 
for  others.  Thus 
early  the  battle 
of  life  began  with 
young  Dulin. 
Hard  work  dur- 
ing the  day;  dil- 
igent study  far 
into  the  night 
and  at  all  leisure 
hours,  was  the 
rule  and  practice 
of  his  early  days. 
Largely  through 
the  influence  of  a 
Christian  moth- 
er he  was  brought 
to  Christ,  and  in 
1839  united  with 
RET.  E.  s.  DuiJN,  D.D.,  LL.D.  the    Calvcrt    St. 

Baptist  Church,  Baltimore,  and  soon  after  determined  to  go  as  a 
missionary  to  Burmah.  He  entered  Eichmond  College  in  1841, 
where  he  remained  four  years,  seeing  his  mother  but  once  during 
this  time,  earning  the  money  each  vacation  to  pay  his  expenses 
the  following  term.  Upon  his  graduation,  he  was  elected  prin- 
cipal of  St.  Bride's  Academy.  Here,  from  overwork  amid  the 
malaria  from  the  adjacent  Dismal  Swamp,  his  health  gave  way, 
and  ho  accepted  the  professorship  of  ancient  languages  in  Hol- 
lins'  Institute.  A  year  in  this  beautiful  mountain  region  great- 
ly improved  his  health,  but  the  hope  of  strength  enough  to  go 
*  Abridged  from  a  sketch  in  Commonwealth  of  Missou7'i,  p.  791. 


CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  "PLATTE  PURCHASE."     477 

as  missionary  to  Burmah  was  abandoned.  To  perfect  himself  as 
a  teacher,  he  spent  the  next  year  in  taking  a  special  course  in 
the  University  of  Virginia.  He  was  ordained  as  a  minister  at 
Baltimore,  in  August,  1848,  and  came  to  Missouri  the  following 
October,  settling  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Lexington 
in  March,  1849. 

His  present  most  estimable  wife  was  Miss  Sarah  E.  Gilkey,  to 
whom  he  was  married  August  28,  1849 ;  this  being  his  first  mar- 
riage. He  was  the  first  president  of  William  Jewell  College,  and 
organized  that  institution  January  1,  1850. 

In  the  spring  of  1856  he  was  recalled  to  the  pastorate  at  Lex- 
ington, and  in  September  following  he  became  the  president  of 
the  Baptist  Female  College  of  that  city.  The  previous  session 
had  closed  with  about  thirty  pupils.  At  the  expiration  of  Dr. 
Dulin's  second  year  the  number  was  286  ;  but  the  labor  of  secur- 
ing this  result  had  broken  him  down,  and  he  resigned  the  posi- 
tion. In  1858  he  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Kansas 
City,  and  thence  he  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  St.  Joseph,  in  1859,  where  he  remained  about 
six  years,  when  he  was  induced  in  1865  to  again  accept  the  man- 
agement of  the  Female  College  at  Lexington.  The  college  build- 
ings had  been  well  nigh  destroyed  during  the  war  and  the  school 
closed.  His  untiring  industry  soon  restored  the  college  to  its 
former  prosperity.  During  all  this  time,  Dr.  Dulin's  sympa- 
thies were  with  William  Jewell  College,  and  while  at  Lexington 
he  conceived,  developed  and  submitted  to  the  General  Associa- 
tion the  plan  which  brought  into  existence  the  Board  of  Minis- 
terial Education  connected  with  that  institution.  A  wider  field 
of  usefulness  now  seemed  open,  and  in  1870  he  took  charge  of 
Stephens'  College,  at  Columbia,  which  flourished  with  increas- 
ing patronage  during  his  six  years'  management. 

Dr.  Dulin  removed  to  St  Joseph  in  1876,  and  became  the  foun- 
der of  St.  Joseph  Female  College,  intending  to  make  this  the 
crowning  eifort  of  his  life  work  in  the  mental  and  moral  training 
of  western  young  women.  He  possesses  rare  talent  and  fitness 
for  his  great  work.  Sound  in  judgment  and  scholarship,  ele- 
vated and  large  minded  in  his  plans  and  conceptions,  with  intense 
enthusiasm,  energy  and  perseverance,  he  makes  the  best  provis- 
ion for  the  culture  of  his  pupils,  and  inspires  them  with  a  high 
appreciation  of  life  and  its  uses,  and  with  a  laudable  ambition  to 
excel.  Dr.  Dulin  ranks  among  the  ablest  preachers  of  the  state. 
His  sermons  are  carefully  prepared,  with  sufficient  rhetorical  or- 


478     CHURCHES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  THE  "PLATTE  PURCHASE." 

nament  to  interest  and  please,  and  delivered  with  impassioned 
earnestness.  He  makes  everything  subserve  in  enforcing  the 
sweet  truths  of  the  gospel,  as  they  affect  the  hearts  and  lives  of 
men.  These  truths  he  enforces  with  the  keenest  logic,  and  a  fer- 
vid and  fearless  eloquence  that  makes  no  compromise  with  error. 
His  literary  and  theological  abilities  have  been  fittingly  acknow- 
ledged by  the  proper  scholastic  institutions  conferring  upon  him 
the  degrees  of  A.M.,  D.D.  and  LL.D. 

Dr.  Dulin  is  a  social,  cordial,  honest,  outspoken  gentleman. 
With  a  strong  spice  of  the  facetious  in  his  nature  and  conversa- 
tion, and  a  good,  true  heart,  he  makes  many  friends  and  retains 
them.  He  is,  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  a  self-made  man, 
having,  by  his  own  ability,  energy,  perseverance,  integrity  and 
usefulness,  earned  his  present  enviable  position  and  good  name. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SALINE  ASSOCIATION. 

How  it  Originated — First  Constitution — Faith  of — Sketches  of  its  Churches:  Good 
Hope  (Big  Bottom),  High  Hill  Church  (Trouble  and  Settlement),  Rehoboth, 
Heath's  Creek,  Zoar,  Fish  Creek-,  County  Line,  Bethel,  Miami,  Marshall,  Salt  Pond 
and  Others  —  Revised  Constitution  —  Summary  for  1879  —  Peyton  Nowlin — A. 
G\vinn— R.  Y.  Thomson— Russel  Holman — J.  L.  Hampton— W.  M.  Bell— J.  C. 
Maple— J.  L.  Ticheuor— W.  R.  Painter. 

THE  Saline  Baptist  Association,  wliose  churches  are  loca- 
ted in  the  garden  of  Central  Missouri,  was  organized  from  a 
division  of  the  old  Concord,  which,  in  1842,  met  at  Mt.  Gilead 
meeting-house.  Cole  County,  and,  finding  that  its  territory  had 
grown  much  too  large  for  convenience,  passed  the  following: 

"  Resolved,  That  we  divide  this  association  b}^  striking  off  all  the 
churches  above  and  west  of  the  Lamine  Eiver  to  form  a  new 
association." 

On  the  1st  of  October,  1842,  in  harmony  with  the  foregoing 
action  of  Concord,  messengers  from  eight  churches  met  at  Zoar 
Church,  Saline  County,  and  formed  a  new  association,  and  took 
the  name  of  Saline. 

Churches.— Good  Hope,  53  ;  Zoar,  103  ;  High  Hill,  73  j  Heath's 
Creek,  60 ;  Pinnacles,  32  ;  Prairie  Point,  22  ;  Fish  Creek,  48 ; 
Providence,  at  High  Grove,  20  ;  total,  411  members. 

After  the  organization  was  completed,  one  new  church.  Long 
Grove,  from  Pettis  County,  membership  24,  was  received,  which 
made  the  entire  membership  of  the  association  435.  These 
churches  were  located  in  the  counties  of  Saline,  Cooper  and 
Pettis.     Amount  of  contributions,  $8.60. 

PRINCIPLES  OF  UNION, 
Adopted  by  the  Saline  Baptist  Association. 
Article  1st.  We  believe  in  one  only  true  and  living  God,  and 
that  there  is  a  trinity  of  jiersons  in  the  Godhead :  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

2d.  We  believe  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments are  the  word  of  God,  and  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice. 


480  SALINE   ASSOCIATION. 

3d.  We  beliere  in  the  fall  of  Adam,  and  that,  by  his  transgres- 
sion, all  his  posterity  fell  and  were  made  sinners.  We  believe  in 
the  corruption  of  human  nature,  and  the  impotency  of  man  to  re- 
cover himself  by  his  own  free  will  or  ability. 

4th.  We  believe  that  sinners  are  justified  in  the  sight  of  God, 
only  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  imputed  to  them,  and  that 
good  works  are  the  fruits  of  faith,  and  follow  after  justification, 
and  are  the  evidences  of  our  gracious  state. 

5th.  We  believe  that  the  saints  shall  persevere  in  grace,  and 
not  one  of  them  shall  be  finally  lost. 

6th.  We  believe  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  a 
general  judgment,  and  that  the  happiness  of  the  righteous  and 
the  punishment  of  the  wicked  will  be  eternal. 

7th.  We  believe  that  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congre- 
gation of  faithful  persons,  who  have  given  themselves  to  the 
Lord,  and  to  one  another,  having  agreed  to  keep  up  a  godly  dis- 
cipline, according  to  the  plan  of  the  Gospel. 

8th.  We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church,  and  that  the  government  thereof  is  with  the  body. 

9th.  We  believe  that  water  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are 
ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  and  are  to  be  continued  till  His  second 
coming. 

10th.  We  believe  that  true  believers  are  the  only  subjects  of 
baptism,  and  that  immersion  is  the  only  mode. 

11th.  We  believe  that  none  but  regularly  baptized  members 
have  a  right  to  commune  at  the  Lord's  Table. 

12th.  We  believe  that  the  Lord's  Day  ought  to  be  observed  and 
set  apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  and  that  no  work  or  worldly 
business  ought  to  be  done  or  transacted  thereon — works  of  piety 
and  necessity  alone  excepted. 

The  ministers  in  1843,  one  j'ear  after  the  organization,  were 
Abner  Gwinn,  David  Anderson  and  Eichard  Owen,  with  the 
following  as  licentiates  :  Ephraim  McDaniel,  Franklin  Graves 
and  John  Clark. 

Good  Hope  Church. — The  first  settlement  in  what  is  now  Sa- 
line (then  Cooper)  County,  was  made  near  Arrow  Eock,  in  1810, 
by  emigrants  from  Virginia,  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  Subse- 
quently another  settlement  was  made  higher  up  the  river  in  the 
Big  Bottom,  where,  on  the  fourth  Saturday  in  August,  1818,  by 
Luke  Williams,  at  the  house  of  William  Job,  the  first  Baptist 
Church  in  Saline  County,  was  organized  of  10  members,  called 
Big  Bottom  (now  Good  Hope  Church).     News  that  the  Indians 


SALINE   ASSOCIATION.  481 

were  committing  depredations  a  short  distance  up  the  river  reach- 
ed the  settlement  the  same  day;  consequently  no  meeting  was 
held  on  the  Sabbath,  the  brethren  having  to  meet  the  Indians, 
while  the  women  and  children  sought  refuge  in  the  fort.  Though 
the  records  are  silent  on  the  subject,  Luke  Williams  is  supposed 
to  have  preached  for  the  church  until  1820.  In  1825  the  church 
built  a  house  of  worship  out  on  the  highlands,  and  in  April  of 
that  year,  on  first  assembling  in  the  new  house,  agreed  to  be 
known  as  the  Good  Hope  Church.  This  fraternity  yet  exists, 
and  it  is  the  oldest  church  in  the  state,  west  of  old  Concord  in 
Cooper  County  and  Mt^  Pleasant  in  Howard  County. 

A  remarkable  case  occurred  in  this  church  at  an  early  day, 
illustrating  the  strictness  of  church  discipline  in  those  times.  We 
give  it  in  the  language  of  the  records.  At  the  July  meeting  in 
1829,  "Sister  Sarah  Fisher  appeared  before  the  church  and 
gave  full  satisfaction  for  the  report  against  her  for  playing  'thim- 
ble.' " 

Further  details  of  this  church  are  given  in  the  history  of  Con- 
cord Association.     See  Period  Third,  Chapter  IV. 

High  Hill  Church — was  organized  on  an  eminence  called 
High  Hill,  about  midway  between  Cambridge  and  Miami,  in  Sa- 
line County,  some  two  miles  from  the  river.  The  following  is  a 
true  copy  of  the  proceedings,  from  the  church  book: 

"To  all  whom  it  may  concern,  know  ye, 

"  That  Thomas  Fristoe  and  Thomas  Eigg,  regularly  ordained 
ministers  of  the  gospel  of  the  United  Baptist  order,  on  the  ninth 
day  of  August,  1836,  did  constitute  Abel  Garrett  and  Nancy  Gar- 
rett his  wife,  Thornton  Adams  and  Margaret  Adams  his  wife, 
Martha  McDonald  and  Eobert  Y.  Thomson  and  Lucy  T.  Thom- 
son his  wife,  a  Baptist  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  on  the  following 
principles."  Then  follows  the  preamble,  abstract  of  faith  and 
church  covenant,  such  as  were  commonly  adopted  by  the  Bap- 
tists. 

For  some  years  the  church  prospered.  In  1838  A.  P.  Williams 
became  the  pastor  and  held  a  number  of  very  successful  meet- 
ings. Ten  years  after  its  organization  it  contributed  to  the 
founding  of  Bethel  Church,  in  the  same  county ;  also  from  it,  in 
part,  grew  the  present  Eehoboth  Church.  The  High  Hill  Church 
made  several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  move  the  place  of  meet- 
ing and  build  a  new  house  of  worship,  but  finally  dissolved  in 
June,  1850,  empowering  Geo.  Ehoades  and  W.  W.  Field  to  dis- 
pose of  the  property  belonging  to  the  church,  the  proceeds  of 
31 


482  SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 

which  they  were  instructed  to  give  to  Thos.  Pristoe,  then  acting 
pastor. 

Prior  to  1838,  Thomas  Fristoe  preached  for  the  church  once  a 
month  on  Friday,  as  he  passed  to  his  appointment  at  Zoar  Church 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  county.  This  church  was  quite  fruit- 
ful in  ministerial  gifts,  having,  in  the  14  years  of  its  history,  or- 
dained Richard  Owens,  Abner  Grwinn,  Daniel  Garnett  and  Eph- 
raim  McDaniel. 

Several  cases  of  interest  came  before  the  church  at  different 
periods,  some  account  of  which  may  be  of  service  to  the  present 
generation.  The  first  was  a  rather  serious  difficulty  between 
this  church  and  Good  Hope.  The  trouble  soon  reached  the  as- 
sociation, whereupon  the  churches  were  advised  to  call  help  from 
sister  churches.  They  agreed  to  do  this,  and  Elds.  Kemp  tScott 
and  A.  P.  Williams  were  selected  as  referees,  who  after  investi- 
gation made  the  following  report : 

"  To  the  brethren  of  Good  Hope  and  High  Hill  Churches  is 
respectfully  submitted  the  following  report  from  your  referees: 

"  Whereas,  It  seems  to  be  the  impression  of  some  of  the  citi- 
zens of  this  vicinity,  that  the  door  of  High  Hill  meeting-house 
should  be  opened  for  the  teaching  of  schools,  if  called  for,  and 
as  the  members  of  Good  Hope  Church  think  accordingly,  we  rec- 
ommend the  brethren  of  High  Hill,  in  condescension  to  these 
feelings  and  predilections,  and  for  the  sake  of  peace,  which  is  so 
essential  to  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  the  churches  in  this 
vicinity,  that  they  open  the  door  with  this  proviso,  viz.:  that  the 
house  shall  be  kept  uninjured,  and  that  if  schools  should  ever 
be  taught  in  said  house  and  any  damage  be  done  in  consequence 
thereof,  the  proprietors  of  such  school  shall  make  it  good.  This, 
we,  your  referees,  respectfully  submit  for  j'our  adoption,  while 
we  ever  pray  for  your  peace  and  prosperity. 

"Kemp  Scott,        l  Referees  " 
A.  P.  Williams,  \  ^^/^^^^«- 

Another  case  which  we  will  mention  :  application  for  member- 
ship was  made  by  an  excluded  member  from  another  church  of 
the  same  faith,  when,  "  On  motion,  the  clerk  was  instructed  to 
write  a  letter  to  Buckingham  Church,  Virginia,  to  ascertain  wheth- 
er Julius,  a  colored  man,  can  be  restored  again  to  fellowship." 
Julius  was  the  applicant  for  membership.  This  was  in  July,  1842. 
The  case  was  continued  for  more  than  a  year,  when  the  church 
:it  High  Hill  "agreed  to  receive  Julius,  the  colored  man,  on  his 
acknowledgment  and  relating  his  experience." 


SALINK  ASSOCIATION.  483 

Rehoboth  Church — was  organized  by  a  council  consisting  of 
Elds.  T.  Fristoe  and  W.  C.  Ligon,  and  Deacons  R.  Latimer,  E. 
E.  McDaniel  and  W.  H.  Graves,  at  the  house  of  E.  Y.  Thomson, 
in  Saline  County,  Sunday,  September  1,  1850.  The  constituents 
were  16  in  all,  viz. :  from  Bethel  Church,  E.  Y.  Thomson,  Lucy 
T.  Thomson,  Elizabeth  B.  Thomson  and  Laura  Thomson ;  from 
Zoar  Church,  James  P.  Johnson  and  Martha  Johnson;  from 
High  Hill,  W.  W.  Field,  Lucy  A.  Field,  Daniel  Hickerson,  Ma- 
ria Hickerson,  W.  E.  Thomson,  Lucy  A.  Thomson  and  Frances 
A.  Hickerson ;  from  Good  Hope,  Francis  Hampton,  Ann  L. 
Hampton  and  Brickey  S.  Hampton. 

In  1853  the  church  erected  a  brick  edifice  for  worship,  30x50 
feet,  about  fourteen  miles  northeast  from  Marshall,  and  half  a 
mile  north  of  the  present  town  of  Slater.  In  1879  this  house 
was  torn  down,  moved  to  Slater,  and  the  material  was  put  into  one 
of  the  best  church  buildings  in  town.  In  1882,  J.  C.  Conner  was 
pastor,  the  church  numbering  85  communicants.  Thomas  Fris- 
toe was  the  first  pastor  of  this  church. 

Heath's  Creek  Church, — Saline  County,  bears  the  date  of 
April  5,  1841,  having  been  formed  by  T.  Fristoe,  A.  Gwinn  and 
T.  Eucker.  Thirty  constituent  members  signed  the  covenant. 
It  is  located  sixteen  miles  southeast  from  Marshall,  the  county 
seat.  Gwinn  became  their  minister,  and  in  1849  a  house  of  wor- 
ship was  built,  a  frame  36x44.  In  1879  there  were  79  members, 
and  L.  W.  Whipple  was  pastor. 

Zoar  Church. — This  is  one  of  the  old  churches  of  the  associ- 
tion,  and  was  in  its  organization  in  1842.  We  have  been  unable 
to  get  any  records  of  it.  (This  church  joined  Concord  Associ- 
tion  in  1826.  Eld.  Peyton  Nowliu  was  the  messenger.)  It  is  lo- 
cated at  Jonesboro,  Saline  County.  J.  L.  Tichenor  is  the  pres- 
ent pastor,  and  there  was  a  constituency  of  120  in  1880. 

Fish  Creek.— This,  too,  was  one  of  the  constituent  churches 
of  Saline  Association.  It  was  organized  at  the  house  of  James 
Crosslin,  with  8  members,  by  David  Anderson  and  A.  Gwinn, 
June  26,  1842.  This  has  been  for  years  a  strong  church,  situ- 
ated in  the  eastern  part  of  Saline  County.  The  pastors  have 
been  David  Anderson,  A.  Gwinn,  Thomas  Fristoe,  A.  Horn  and 
others  whose  names  we  are  unable  to  decipher.  B.  Harl  was 
pastor  in  1881.  In  1880  this  was  much  the  largest  church  in  the 
association,  having  250  members  ;  the  next  in  numerical  strength 
was  Good  Hope,  with  201  communicants ;  then  followed  Miami, 
with  193  members. 


484  SALINE  ASSOCIATION. 

County  Line, — Pettis  County,  is  located  eighteen  miles  north- 
west from  Sedalia.  This  church  was  organized  March  1,  1844, 
with  12  members.  Thornton  Eucker  became  the  first  pastor, 
then  Amos  Horn,  The  church  first  built  a  log  house  in  1845 
and  '46,  and  in  1870  replaced  it  with  a  frame  building,  34x50 
feet,  worth  ^2,500.  In  1880  it  numbered  113  members  and  had 
J.  G.  Burgess  for  its  pastor. 

Providence  Church, — at  High  G-rove,  Pettis  County,  is  loca- 
ted nine  miles  northeast  from  Sedalia,  and  was  constituted  by 
A.  P.  Williams  and  J.  G.  Berkley,  20  members  signing  the  cov- 
enant, April  4,  1842.  Berkley  was  chosen  pastor,  served  one 
year,  and  was  succeeded  by  Elias  George. 

Elias  George. — This  brother  is  of  Welsh  extraction,  and  re- 
tains much  of  the  Welsh  fire  in  his  preaching.  He  spent  many 
years  in  an  early  day  as  missionary  and  pastor  in  Southwest 
Missouri,  removed  thence  to  Ohio,  and  returned  to  Missouri 
eight  or  ten  years  ago,  becoming  pastor  at  Maysville,  DeKalb 
County.  He  is  now  well  stricken  in  years,  yet  retains  much  of 
the  vigor  of  youth. 

Bethel  Church. — Forty  years  ago.  Saline  County  was  behind 
many  of  her  sister  counties  in  population  and  cultivation.  Be- 
fore the  era  of  railroads  and  telegraphs,  and  when  a  letter  "from 
home"  cost  the  receiver  twenty-five  cents,  emigration  did  not  set 
westward  in  so  rapid  a  stream  as  at  a  later  day.  And  those  who 
first  braved-the  privations  of  a  frontier  life  were  timid  about 
trusting  themselves  out  of  the  near  vicinity  of  the  wood.  The 
prairie  was  lovely,  when  clothed  in  its  summer  robe  of  grass  and 
flowers,  but  desolate  and  cheerless  in  winter.  Then,  even  the 
stout  heart  quailed  before  its  solitude  and  unbroken  stillness, 
p,nd  the  scattered  settlements  were  found  near  protecting  groves 
which  skirted  the  small  streams. 

Those  pioneers  were  generally  poor.  Books  and  papers  were 
scarce.  Schools  were  confined  to  a  few  favored  neighborhoods. 
The  population  was  so  sparse  that  the  self-denying  Methodist 
itinerant,  and  the  zealous  Cumberland  Presbyterian  traveled  far 
to  feed  their  starving  flocks ;  and  here  and  there  a  Baptist  min- 
ister cared  for  the  souls  of  the  people.  Across  the  prairie  no  bell 
called  the  people  together  to  worship,  no  church  spire  pointed 
them  to  heaven ;  nor  were  they  much  missed.  The  only  room 
of  the  settler,  which  during  the  week  served  the  purposes  of  par- 
lor, bedroom  and  kitchen,  was  sufficiently  large  to  accommodate 
all  who  attended  divine  service  on  the  Sabbath.     If  the  tempot 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION.  4S5 

rary  seats  made  by  resting  boards  on  the  few  chairs  belonging 
to  the  cabin  were  not  enough  for  all,  the  beds  were  a  convenient 
substitute. 

It  was  a  distinguished  providence  which  drew  to  the  same 
neighborhood  two  such  men  as  Eandal  Latimer  and  R.  E.  Mc- 
Daniel.  Both  were  decided  in  character,  sound  in  principle, 
fearless  in  speech  and  action,  discriminating  in  judgment.  Both 
were  full  of  zeal  in  the  Savior's  cause  and  ready  for  any  good 
work  that  required  their  labor.  They  had  hardly  finished  the 
task  of  comfortably  settling  their  families  in  their  new  homes 
before  the  question  of  organizing  a  Baptist  church  in  the  neigh- 
borhood came  up  for  discussion,  and  was  promptly  answered  in 
the  affirmative  by  the  few  brethren  who  were  at  hand  to  aid  in 
the  work. 

In  1846  Elder  Tyree  Harris  was  invited  to  visit  the  neighbor- 
hood, to  hold  a  meeting  and  organize  a  church.  Deacon  Mc- 
Daniel's  new  barn  was  selected  as  the  most  convenient  place. 
There  the  gifted  young  minister  preached  from  the  text:  "And 
now  abideth  faith,  hope,  charity,  these  three;  but  the  greatest 
of  these  is  charity."  The  little  congregation  listened,  as  those  to 
whom  the  gospel  is  as  bread  to  the  famishing.  The  simple  ser- 
vice and  novel  surroundings  awakened  more  serious  reflection 
than  the  imposing  dedicatory  rites  of  a  costly  city  church.  The 
unaffected  sincerity  of  those  eleven  humble  Christians,  covenant- 
ing to  live  for  Christ  and  to  love  one  another,  and  their  strong 
faith,  which  entertained  no  misgivings  of  success,  stirred  the 
hearts  of  all  who  witnessed  it  with  strong  emotion.  This  "church 
in  the  wilderness"  was  called  Bethel. 

Soon  after  this  event  Elder  A.  P.  "Williams  held  a  protracted 
meeting  at  High  Hill.  The  members  of  Bethel  attended.  "Their 
prayers  had  come  up  for  a  memorial  before  God."  Friends,  some 
of  them  allied  by  family  ties,  were  found  praying,  a  session  of 
the  church  was  called,  and  several  gladly  accepted  their  invita- 
tion to  unite  with  them.  The  interest  increased  and  soon  be- 
came so  general  that  the  proposition  to  continue  the  meetings 
and  hold  them  at  Deacon  McDaniel's  house  was  received  with 
universal  favor.  All  were  invited,  and  all  were  treated  with  the 
open-handed  hospitality  memorable  in  those  days.  Mr.  Williams 
preached  with  a  burning  eloquence  and  convincing  argument  the 
sound  doctrine  of  repentance  toward  Grod  and  faith  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  an  awakened  congregation.  In  the  little  parlor 
assembled  day  after  day  the  praying  Christians,  the  rejoicing 


486  SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 

converts,  the  trembling  penitents  and  many  awakened  sinners, 
who  said  then  to  the  Lord  as  Felix  replied  to  Paul :  ^'Go  thy 
way;  when  I  have  a  convenient  season  I  will  call  for  thee." 
Have  they  called  for  him  yet  ? 

Many  went  down  into  the  baptismal  water,  as  did  the  eunuch, 
and  afterwards  went  on  their  way  rejoicing. 

It  was  a  happy  day  when  Elder  Wm.  C.  Ligon  met  the  church 
for  the  first  time  as  pastor.  The  church  had  met  at  Mr.  Lati- 
mer's. It  was  rather  late,  and  the  congregation  had  all  assem- 
bled when  the  preacher  arrived.  He  was  met  at  the  door  by  sev- 
eral and  warmly  welcomed.  He  came  into  the  room  in  his  usual 
quick,  nervous  manner,  paused  an  instant,  and  after  casting  a 
searching  look  around  the  crowded  room,  said,  "  Let  us  pray." 
Every  heart  went  up  in  the  invocation,  "  Give  ear,  O  Shepherd 
of  Israel,  thou  that  leadest  Joseph  like  a  flock  ;  thou  that  dwell- 
est  between  the  cherubims,  shine  forth."  Then  followed  that 
beautifnl  hymn,  "Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  dove,  with  all  thy 
quickening  power."  That  was  a  happy  community.  They  were 
a  blessing  and  they  were  blessed.  The  Lord  added  many  to  this 
fold. 

The  next  most  important  event  in  the  history  of  Bethel  was 
the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  in  1847.  It  was  not  yet  fin- 
ished when  the  first  congregation  assembled  there  for  worship. 
The  inconvenience  of  temporary  seats  seemed  not  to  affect  mate- 
rially the  enjoyment  of  the  congregation,  nor  the  want  of  an  ele- 
gant pulpit  to  disturb  the  preacher.  It  was  a  happy  meeting  to 
all.  As  was  long  the  custom  at  Bethel,  a  bountiful  dinner  was 
spread  under  the  trees,  and  all  were  cordially  invited  to  dine 
and  stay  for  evening  service.  ("Saline  Baptist"  in  Central  Ba-ptist, 
Vol  XII,  ^o.  9.) 

Rev.  W.  M.  Bell  was  pastor  in  1880,  when  the  church  numbered 
101  communicants. 

The  Miami  Baptist  Church. — Eev.  William  M.  Bell,  at  the 
opening  of  the  new  church  edifice  in  Miami,  Mo.,  in  the  fall  of 
1866,  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon,  in  which  he  gave  the  sub- 
joined sketch  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  that  town  : 

"In  reviewing  our  past  history,  I  regret  exceedingly  that  our 
church  record  for  the  first  five  years  has  been  lost,  and  conse- 
quently I  am  compelled  to  depend  almost  entirely  on  memory. 
This  church  was  constituted  by  Elders  "W.  C.  Ligon  and  E.  V. 
Thompson,  November  20, 1849,  with  eleven  members — four  males 
and  seven  females.     Elder  W.  C.  Batchelor,  one  of  the  constitu- 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 


487 


ent  members,  preached  for  it  for  a  few  months,  when  he  and  his 
wife  were  dismissed  by  letter  to  remove  to  another  field  of  labor. 
Thus  left  in  its  infancy  without  a  pastor,  and  without  the  means 
to  obtain  one,  your  unworthy  speaker  (then  a  licentiate),  was  in- 
vited to  preach  for  it,  and  consented.  Some  six  months  subse- 
quent (at  its  December  meeting)  I  was  elected  pastor,  having 
been  ordained  but  a  month  previous,  and  in  this  capacity  served 
it  for  more  than  seven  years.  "With  only  eight  members,  and 
these  poor  and  uneducated,  with  a  young  and  inexperienced  pas- 
tor, and  surrounded  by  an  ungodly  community,  its  future  Was 
anything  but  promising.  Trusting  alone  in  the  Almighty  for  aid 
and  success,  we  met  sometimes  in  one  place  and  sometimes  in 
another,  as  opportunity  offered,  to  wait  upon  Him  and  to  seek 
his  face  and  favor.  It  was  determined,  in  July,  1851,  to  hold  a 
series  of  meetings,  and  to  invite  one  or  more  ministers  to  assist 
the  pastor.  At  the  appointed  time,  Elder  Isaiah  Leake  (pastor 
at  Lexington)  and  Elder  Edward  Eoth  (pastor  at  Dover)  came 
to  our  assistance.  Our  meeting  continued  for  some  two  weeks, 
during  which  time  we  experienced  a  gracious  'season  of  refresh- 
ing from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,'  and  as  a  result  more  than 
forty  were  added  to  the  little  church.  From  this  time  on  we  had 
our  seasons  of  refreshing  and  spiritual  declension.  Numbers 
were  added,  and  numbers  dismissed.  Some  were  excluded,  and 
some  called  by  the  Great  Head  of  the  church  to  a  higher  and  ho- 
lier communion.  In  1858  I  resigned  the  pastoral  care  to  become 
the  agent  of  the  Board  of  Ministerial  Education,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Elder  A.  P.  Williams,  who  sustained  this  relation  from 
October,  1858,  until  October,  1861,  when  he  declined  re-election 
in  favor  of  Elder  John  H.  Luther.  Elder  Luther  preached  for 
the  church  until  October,  1863,  when  he  removed  to  another  field. 
In  December  following  Elder  Williams  was  again  elected,  and 
entered  at  once  upon  the  discharge  of  his  pastoral  duties,  and 
has  been,  except  for  a  very  short  period,  the  pastor  ever  since. 

"  Soon  after  our  revival  and  ingathering  in  1851,  it  was  decid- 
ed that  a  meeting-house  was  absolutely  necessary  to  our  success 
as  a  church,  and  it  became  a  subject  of  frequent  conversations 
between  that  excellent  man,  Deacon  E.  W.  Lewis  and  myself. 
How  it  was  to  be  accomplished  was  a  most  difficult  problem. 
While  the  church  had  greatly  increased  in  numbers  a  majorit}' 
were  poor,  and  able  to  contribute  but  little  towards  the  erection 
of  a  house.  After  taking  the  matter  under  prayerful  considera- 
tion the  conclusion  was  reached  that  we  would  make  an  effort. 


488  SALINE  ASSOCIATION. 

To  this  end  a  subscription  paper  was  drawn  up,  headed  by  E.W. 
Lewis  and  myself  with  ^100  each,  and  I  commenced  the  canvass. 
For  five  consecutive  days  I  rode  from  house  to  house,  and  from 
neighborhood  to  neighborhood.  At  the  end  of  this  time,  under 
the  blessing  of  God,  I  had  some  fourteen  hundred  dollars — and 
a  yearling  calf — subscribed.  Thus  encouraged,  we  lost  no  time 
in  putting  a  house  under  contract;  and  in  1852  we  were  permit- 
ted to  take  possession  of  a  neat  and  comfortable  meeting-house, 
which  had  cost  some  SI, TOO.  In  1854  and  1855  this  house  was 
improved  by  the  addition  of  blinds  and  a  bell,  and  the  removal 
of  the  columns,  which  greatly  obstructed  the  view  inside,  and 
by  making  the  roof  self-supporting.  In  1857,  by  replastering, 
underpinning  and  repainting — costing,  in  all,  about  $1,000 — we 
had  a  house  of  worship  creditable  to  the  church  and  the  commun- 
ity. TVhcn  the  war  came  on,  in  1861,  the  house  was  in  good  con- 
dition, fully  meeting  our  wants.  In  the  summer  of  1863  this  be- 
came a  military  post,  and  the  site  of  our  meeting-house  was  se- 
lected for  a  stockade.  The  officer  in  charge  was  remonstrated 
with  against  taking  our  meeting-house  for  military  purposes,  but 
in  vain.  Possession  was  at  once  taken  of  it,  and  on  Sunday  it 
was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  colored  people  for  public  wor- 
ship.  Some  of  us  will  perhaps  never  forget  with  what  feelings 
of  mortification  and  degradation  we  passed  our  own  meeting- 
house, thus  forcibly  and  wantonly  wrested  fi'om  us,  to  worship 
in  the  houses  of  our  more  fortunate  neighbors.  In  1864,  during 
the  temporary  absence  of  the  Federal  soldiers  quartered  here, 
two  desperadoes  rode  into  the  town,  robbed  some  of  the  citizens 
of  several  hundred  dollars,  and  applied  the  torch  to  our  house, 
and  in  one  short  hour  all  that  remained  of  it  was  a  mass  of  smol- 
dering ruins."  (From  the  Manual  of  the  Miami  Bajtist  Chvrrh, 
pp.  29-34.) 

In  June,  1866,  the  present  house  of  worship  was  erected  atacost 
of  nearly  $4,000,  and  is  a  monument  to  the  liberality  of  the 
church  and  community.  Eev.  G.  W.  Hatcher  was  pastor  in  1882. 

Marshall. — This  is  the  county  seat  of  Saline,  with  from  two 
to  three  thousand  population,  located  on  the  C.  &  A.  Railway. 
"It  was  founded  in  1840,  named  in  honor  of  Chief-Justice  Mar- 
shall, and  incorporated  in  1870."  (CampbeU's  Gazetter  of  Missouri, 
p.  584.)  The  First  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  this  city,  Jan- 
uary 80,  1869,  17  persons  having  signed  the  covenant.  The  ser- 
vices were  participated  in  by  Elds.  W.  M.Bell,  J.  C.  Hamner,  J. 
Blingdon,  S.  W.  Marston  and  C.  Ingram,  and  Deacons  X.  J.  Smith 


SALINE  ASSOCIATION.  489 

and  J.  H.  Hewey.  Eev.  J.  C.  Hamner  was  chosen  pastor.  Eev. 
B.  G.  Tutt  served  the  church  efficiently  for  several  years,  and 
possibly  succeeded  Mr.  Hamner.  Under  Mr.  Tutt's  ministry  the 
church  grew  from  a  beneficiary  of  the  General  Association  to  a 
self  sustaining  body,  and  in  1880  it  was  one  of  the  efficient  insti- 
tutions of  Saline  Association,  with  a  constituency  of  174.  In 
the  fall  of  1881  Rev.  J.  C.  Maple  became  pastor  of  the  church, 
and  has  since  filled  the  office  in  his  usually  able  manner. 

Salt  Pond  Church, — near  Elmwood,  in  the  southwestern  part 
of  Saline  County,  sixteen  miles  from  Marshall,  was  founded  by 
Amos  Horn  and  E.  Eoth,  June  19, 1853,  having  a  constituency  of 
15.  This  church  has  had  for  its  ministers  E.  Eoth,  E.  Allward, 
E.  S.  Dulin,  E.  E.  Kirtley,  John  Kingdon,  S.  B.  Whiting  andW. 
E.  Painter.  This  is  one  of  the  strong  and  vigorous  churches 
of  the  association. 

In  May,  1881,  some  members  of  Salt  Pond  applied  for  letters 
for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  church  at  Mount  Leonard. 

Mount  Leonard. — This  church  was  organized  the  second  Sat- 
urday in  June,  1881.  This  left  Salt  Pond  in  its  old  place,  with 
all  the  property,  books,  &c.,  in  possession.  On  the  third  Sat- 
urday in  June,  1881,  the  Salt  Pond  Church  resolved  to  remove 
the  organization  and  house  to  Blackburn.  The  third  Sunday  in 
August,  1881,  the  last  session  was  held  on  the  old  ground.  The 
organization  now  in  Blackburn  goes  by  the  name  of  "The  First 
Baptist  Church  (Salt  Pond)  in  Blackburn."  This  is  by  common 
consent,  as  no  action  has  been  taken  with  regard  to  the  name. 

Union  Church, — a  daughter  of  Bethel,  now  twenty-two  years 
old,  was  constituted  by  A.  P.  Williams  and  W.  M.  Bell,  August 
18,  1860,  with  24  members.  The  meeting  was  continued,  and  16 
additions  by  baptism  resulted  therefrom.  Eld.  Bell  was  chosen 
to  fill  the  pastoral  office,  and,  save  a  few  short  intervals,  has  so 
continued.  In  1861  a  frame  building,  36x50  feet,  was  erected  r.s 
a  house  of  worship,  which  was  finished  after  the  war,  and  is  val- 
ued at  $2,500.  In  1863  this  church  set  apart  by  ordination  E. 
E.  Kirtley  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry. 

The  Saline  Association  made  very  little  progress  up  to  1848, 
three  small  churches.  County  Line,  Union  (an  older  Union  than 
the  one  just  before  described)  and  the  first  church  on  Flat  Creek, 
having  been  added  to  the  original  list.  This  year,  however, 
there  began  to  be  signs  of  a  more  vigorous  and  aggressive  poli- 
cy, as  may  be  seen  in  the  following  action  relative  to  itinerant 
work  : 


490  SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 

^^  Resolved,  by  this  Association,  That  wo  recommend  to  the  differ- 
ent churches  composing  the  same,  to  hold  during  the  coming 
year  a  protracted  meeting,  that  there  maj'  be  concei't  of  action 
for  the  purpose  of  advancing  the  cause  of  our  Lord  and  Master 
among  us  ;  and  that  we  appoint  Brethren  Wm.  Thornton,  Geo. 
Rhoades,  J.  "W".  Barksdale,  Oliver  Maxwell  and  Abner  G-winn  a 
committee  to  procure  a  suitable  preacher  to  ride  within  our 
bounds  and  assist  in  conducting  said  meetings,  for  the  purpose 
of  uniting  us  more  closely  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  fellowship 
and  love." 

In  1849  five  churches — Good  Hope,  Zoar,  High  Hill,  Pinnacles 
and  Fish  Creek — requested  in  their  letters  a  change  in  the  14th 
article  of  the  constitution.  They  asked  that  the  latter  clause  of 
said  article  be  expunged,  viz.:  "Nor  shall  this  association  re- 
ceive iiwj  case  having  the  question  of  missions  for  its  found- 
ation." After  considerable  discussion  it  was  decided  that  the 
clause  be  left  unchanged.  The  following  year  the  subject  was 
again  brought  uj),  and,  a  majority  of  the  churches  having  re- 
quested it,  the  clause  was  expunged,  and  at  the  same  session  the 
messengers  from  the  churches  made  voluntary  pledges  to  the 
amount  of  S118. 20,  to  sustain  an  evangelist,  who  was  to  devote 
one-half  his  time  with  the  churches  and  the  other  half  in  the 
destitute  portions  of  the  association.  Brethren  Boyer,  Scott  and 
Xeff  were  appointed  a  committee  to  employ  the  missionary. 

Bethel,  Bethlehem  and  Miami  Churches  were  admitted  to 
membership  in  1851.  This  increased  the  aggregate  membership 
to  542.  The  churches  were  recommended  to  observe  the  month- 
ly concert  of  prayer  for  the  foreign  and  home  mission  cause. 
At  this  meeting  also  the  association  adopted  a  revised  constitu- 
tion, leaving  out  entirely  the  14th  article  of  the  old  constitution, 
and  otherwise  changing  said  instrument. 

The  name  of  Wm.  M.  Bell  appears  in  the  list  of  ministers  in 
1852  when  the  meeting  was  at  Good  Hope  Church,  of  which  he 
was  at  the  time  pastor.  This  year,  on  the  motion  of  Brother 
Bell,  the  Saline  Association  became  auxiliary  to  the  General  As- 
sociation of  the  state.  Monday  of  this  session  was  a  grand  day, 
and  will  be  doubtless  long  remembered  by  many  who  were  pres- 
ent. All  constitutional  compromises  having  been  repealed,  earn- 
est men  now  took  hold  of  the  missionary  enterprise,  and  church- 
es and  individuals  made  pledges  and  cash  contributions  amount- 
ing to  $500.15,  to  sustain  the  itinerancy  in  the  associational 
bounds,  the  entire  membership  of  the  churches  at  the  time  being 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION  491 

no  more  than  752.  The  leading  spirit  in  this  movement  was 
Pastor  W.  M.  Bell,  for  some  years  a  resident  of  Miami.  G.  W. 
Sands  and  Elias  George  had  labored  153  days  as  evangelists 
during  the  year  preceding. 

From  that  time  forward  the  Saline  has  been  one  of  the  leading 
institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  state  in  promoting  the  different 
denominational  interests.  At  her  first  meeting  after  the  found- 
ing of  William  Jewell  College,  she  recommended  that  institution 
to  the  prayers  and  the  patronage  of  the  churches,  and  otherwise 
committed  herself  in  language  most  positive  and  unmistakable, 
to  the  cause  of  ministerial  education. 

In  1853  over  $700  were  raised  for  the  associational  fund,  and 
nearly  all  the  churches  reported  baptisms;  one,  Antioch  Church, 
reporting  as  many  as  23,  and  two  others,  Rehoboth  and  Provi- 
dence, each  16.  Sands,  Gwinn  and  Gentry  had  traveled  as  mis- 
sionaries. County  Line  Church  in  1855  sent  up  the  following 
query ;  "  Should  persons  be  received  into  Baptist  churches  from 
other  denominations  upon  their  former  baptism?"  The  matter 
was  referred  to  the  churches,  and  in  1857  the  association  gave 
this  answer:  "  With  due  deference  to  the  County  Line  Church, 
we  append  to  our  minutes  the  following  as  the  decision  of  the 
churches  on  the  query  of  1855:  '  They  were  about  equally  divided 
on  the  question.'  " 

Ministers  in  1859, — Wm.  M.  Bell,  Thornton  Rueker,  Wm.  Fer- 
guson, Samuel  Driskell,  E.  H.  Burchfield,  John  F.  Clark,  W. 
Clark,  J.  Spurgeon  and  A.  P.  Williams. 

Members  of  the  Executive  Board. — R.  E.  Kirtley,  president,  W. 
M.  Bell,  corresponding  secretary,  Geo.  Rhoades,  treasurer,  R. 
E.  McDaniel  and  J.  M.  Davis. 

New  churches  were  admitted  into  the  association  as  follows : 
Antioch,  Rehoboth,  First  Baptist  Arrow  Rock,  and  New  Jerusa- 
lem, in  1852 ;  Georgetown  and  Salt  Pond,  in  1853  ;  South  Fork 
and  Cole  Camp,  in  1855 ;  Knobnoster  and  Mt.  Pleasant,  in  1856; 
and  Union  and  Mt.  Olivet,  in  1860. 

In  1860  the  Zoar  Church  entertained  the  association.  Messen- 
gers  from  18  churches  attended.  The  report  of  the  executive 
board  shows  that  $719.63  had  been  expended  during  the  year  in 
itinerating,  and  that  the  whole  number  of  days'  labor  performed 
was  437,  or  about  one  and  a  half  years'  work  for  one  man,  allow- 
ing 300  working  days  for  the  year. 

The  summary  for  1860  was  the  following: 

Churches, — Good  Hope.  154;  Zoar,  120;   Heath's  Creek,  92; 


492  SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 

Fish  Creek,  159;  County  Line,  47;  Bethel,  87;  Miami,  87  ;  An- 
tioch,  97 ;  Echoboth,  136 ;  Salt  Pond,  33  j  South  Fork,  40 ;  Ot- 
terville,  15;  Mt.  Pleasant,  30;  Knobnoster,  33;  Pleasant  Grove, 
31 ;  Providence,  95;  Union,  45  ;  Mt.  Olivet,  13  ;  aggregate,  1,314. 
Baptisms,  206.  The  largest  number  of  baptisms  in  any  church 
was,  Fish  Creek,  58;  Eehoboth  next,  with  41 ;  then  Good  Hope, 
28. 

Pastors.— W.  M.  Bell,  J.  D.  Murphy,  A.  P.  Williams,  E.  H. 
Burchfield,  E.  Eoth,  Amos  Horn  and  W.  Clark. 

The  associational  territory  now  embraced  all  of  Saline  Coun- 
ty, and  parts  of  Cooper,  Johnson  and  Pettis.  No  meetings  of  the 
association  were  held  for  the  years  1861-1865,  on  account  of  the 
war  clouds  that  hung  over  the  land.  In  1866  8  churches  sent 
messengers,  and  a  meeting  was  held  at  Zoar  Church.  In  the  let- 
ter to  sister  associations  they  say : 

"After  a  sad  interval  of  six  years,  which  we  would,  as  far  as 
possible,  forget,  as  'the  days  wherein  the  Lord  has  afflicted  us — 
the  years  wherein  we  have  seen  evil,'  we  would  again  commence 
where  we  left  off,  and  henceforth  pray  the  Lord  to  '  let  his  work 
appear  unto  his  servants,  and  his  glory  unto  their  children.' 
During  these  days  of  intermission  and  trial  the  Lord  has  blessed 
some  of  the  churches  with  gracious  revivals  and  many  have  been 
gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ." 

In  1868  a  Sunday-school  convention  was  organized  with  "Wm, 
M.  Bell  as  president  and  W.  H.  Wheeler  as  secretary.  Marshall 
and  Hansboro  Churches  made  application  and  were  received  into 
the  association  in  1869,  each  reporting  31  members. 

In  1870  the  committee  on  missions,  in  its  report,  called  atten- 
tion to  Brownsville,  Arrow  Eock  and  Marshall  as  important  and 
promising  places,  and  to  the  churches  at  those  points  as  needing 
aid,  none  of  which  had  houses  of  worship  at  that  time. 

We  shall  conclude  this  sketch  with  the  following  testimonial. 
The  Saline  Association  is  now  one  of  the  strongest  institutions 
of  the  kind  in  Missouri.  Its  territory  comprises,  if  possible, 
what  was  once  the  richest  hemp  growing  district  in  the  state,  its 
churches  embracing  many  well-to-do  and  wealthy  farmers  of 
the  district,  not  to  speak  of  the  leading  business  and  profession- 
al men.  A  larger  proportion  of  its  churches  contribute  to  the 
support  of  missions  and  other  denominational  enterprises  than 
any  other  association  in  Missouri,  save,  perhaps,  North  Liberty, 
and  they  certainly  are  not  surpassed  by  the  churches  of  that 
body.     Quite  a  large  proportion  of  its  ministerial  force  is  in  the 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION.  493 

very  prime  of  life.  The  following  was  published  in  1879  as  the 
list  of 

Mi7listers.—^Y .  M.  Bell,  D.  C.  Bolton,  J.  G.  Burgess,  I.  B.  Dot- 
son,  J.  F.  Clark,  E.  Holman,  D.D.,  G.  W.  Hatcher,  J.  S.  Nor- 
dyke,  E.  M.  Eeynolds,  J.  L.  Tichenor,  B.  G.  Tutt,  J.  S.  Conner 
and  W.  H.  Yardeman. 

Licentiates. — ^J.  S.  G-ashwiler,  W.  S.  Scott,  J.  D.  Thomason  and 
Baldwin  Harl. 

Among  the  niany  efficient  laymen  are  T.  Garnett,  G.  E.  Mc- 
Daniel,  C.  W.  Pendleton,  A.  Gwinn,  George  Ehoades,  "W.  "W. 
Field,  James  Jones,  IST.  J.  Smith,  "W.  L.  Boyer,  Thomas  Lyne, 
C.  W.  Garnett,  O.  K.  Graves,  J.  "W.  Sparks,  E.  C.  Fisher,  James 
H.  Huey,  S.  H.  Kennedy,  E.  B.  Thorp,  J.  A.  Hawkins  and  a 
score  or  more  of  others  equally  worthy,  some  of  whom  have 
long  held  their  posts  on  the  battle-field,  and  others  are  in  the 
midst  of  their  palmy  days.  This  association  is  certainly  second 
to  no  fraternity  of  Baptists  in  the  commonwealth  of  Missouri. 

Peyton  Nowlin. — Although  he  was  never  a  member  of  the  Sa- 
line Association,  the  name  of  Peyton  ^Nowlin  rightfully  belongs 
at  the  head  of  this  list  of  ministers.  While  Saline  County  was 
still  a  part  of  Cooper,  he  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  Arrow 
Eock,  where  he  spent  the  residue  of  his  days. 

Peyton  Nowlin,  whose  father  and  mother,  Bryan  and  Lucy 
l^owlin,  were  members  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Virginia 
in  the  days  of  persecution,  was  born  May  4, 1767.  "When  21  years 
old  he  passed  from  under  the  parental  roof  and  went  to  Georgia, 
where  he  spent  some  three  years  as  a  school-teacher.  He  went 
thence  to  the  state  of  South  Carolina,  and  the  year  after  (in  1792) 
he  married  Miss  Luc}'"  Townsend.  In  1797  he  removed  to  and 
settled  in  the  Green  Eiver  country,  Kentucky,  about  12  miles 
south  of  Eusselville.  Soon  after  his  settlement  in  Kentucky,  he 
and  his  wife  both  professed  conversion,  were  baptized  and  short- 
ly afterwards  became  constituent  members  of  Spring  Creek 
Church.  Four  or  five  years  after  his  conversion  a  very  impor^ 
tant  event  in  his  life  occurred.  A  difficulty  took  place  in  the 
church  of  which  he  was  a  member,  resulting  finally  in  his  exclu- 
sion. He  continued  out  of  the  church  seven  years,  during  all 
of  which  time  he  was  as  regular  in  his  attendance  on  the  wor- 
ship of  the  sanctuary  as  before  his  expulsion.  Having  been  li- 
censed to  preach,  he  was  also  silenced  from  preaching.  He  now 
turned  his  attention  to  civil  matters.  He  first  filled  the  office  of 
magistrate,  and  with  such  acceptation  that  soon  he  was  elected 


494  SALINE   ASSOCIATION. 

high  sheriff  of  his  county,  in  which  office  he  gave  almost  univer- 
sal satisfaction,  and  in  1810  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature 
from  Logan  County.  During  all  this  while  his  walk  as  a  Christ- 
ian was  exemplary.  Finally,  such  had  been  his  unimpeachable 
life,  that  the  church  from  which  he  had  been  expelled  sent  a  com- 
mittee to  invite  him  to  come  back.  He  went,  many  made  ac- 
knowledgments to  him,  and  he  was  again  enrolled  as  a  member. 
This  was  about  the  year  1812.  Soon  after  his  restoration  he  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  j  and  in  the  spring  of  1818  emigrated 
to  Missouri,  settling  temporarily  in  Howard  County,  and  the 
year  following  he  made  his  permanent  home  in  what  was  then 
Cooper  but  now  Saline  County,  four  miles  southwesterly  from 
the  present  site  of  Arrow  Rock.  Here  he  lived  until  his  death. 
Peyton  Kowlin  was  actively  identified  with  the  interests  and 
early  history  of  Old  Concord  Association.  Not  long  after  his 
settlement  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  he,  his  wife  and  a  num- 
ber of  other  emigrants,  who  had  brought  their  church  letters 
with  them,  met  together  and  formed  a  church  called  Petite  Saw 
(Little  Bottom),  to  which  he  ministered  for  a  time,  but  after  a 
few  years,  the  lowlands  proving  to  be  very  unhealthy,  a  number 
of  the  members  moved  westward  and  the  church  dissolved.  Eld. 
Nowlin  joining  the  Big  Bottom  Church.  He  subsequently  be- 
came one  of  the  founders  of  Zoar  Church,  which  appears  as  a 
member  of  the  Concord  Association  in  1826,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  he  was  a  messenger  of  this  church  to  the  Concord  fra- 
ternity. He  never  traveled  extensively,  but  did  most  of  his 
preaching  near  his  own  home,  and  with  neighboring  churches. 
He  possessed  a  vigorous,  active  and  finely  cultivated  mind,  and 
being  a  man  of  excellent  business  habits  he  accumulated  a  hand- 
some property.  His  height  was  5  feet,  10  inches,  and  his  weight 
225  pounds.  His  death  occurred  April  1,  1837.  Saturday  and 
Sunday  were  the  church  meeting  days  of  Zoar,  held  at  his  house. 
Thomas  Fristoe  was  at  the  time  pastor.  Eld.  Nowlin  kept  his 
bed  most  of  the  day  on  Sunday,  but  sat  by  the  fire  during  the 
sermon,  at  the  close  of  which  the  audience  sang  the  hymn  com- 
mencing, "Jesus  my  all  to  heaven  is  gone,"  in  which  he  joined 
most  heartily.  Ho  ate  his  supper  that  evening  sitting  at  the  ta- 
ble. His  wife  asked,  "Will  you  not  now  lie  down,  Mr.  Nowlin?" 
Ho  bowed  his  head,  but  did  not  speak.  He  walked  to  the  bed, 
laid  down,  but  was  discovered  to  be  speechless,  and  never  spoke 
afterwards.  He  lived  until  Monday  evening,  when  he  expired, 
and  was  buried  in  his  family  graveyard, 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION.  495 

Mr.  Nowlin  was  a  strong  predestinarian,  and  some  supposed 
he  would  have  gone  with  the  anti-missionaries;  but  he  stood  firm 
on  the  missionary  question,  which  he  failed  to  discover  interfer- 
ed in  any  way  with  the  sovereignity  of  God,  or  with  the  doctrine 
of  election  and  predestination. 

Abner  GrWiNN, — a  son  of  William  and  Agnes  Gwinn,  was  born 
in  the  state  of  Tennessee  in  the  year  1801.  His  parents  were 
Virginians.  In  1819,  with  his  father's  family,  he  moved  to  Mis- 
souri, making  the  trip  by  flat-boat  down  the  Tennessee  Eiver  and 
up  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Elvers,  landing  in  Saline  County 
at  the  present  site  of  New  Frankfort,  near  which  place  they  set- 
tled and  devoted  themselves  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil.  Abner, 
thus  introduced  into  the  backwoods  in  his  boyhood  and  surroun- 
ded by  such  influences  as  usually  characterize  frontier  life,  be- 
came a  wild,  thoughtless  and  profane  young  man.  May  31,  1836, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Diana  McMahan. 

Two  or  three  years  prior  to  this,  at  the  funeral  of  a  beloved 
sister,  he  became  deeply  concerned  on  the  subject  of  religion. 
About  this  time  a  revival  of  religion  broke  out  in  a  prayer  meet- 
ing which  was  being  held  in  the  neighborhood,  resulting  in  the 
conversion  of  quite  a  number  of  persons,  among  whom  was  young 
Gwinn.  He  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  Big  Bottom 
Church  March  22, 1828,  commenced  at  once  exhorting  his  friends 
and  neighbors  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come,  and  in  May,  1826,  was 
licensed  to  preach.  His  ordination  occurred  at  the  meeting  of 
the  Concord  Association  in  1837  or  '38.  He  was  trained  under 
the  ministry  of  the  two  veterans.  Elders  E.  Eogers  and  Peyton 
Nowlin.  He  lived  to  see  his  ten  children  members  of  the  denom- 
ination of  his  early  choice,  nine  of  whom  survived  him.  On  Sep- 
tember 5,  1858,  he  closed  his  labors  here  below  for  a  blessed  im- 
mortality, having  for  more  than  twenty  years  preached  Christ 
and  Him  crucified,  during  the  whole  of  which  period  he  support- 
ed his  family  by  his  own  labor  and  the  help  of  his  children,  re- 
ceiving little  or  no  remuneration  from  the  churches.  His  labors 
were  mainly  devoted  to  the  churches  in  Saline  Association;  yet 
he  sometimes  went  on  preaching  excursions  abroad.  (From  the 
MS.  of  Absalom  Gwinn,  a  son.) 

Says  an  early  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Gwinn:  ''I  became  acquaint- 
ed with  Abner  Gwinn  in  the  year  1826.  His  character  was  above 
reproach — a  man  of  undoubted  veracity,  a  thorough  Baptist,  a 
strict  disciplinarian,  and  always  in  his  place.  A  man  of  good 
natural  mind,  not  much  culture,  very  zealous,  a  good  exhorter, 


496  SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 

dwelling  mostly  in  his  preaching  on  the  mercy  of  God,  the  suffi- 
ciency of  the  atonement  and  the  sufferings  of  Christ  for  a  poor 
lost  world.  He  was  a  whole  team  in  a  protracted  meeting.  His 
activity  and  zeal  in  the  Master's  cause  sometimes  excited  the 
envy  of  his  brethren  (I  often  thought),  hut  he  pressed  forward  to 
the  end,  being  for  some  twenty  years  one  of  the  active  builders 
in  the  churches  of  the  Saline  Association."  (From  Geo.  Ehoades.) 

Robert  Y.  Thomson. — This  brother  was  a  native  of  Fayette 
County,  Ky.,  born  November  21,  1800,  and  professed  religion 
when  about  eleven  years  old,  under  the  preaching  of  Jeremiah 
Vardeman.  He  was  first  married  February  28,  1822,  soon  after 
which  he  was  baptized.  He  moved  to  Missouri  in  the  fall  of  1825, 
and  the  following  summer — in  June — united  by  letter  with  the 
Big  Bottom  Church,  in  which  he  Avas  for  some  ten  years  an  effi- 
cient member.  He  was  one  of  the  constituent  members  of  the 
High  Hill  Church  in  1836,  and  again  of  Eehoboth  Church  in  1850. 

His  second  marriage  was  April  9,  1826,  with  Miss  Lucy  T., 
daughter  of  Eld.  Pej^ton  Nowlin,  late  of  Kentuckj^,  then  a  resi- 
dent of  Saline  County.  She  was  a  woman  of  sterling  worth  and 
survived  her  husband  by  a  number  of  years ;  in  fact  is  yet  living, 
or  was  recentl}'. 

Brother  Thomson  was  licensed  and  ordained  by  the  High  Hill 
Church,  the  latter  occurring  August,  1843,  by  the  hands  of  A.  P. 
Williams  and  Richard  Owens.  His  ministerial  life,  which  was 
mainly  given  to  the  churches  in  Saline  County  (though  for  sev- 
eral of  his  latest  years  he  was  not  active  in  the  ministry)  was  of 
about  twenty  years'  duration.  He  -was  a  man  of  wonderfully 
strong  prejudices  and  naturally  impulsive,  hence  he  sometimes 
got  into  church  difficulties,  a  feature  of  his  life  over  which  he 
himself  greatly  grieved.  Dr.  J.  N.  Garnett,  his  family  physi- 
cian, gave  the  following  testimonial  of  him: 

''R.  Y.  Thomson  was  a  devotedly  pious  Christian  and  evinced 
that  character  in  a  very  marked  degree  during  all  my  acquaint- 
ance with  him  as  a  member  of  Rehoboth  Church,  in  the  building 
up  of  which  he  took  a  prominent  part." 

Bro.  Thomson  died,  we  have  learned,  during  the  war — about 
1863  or '64,  but  the  exact  date  or  the  circumstances  of  his  death 
have  not  been  furnished  us. 

RussEL  HoLMAN. — This  eminent,  gifted  and  devotedly  pious 
servant  and  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  having  spent  the 
remnant  of  his  long  life  in  Missouri,  the  following  tribute  to  his 
Tiaemory,  written  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Mcintosh  (published  in  the  Ala- 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION.  407 

hama  Baptist  and  republished  in  the  Central  Baptist)  is  eheerfully 
accorded  a  place  in  this  connection. 

Died,  at  his  residence  in  Marshall,  Mo.,  in  the  early  morning 
of  December  2d,  1879,  Rev.  Eussel  Holman,  D.D.,  aged  about 
sixty-seven  years. 

Little  is  known  to  the  writer  of  his  early  life,  except  that  he 
was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  that  he  graduated  at  Brown 
University.  Soon  after  completing  his  college  course  he  turned 
his  face  southward,  and  settled  for  awhile  at  Elizabethtown,  Ky, 
Thence  he  went  to  ISTew  Orleans  and  became  identified  with  the 
Baptists  of  that  cit}-.  In  his  quiet  and  unobtrusive  way,  yet 
with  a  heart  aglow  with  love  to  Christ,  and  with  a  fervid  zeal, 
he  sowed  the  seed  which  in  later  years  has  ripened  into  grateful 
liarvests.  By  his  personal  ministry  in  the  early  struggles  of  the 
Baptists  there,  and  subsequently  as  Corresponding  Secretary  of 
the  Domestic  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 
he  was  largely  instrumental  in  the  development  of  the  Coliseum 
Place  Baptist  Church,  whose  infancy  was  fostered  by  the  board, 
and  in  whose  success  he  was  ever  deeply  interested. 

In  November,  1845,  a  few  months  after  the  organization  of  the 
convention,  he  was  elected  corresponding  secretary  of  the  board 
of  domestic  missions.  Here  his  sound  judgment,  tact  and  industry 
were  called  into  requisition.  The  results  demonstrated  the  wis- 
dom of  the  choice.  The  Board  was  soon  recognized  as  a  neces- 
sity in  the  important  work  of  supplying  the  gospel  to  the  desti- 
tute in  our  own  country,  and  rapidly  grew  in  the  affections  and 
confidence  of  the  denomination. 

In  July,  1851,  he  resigned  his  position  as  secretary,  leaving  the 
board  upon  the  flood-tide  of  its  prosperity  and  usefulness.  Uj^on 
his  retirement  the  board  expressed  their  appreciation  of  his  ser- 
vices in  highly  complimentary  resolutions. 

He  labored  successfully  in  the  pastorate  until  called  again  to 
the  secretaryship,  |jy  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  board  in  1856. 
With  his  usual  fidelity  he  filled  the  office  for  six  years,  when  de- 
clining health  demanded  a  second  resignation  in  1862.  From 
that  time,  until  within  a  few  years  past,  he  was  engaged  in  pas- 
toral work  in  Alabama,  Kentucky  and  Missouri. 

As  a  preacher.  Dr.  Holman  was  instructive,  sometimes  elo- 
quent. Accepting  heartily  the  doctrines  of  grace,  he  drew  from 
them  the  lessons  of  practical  piety  which  the}'  teach,  and  enfor- 
ced them  with  earnest  appeals  to  the  consciences  of  his  hearers. 
As  a  Christian  his  life  was  in  habitual  and  happy  conformity  to 
32 


498  SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 

the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  The  most  of  his  Missouri  life  was  spent 
in  the  pastoral  office  in  the  Bethel  and  Eehohoth  Churches,  Sa- 
line County. 

J.  L.  Hampton — was  the  son  of  Abel  and  Sarah  Hampton,  and 
was  born  in  Saline  County,  Missouri,  May  15,  1839.  He  made  a 
profession  of  religion  at  Good  Hope,  in  the  same  county,  at  the 
age  of  13  years,  and  was  baptized  by  Eev.  Wm.  M.  Bell,  under 
whose  preaching  he  was  converted.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
in  Liberty,  Missouri,  while  attending  William  Jewell  College,  at 
which  institution  he  graduated  in  1874.  He  was  pastor  of  Salem 
Church,  where  he  was  ordained,  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri, 
for  several  years,  besides  filling,  temporarily,  several  other  pas- 
torates while  in  college,  and  was,  for  some  time,  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  church  at  Brownsville,  Missouri. 

Bro.  Hampton  was  eminently  successful  in  revival  meetings. 
He  understood  how  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  hearts  of  the  peo- 
ple. "  The  common  people  heard  him  gladly."  Scores  of  souls 
will  rise  up  and  call  him  blessed  in  the  great  day. 

He  was  a  man  of  strong  impulses  and  these  sometimes  carried 
him  farther  than  he  designed,  when  in  the  warmth  of  discussion  ; 
but  no  man  was  readier  to  confess  a  fault  when  he  saw  it  was  a 
fault.  His  attachments  were  strong.  He  never  betrayed  a  friend. 
However  he  might  have  sometimes  erred  in  judgment,  his  asso- 
ciates always  knew  that  his  heart  was  in  the  right  place. 

Bro.  Hampton  had  an  intense  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls 
and  labored  earnestly  to  persuade  men  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 
In  one  word,  he  was  faithful — faithful  to  God,  faithful  to  men. 
He  rests  in  the  Lord.  His  works  follow  him.  His  memory  will 
not  perish;  it  is  embalmed  in  the  hearts  of  those  whom,  under 
God,  he  has  blessed  by  his  preaching,  and  in  the  lasting  regard 
of  associates  and  college  classmates,  one  of  whom  craves  the 
privilege  of  bearing  this  humble  tribute  to  his  worth. 

Died,  at  his  home  in  Brownsville,  Mo.,  on  November  25,  1878, 
of  pneumonia,  Eev.  J.  L.  Hampton,  aged  39  years,  6  months  and 
10  days.     ("F,"  in  Central  Baptist.) 

William  M.  Bell — is  a  native  of  Eichmond  County,  Virginia. 
He  was  born  July  23,  1823,  and  at  two  years  of  age,  by  the  death 
of  his  parents — Thomas  Y.  and  Elizabeth  Bell — he  became  an 
orphan.  Being  an  only  child,  and  left  to  the  care  of  others,  he 
grew  u])  to  be  a  wild  and — as  he  expresses  it — "  a  wicked  young- 
man."  On  one  occasion  after  his  maturity,  he  witnessed  the 
baptism  of  a  colored  man  who  shouted  as  he  came  outof  the  wa- 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 


499 


ter.     This  so  wrought  upon  young  Bell  that  he  said  to  those 
standing  around  him :  ''  I  feel  like  caning  that  man  !" 

When  a  youth  of  fourteen,  in  company  with  his  guardian,  he 
removed  to  Missouri  and  soon  after  entered  one  of  the  private 
schools  in  Boonville.  From  1839  to  1844 — a  period  of  5  years — 
he  spent  his  time  as  a  dry  goods'  clerk,  first  with  Messrs.  B.  F.  & 
T.  B.  "Wallace  of  Clinton,  Missouri,  and  afterward  with  several 
other  firms.  In  ISTovember,  1844,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
N.  McDaniel,  daughter  of  Judge  E.  E.  McDaniel  of  Saline  Coun- 
ty, and  soon  after  entered  upon  the  life  of  a  farmer. 

In  the  fstU  of  1846  he  was  converted  under  the  preaching  of  the 
late  Dr.  A.  P.  Williams,  by  whom  he  was  baptized,  after  which  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Old  Bethel  Church,  Saline  County.  After 
this,  for  a  time,  he  was  well  nigh  overwhelmed  with  doubts  as  to 
his  acceptance  with  God,  but  betaking  himself  to  prayer,  the  devil 
left  him,  and  all  was  well.  In  1848  the  Bethel  Church  licensed 
him  to  preach,  and 
two  years  after — 
in  November,  1850 
— he  was  ordained 
by  the  same  body; 
W.  C.  Ligon  and  E. 
Y.  Thomson  com- 
posing the  presby- 
tery. The  month 
following  this 
event  he  was  call- 
ed into  the  pastoral 
office  of  the  Firsi 
Baptist  Church  at 
Miami,  and  in  Feb-  « 
ruary,  1851,  he  was  '^ 
elected  to  assist 
W.  C.  Ligon  in  the 
pastorate  at  Beth- 
el, and  at  the  close 
of  the  3'ear,  Elder 
Ligon  declining  re-  ^^^-  '^i-  m-  ^^^^ll. 

election,  he  was  chosen  as  his  successor.     Thus  he  continued  at 
Miami  and  Bethel  until  1858,  when  he  resigned  to  become  agent 
of  the  Board  of  Minis'terial  Education  of  William  Jewell  College. 
In  the  year  1852  he  was  first  called  as  pastor  of  Good  Hope 


500 


SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 


Church,  Saline  County,  and,  save  an  interval  of  six  years,  has  so 
continued  ever  since,  a  period  of  over  twenty-nine  years.  At 
Union  Church — same  county — he  has  served  as  pastor,  with  short 
intervals,  for  sixteen  years,  having  aided  in  the  organization  of 
this  church  in  1860.  He  was  elected  as  pastor  at  Fish  Creek 
Church  in  1867,  and  four  years  after  declined  re-election  to  ac- 
cept a  like  position  at  Marshall,  the  county  seat  of  Saline.  Here 
he  continued  three  years. 

Eld.  Bell  has  filled  manj^  other  honorable  and  useful  positions 
in  the  denomination,  as  that  of  secretary  of  the  General  Associ- 
ation ;  he  was  also  trustee  of  William  Jewell  College  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  Since  1869  he  has  presided  as  moderator  over  the 
sessions  of  the  Saline  Association;  and  under  his  administration 
as  pastor  the  present  church  edifices  of  Grood  Hope,  Fish  Creek, 
Union  and  Marshall  were  built.  Though  apj)roximating  very 
closely  the  old  man's  list,  the  subject  of  this  notice  is  quite  ac- 
tive in  the  ministry,  and  is  doing  a  good  work  as  pastor  of  sev- 
eral of  the  best  country  churches  in  the  state  of  Missouri. 

Joseph  C.  Maple — was 
born  in  Guernsey  County, 
Ohio,  November  18, 1833. 
His  father  and  mother 
(with  the  family)  moved 
ed  to  the  state  of  Illinois 
in  the  spring  of  1838,  and 
settled  in  Peoria  County. 
Here  he  grew  up  to  man- 
hood, was  converted,  and 
by  Eld.  W.  T.  Ely  was 
baptized  June  18,  1849 — 
aged  15  1-2  years — after 
which  he  became  a  mem- 
ber  of  the  La  Marsh 
Church,  in  said  county. 
He  was  educated  in  Shurt- 
leif  College,  Alton,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  complet- 
ed the  course  and  grad- 
uated June  25,  1857,  and 
uKv.  J.  c.  MAPLE,  B.D.  ^hc    followiug    Octobci' 

(4th)  was  ordained  and  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at 
Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri. 

From  the  point  last  named  he  went  to  Kentucky  in  September, 


SALINE  ASSOCIATION, 


501 


1864,  and  for  some  months  engaged  successfully  in  protracted 
meetings.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1865,  he  was  settled  as  pastor 
in  Owensboro,  Ky.,  where  he  continued  for  over  five  years.  He 
resigned  there  April  1,  1870,  returned  to  Missouri,  and  on  the  1st 
of  June  of  that  year  settled  as  pastor  in  Kansas  City.  Here  he 
continued  for  two  years,  and  then  went  to  Chillicothe,  where  he 
spent  a  few  months,  and  moved  thence  to  Springfield,  Mo.  Here 
he  had  been  something  over  a  year,  when  under  the  most  earnest 
appeal  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Cape  Girardeau  he  visited  that 
city  and  held*  a  series  of  meetings  resulting  in  a  glorious  revival 
of  religion  and  the  accession  of  twenty  persons  to  the  member- 
ship of  the  church.  The  interest  was  widespread — the  commu- 
nity was  moved — the  church  gave  him  a  call  to  the  pastoral  of- 
fice. Outsiders  proposing  to  help  the  struggling  band  liberally, 
and  this  help  being  offered  for  no  one  but  Mr.  Maple,  he  reluct- 
antly gave  up  Springfield  and  moved  to  the  Cape.  His  labors 
continued  here  three  years,  when  his  health  broke  down,  not 
long  after  which  he  accepted  the  call  of  the  church  at  Mexico. 

In  1878  he  went  to  Europe,  having  been  appointed  a  commis- 
sioner by  the  governor  of  Missouri.  After  his  return  he  contin- 
ued his  labors  successfully  at  Mexico  until  the  fall  of  1881,  when 
he  resigned  and  soon  afterwards — November  1st — was  settled  as 
pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Marshall,  Mo. 

Eld.  Maple  has  for  several  years  very  efliciently  filled  the  of- 
fice of  president  of  the  executive  board  of  the  G-eneral  Associa- 
tion of  Missouri,  and  at  the  session  of  that  body  in  October, 
1881,  was  elected  as  its  assistant  moderator. 

Shurtleff  College  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  A,  B.  and 
A.M.  in  the  regular  course.  And  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  was  conferred  on  him  in  1881,  both  by  William  Jew- 
ell College,  Missouri,  and  bj'-  Baylor  University,  Texas;  all  of 
which  honors  he  wears  with  much  ease  and  modesty. 

Mr.  Maple  is  one  of  the  staunch  members  of  the  Missouri  Bap- 
tist ministry. 

James  Lewis  Tichenor. — This  brother  beloved  is  a  native  of 
Spencer  County,  Kentucky,  was  born  March  27,  1830,  and  is  a 
younger  brother  of  Dr.  I.  T.  Tichenor  of  Alabama.  He  grew 
up  to  manhood,  was  converted,  baptized,  and  commenced  preach- 
ing in  his  native  state.  His  baptism  occurred  in  October,  1846, 
by  Eld.  Smith  Thomas,  at  Taylorsville.  Subsequently  he  was 
for  a  time  a  member  of  Calhoun  Church,  Kentucky,  by  which 
he  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1858.     While  a  member  of  the  last 


502  SALINE    ASSOCIATION. 

named  church,  he  spent  two  years  in  the  family  of  Eev.  J.  S.  Cole- 
man, who  gave  him  the  benefit  of  his  instruction  and  free  access 
to  his  extensive  library.  During  these  years  he  taught  school 
as  a  means  of  support.  '  He  was  ordained  at  Beaver  Dam,  Ky., 
after  which  he  spent  about  eight  years  in  that  state  in  the  minis- 
try, laboring  as  pastor  at  Highland,  Newport  and  Lancaster 
Churches. 

Mr.  Tichenor  removed  to  Missouri  in  1868,  and  was  pastor  for 
a  season  at  Westport,  and  has  for  several  years  past  been  pas- 
tor of  churches  in  the  Saline  Association,  among  which  are  Zoar 
and  Shackelford.  His  first  marriage  was  with  Miss  Eoxie  Cooper 
in  December,  1863,  while  pastor  at  ISTewport,  Kentucky,  where 
his  labors  were  much  blessed.  His  second  marriage  was  with 
Mrs.  L.  E.  Melvin,  while  pastor  at  Westport,  Mo. 

His  preaching  is  doctrinal,  and  "stubbornly  logical,"  in  lan- 
guage clear,  though  not  polished.  He  is  not  a  ''denominational" 
disputant,  but  on  all  proper  occasions  preaches  Baptist  senti- 
ments fully;  and  while  Calvinistic  in  his  views,  he  takes  special 
pains  to  develop  the  spirit  of  missions  in  his  people. 

W.  E.  Painter — was  born  in  Warren  County,  Virginia,  in  1838. 
Most  of  his  early  life  was  spent  near  Palmyra,  Missouri.  In  1856 
he  was  converted,  baptized  b}-  Eld.  Jno.  T.  Williams,  and  joined 
Bethel  Church,  by  which  body  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and 
by  the  generous  aid  of  Hon.  William  Carson  was  placed  at  beth- 
el College,  Palmyra,  where  he  remained  until  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war  in  1861.  He  was  ordained  at  Bethel  Church  in  1860. 
He  entered  the  Confederate  army  and  served  as  chaplain  of  the 
10th  Missouri  Infantry  during  the  war.  Eeturning  to  Missouri, 
he  engaged  with  Dr.  J.  H.  Luther  in  establishing  the  Missouri 
Baptist  Journal,  canvassing  a  large  part  of  the  state  on  horseback 
in  that  work.  He  became  the  pastor  of  Chariton  and  other 
churches  in  Howard  County  in  1866.  In  this  field  of  labor  (with 
the  exception  of  one  5'ear  spent  at  the  Southern  Baptist  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  and  three  years  of  sickness)  he  continued  until 
the  year  1880. 

In  1882  he  was  pastor  of  Mt.  Leonard  and  Blackburn  Church- 
es in  Saline  County,  and  has  been  doing  a  noble  work  for  the 
Master.  In  meetings  held  by  him,  he  has  witnessed  over  1,100 
conversions,  and  baptized  470  persons,  mostly  in  Howard  County. 

His  first  marriage  was  in  1870,  to  Miss  Sarah  Hall,  who  died 
in  1871.  His  second  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Hughes  of  Howard 
County,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1881. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


MACON  ASSOCIATION. 

Constituent  Churches — Euphrates  Stringer — Change  of  Name — Second  Change — Pol- 
icy on  Missions — Groat  Revival  at  Mt.  Salem — Trouble  on  Open  Communion — 
End  of  tlie  Controversy — Mt.  Pleasant  College  Adopted — Big  Spring  and  Blanket 
(iro^•e  Churches — Joseph  Oliver. 

THIS  body  was  formed  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Wm.  Griffiu, 
Macon  County,  on  the  foui'th  Saturday  in  November,  1843, 
of  four  churches,  a  part  of  a  colony  that  came  out  of  the  Mount 
Pleasant  Association  for  this  purpose.  (For  a  fuller  account  of 
the  events  connected  with  the  rise  of  this  association  see  North 
Union  Association.) 

Churches  and  Messengers. — Ten  Mile:  Wm.  Griffin,  Henry  Math- 
ews and  J.  G.  Swinney  ;  Mt.  Tabor:  Michael  Moody,  Michael 
and  Charles  Buster ;  Big  Spring:  "Walker  Austin  and  William 
Radcliff;  Pleasant  Hill:  Euphrates  Stringer,  Benjamin  Speak 
and  Jeptha  Hardesty.  None  of  these  old  pioneers  are  now  liv- 
ing, save  Michael  Moody  and  J.  G.  Swinney.  The  elders  pres- 
ent were  Euphrates  Stringer,  William  Eadcliff  and  J.  G.  Swin- 
ney. The  constitution  and  articles  of  faith  of  the  Old  Cumber- 
land River  Association  of  Kentucky  were  adopted,  and  the  as- 
sociation took  the  name  of  "  Mt,  Tabor  Association  of  United 
Baptists."  Michael  Buster  was  elected  moderator,  and  Walker 
Austin  was  chosen  clerk.  Correspondence  was  solicited  from 
the  Bethel  and  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Associations. 

In  1844  James  Moody  was  added  to  the  list  of  ministers  as  a 
licentiate.  The  session  this  year  was  cheered  by  the  presence 
of  Wm.  Duncan,  Benjamin  and  Jesse  Terrill,  from  Mt.  Pleasant 
Association,  and  P.  N.  Haycraft  and  James  F.  Smith,  from  Beth- 
el Association.  In  the  fall  of  this  year  Euphrates  Stringer,  the 
leading  minister  of  the  association,  moved  to  Texas.  His  loss 
was  very  much  felt  by  the  feeble  churches  of  this  new  interest, 
among  whom  he  was  held  in  high  estimation.  Being  a  man  of 
fine  exhortational  powers,  he  was  regarded  as  a  revivalist  in  that 
day.  Not  meeting  with  his  expected  success  in  Texas,  he  moved 
back  to  Pulaski  County,  Kentucky  (where  he  was  born  and  grew 
up),  and  died  not  long  afterwards. 


504  MACON  ASSOCIATION. 

Messengers  from  only  three  churches,  Big  Spring,  Ten  Mile 
and  Mt.  Tabor,  were  present  at  the  meeting  in  1848.  Joseph 
Oliver  appears  in  the  list  of  preachers.  Licentiates:  James  N. 
Griffin,  Colby  Miller  and  William  May.  William  H.  Vardeman 
from  Salt  Eiver,  Jesse  Terrill  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  and  Wm.  Barbee 
of  North  Grand  Eiver  Association,  were  present  as  correspond- 
ing messengers.  Mt.  Salem  Church,  from  Mt.  Pleasant  Associ- 
ation, was  received  into  the  association  this  year.  This,  too,  was 
the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  what  is  now  the  Macon  Associa- 
tion. For  the  first  time,  pursuant  to  a  resolution  of  the  body, 
a  public  demonstration  was  made  in  behalf  of  missions  by  mak- 
ing a  collection  therefor  on  the  Lord's  day,  amounting  to  $12.50. 
On  Monday  following  the  work  M'as  continued  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  an  executive  board  of  missions,  the  raising  by  special 
pledges  from  individuals  and  from  churches  of  $87,  and  the  elec- 
tion of  J.  G.  Swinney  to  itinerate  in  the  destitute  parts  of  the 
association,  at  a  salary  of  $12.50  per  month.  At  this  session  al- 
so the  name  of  the  association  was  changed  from  Mt.  Tabor  to 
"Middle  Fork,"  under  which  title  it  continued  until  the  present 
name  "  Macon  "  was  adopted  in  1866. 

In  1849  Elder  William  Radcliff  preached  the  introductory  ser- 
mon. Says  Eld.  J.  G.  Swinney  :  "  My  recollection  is  that  this  is 
the  last  meeting  this  eccentric  minister  ever  attended.  He  died 
some  few  years  after,  very  suddenly,  from  apoplexy,  having  be- 
come very  fleshy  and  helpless.  He  was  a  man  of  a  good  mind 
and  of  some  doctrinal  ability,  but  somewhat  speculative,  which, 
doubtless,  in  a  measure  impaired  his  usefulness." 

Blanket  Grove  Church,  now  La  Plata,  was  admitted  into  the 
association  this  j'ear  on  a  letter  from  North  Union  Association. 

The  aggressive  policy  which  characterized  the  meeting  in  1848 
continued,  and  by  the  year  1852  the  number  of  churches  had 
grown  to  ten,  with  327  members.  J.  G.  Swinney,  James  Moody 
and  Joseph  Oliver  performed  missionary  labor  during  this  pe- 
riod. Eevivals  were  not  unfrequent.  From  the  close  of  the  ses- 
sion in  1849  at  Mt.  Salem,  the  meeting  was  continued  by  James 
Moody  and  J.  G.  Swinney,  resulting  in  a  large  accession  to  the 
church,  doubling  its  membership. 

A  case  of  open  communion  interrupted  the  harmony  of  the  as- 
sociation at  its  meeting  in  1855.  James  Moody,  an  elder  and  a 
member  in  Blanket  Grove  Church,  avowed  open  communion  sen- 
timents. The  church  considered  his  case  and  called  in  his  cre- 
dentials; but  he,  refusing  to  give  them  Tip,  went  and  united  with 


MACON   ASSOCIATION.  ^OiS 

the  Bethlehem  Church.  In  1854  the  association  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  visit  and  look  into  the  action  of  the  said  Bethlehem 
Church,  but  she  refused  to  give  them  any  satisfaction  whatever. 
In  1855  the  committee  reported  the  facts  in  the  case,  and  the  Beth- 
lehem Church  was  excluded  for  "violating  the  principles  on 
which  the  association  was  organized."  (^Minutes,  1855.)  This  ac- 
tion of  the  association  settled  the  communion  question,  which 
had  been  agitating  the  churches  and  creating  division.  During 
this  discussion,  however,  brethren  had  said  hard  things  of  one 
another,  and  this  session  of  the  association  closed  with  very  con- 
siderable excitement,  the  minority  claiming  that  the  association 
had  treated  the  church  and  Brother  Moody  badly.  The  Bethle- 
hem Church  never  afterwards  enjoyed  any  prosperity,  and  in  a 
few  years  became  extinct.  Eld.  Moody  studied  the  communion 
question,  saw  his  error,  abandoned  his  position,  and  subsequently 
became  a  landmark  Baptist;  and  the  churches  generally  became 
more  firmly  settled  on  the  doctrines  of  the  primitive  churches 
than  ever  before.  This  restored  quiet  in  the  Macon  Associa- 
tion. The  business  of  this  session  (1855)  was  considerably  in- 
creased b}"  the  appointment  of  committees  on  periodicals,  col- 
leges, temperance,  Bible  societies  and  Sunday-schools.  The  en- 
tire strength  of  the  association  at  this  time  was  9  churches  and 
427  members.  77  baptisms  during  the  year  indicated  a  good  de- 
gree of  interest. 

In  1860,  at  Mt.  Tabor,  letters  and  messengers  were  present 
from  all  the  churches,  now  increased  to  14  in  number. 

Ministers. — James  Moody,  Joseph  Oliver,  J.  A.  Clark,  G.  C. 
Sparrow,  John  Eoan,  John  Estes,  J.  G.  Swinney,  S.  K.  Kellum 
— who  afterwards  became  a  wreck — and  G.  W.  Simmons;  five  of 
whom  only  were  in  any  measure  active  in  the  ministry.  The 
missionary  reported  forty -nine  days'  labor  and  $68.95  collected. 
At  this  session  some  discussion  arose  on  the  motion  to  strike  out 
the  sixth  article  in  the  constitution,  as  follows  :  "  Giving  or  re- 
fusing to  give  money  for  missionary  purposes,  shall  be  no  bar  to 
fellowship."     The  motion  was  lost  by  a  large  majority. 

The  association  (it  took  the  name  of  "Macon"  this  year)  met 
in  1866  at  Eock  Creek  Church,  Knox  County,  September  8th. 
It  consisted  of  thirteen 

Churches. — Novelty,  15  ;  Bethlehem,  19 ;  Blanket  Grove,  86  ; 

Mt.  Tabor,  109 ;  Eock   Creek ;  Chariton  Grove,  51 ;  North 

Fork,  75;  New  Salem,  41;  Union  Grove,  16;  Macon,  26;  Mt. 
Salem.  167;  Chariton  Valley,  25;  Dover,  ;  total   member- 


506  ,  iMACON  ASSOCIATION.      ' 

ship,  630 ;  baptisms,  84.  The  following  additions  had  been  made 
to  the  ministerial  force:  J.  B.  Johnson,  B.  F.  Powers,  William 
Johnson  and  T.  M.  Colwell.  The  latter,  an  active  and  efficient 
preacher,  was  pastor  at  Macon  City,  a  railroad  junction,  and  the 
principal  town  in  the  bounds  of  the  association.  By  way  of  pro- 
moting education,  the  association  pledged  its  support  to  the  Mt. 
Pleasant  Baptist  College  at  Iluntsville. 

The  year  preceding  the  session  at  Mt.  Tabor  in  1867  was  one 
of  i^rosperity.  Four  churches — Pleasant  Grove,  Eichland,  Eben- 
ezer  and  Bear  Creek — formerly  belonging  to  North  Union  Asso- 
ciation, were  on  application  added  to  the  list  this  year.  The  as- 
sociation was  now  somewhat  in  debt  to  its  missionary,  and  had 
to  appeal  to  the  churches  to  contribute  to  pay  off  the  old  claim. 
This  is  no  uncommon  occurrence  in  the  state,  and  is,  we  feel  con- 
fident, a  bad  method  of  doing  business.  It  very  generally  hap- 
pens that  while  a  church  or  an  association  is  raising  funds  to  pay 
off  old  debts,  but  little  is  accomplished  for  anything  else.  We 
have  known  church  work  clogged  for  j^ears,  simply  with  a  debt 
of  a  few  hundred  dollars.  This  fact  of  itself  indicates  very  clearly 
the  evil  of  church  debts.  We  have,  however,  known  glorious 
exceptions  to  this  rule. 

Ministers  in  1870. — James  Moody,  Jos.  Oliver,  James  Morris,  G. 

C.  Sparrow,  J.  A.  Clark,  A.  E.  T.  Brown,  T.  M.  Colwell,  M.  H. 
Abbott,  J.  Wood  Saunders,  G.  D.  Brock,  J.  W.  Cook,  W.  John- 
son, J.  Eoan,  E.  W.  Wisdom,  E.  K.  Basket  and  L.  D.  Lamkin. 
Whole  number  of  churches,  26  ;  total  members,  1,602. 

The  proposition  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  inviting  the  Ma- 
con Association  to  consolidate  on  Mt.  Pleasant  College — Macon 
to  have  half  the  trustees  of  said  institution — was  discussed  at 
this  meeting,  and  finally  referred  to  the  churches.  The  follow- 
ing year  (1871)the  proposition  was  accepted,  whereby  the  Mount 
Pleasant  College  became  the  school  of  Macon  Association  as  well 
as  of  Mount  Pleasant.  The  following  were  nominated  as  trus- 
tees to  fill  vacancies  as  they  might  occur :  Stephen  Conner,  G. 
W.  Saunders,  E.  H.  Lamkin,  Jas.  Moody,  Sr.,  John  Yansickle,  Geo. 

D.  Brock,  John  A.  Brown,  Andrew  Baker  and  G.  C.  Sparrow, 
and  Eev.  T.  M.  Colwell  became  financial  agent  of  the  college. 

The  churches  of  Macon  Association,  27  in  all,  are  located  in 
Macon,  Adair  and  Shelby  Counties.  Macon  City, the  county  seat 
of  Macon,  and  Kirksville,  the  county  seat  of  Adair  and  seat  of 
one  of  the  state  normal  schools,  are  in  this  association,  both  of 
which  are  important  centres.    The  largest  church  in  the  associa- 


MAOON    ASSOCIATION.  507 

tion  in  1879,  was  Friendship,  with  226  members ;  the  next  was 
Mount  Salem,  with  215 ;  then  Union  Grove,  Shelby  County,  178  ; 
and  Macon  City,  115.  No  others  exceeded  100.  At  that  session 
nearly  one-half  the  churches  reporting  (21)  had  enjoyed  reviv- 
als, and  179  converts  had  been  added  to  the  churches  by  baptism. 
The  numerical  strength  was  1,568. 

Ministers  in  1870.— AWan  Parks,  J.  C.  Eckle,  D.  E.  Evans,  G. 
C.  Sparrow,  W.  E.  Skinner,  J.  F.  McClellan,  E.  J.  Mansfield,  J. 
C.  Shipp,  Wm.  Johnson,  John  Eoan,  G.  W.  Jones,  E.  H.  Sawyer, 
D.D.,  C.  ]Sr.  Eay  and  J.  G.  Swinney. 

In  1881  the  association  was  held  at  Union  Grove,  Shelby  Coun- 
ty. Jno.  II.  Thompson,  pastor  at  Macon,  had  been  added  to  the 
ministerial  corps.  The  23  churches  Teported  an  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  1,401,  and  a  moderate  degree  of  prosperity  for  the 
preceding  year.  L.  P.  Wooldridge  was  moderator,  and  E.  N. 
Leyde,  clerk. 

Big  Spring  Church. — The  first  settlement  in  what  is  now  MaT 
con  County  was  made  in  1831,  located  A  miles  north  of  Macon 
City,  and  was  called  Moccasinville. 

The  first  Baptist  church  organized  in  the  county  was  Big- 
Spring,  in  July,  1839,  by  Thomas  Fristoe,  aided  by  A.  T.  Hite, 
a  licentiate.  It  was  composed  of  8  or  9  members,  and  located 
in  a  neighborhood  near  the  northern  limits  of  the  county,  west- 
ward from  the  present  town  of  La  Plata.  A.  T.  Ilite  was  the 
first  minister,  having  been  ordained  at  the  call  of  the  church  im- 
mediately after  its  formation,  by  Eld.  Fristoe.  This  church  first 
joined  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  and  afterwards  (in  1843) 
became  a  constituent  of  the  North  Union  Associartion. 

Blanket  Grove  Church. — The  second  church  organized  in  Ma- 
con County  was  not  far  from  the  present  town  of  La  Plata,  in 
December,  1840,  of  eleven  members,  by  A.  T.  Hite,  called  "Blank- 
et Grove."  In  1868  this  church  built  a  new  house  of  worship 
in  La  Plata,  since  which  time  it  has  been  called  by  the  name  of 
the  town.  A.  T.  Hite  was  for  the  first  ten  months  pastor,  was 
succeeded  by  Wm.  T.  Barnes,  and  he  by  O.  P.  Davis  for  about 
two  years,  when  he  joined  the  '*  Current  Eeformation."  Davis 
was  ordained  by  this  church  in  1843. 

Mount  Salem  Church  —  bears  date  from  Nov.  13,  1841.  It 
has  been  a  prolific  vine.  Elds.  Wm.  Duncan  and  Benj.  Terrill 
were  present  and  aided  in  its  organization  with  eleven  mem- 
bers. For  a  number  of  years  the  church  met  from  house  to 
house  and  in  the  groves,  until  in  1854  it  built  a  frame  structure, 


i">08  MACON    ASSOCIATION. 

30x50  feet,  which  was  replaced  by  a  very  neat  frame  building, 
well  proportioned,  finished  and  comfortable,  within  the  last  ten 
years.  In  all,  from  the  beginning,  there  have  been  394  names 
on  the  church  roll.  In  1882  the  church  numbered  210  mem- 
bers, with  M.  F.  Williams  as  pastor.  Benj.  Terrill  was  the  first 
minister.  This  church  has  sent  forth  by  ordination  two  minis- 
ters— Samuel  Mays  and  G.  D.  Brock. 

Bethlehem  (now  Sue  City)  Church. — This  church  was  first 
organized  March  3,  1850,  of  12  members,  and  located  in  the  edge 
of  Knox  County,  near  the  present  town  of  Sue  City.  For  two 
or  three  years  it  seemed  to  prosper;  then  heresies  crept  in, 
much  wrangling  ensued,  many  left  the  church,  and  the  rest  went 
into  open  communion,  first  abolished  one  of  the  leading  articles 
of  Baptist  faith,  then  restored  it,  and  finallj^  dissolved.  Some 
time  after  this  a  new  organization  was  effected  by  the  same  name, 
which  was  dissolved  in  1869  and  organized  as  the  Sue  City  Bap- 
tist Church,  of  23  members,  and  in  1882  had  52  members  on  the 
list. 

Rock  Creek  Church, — once  a  member  of  Macon  Association, 
is  in  Knox  County,  five  miles  west  of  Edina.  It  originated  May, 
1857,  with  24  members.     J.  W.  Eowe  was  their  minister. 

Chariton  Ridge  Church. — On  the  fifth  Saturday  in  January, 
1864,  16  persons  covenanted  together,  formed  this  church,  and 
chose  Wm.  Caldwell  as  their  minister.  Its  present  numerical 
strength  is  75,  worshiping  in  a  house  25x40  feet,  one-half  only 
of  which  it  owns,  the  other  belonging  to  the  Methodists.  "W.  R. 
Skinner  was  pastor  in  1882.  The  former  name  of  this  commu- 
nity was  Chariton  Valley,  from  the  Chariton  River,  near  which 
it  was  organized  and  met  for  one  or  more  years. 

Macon  City  Baptist  Church, — though  neither  the  oldest  nor 
the  largest  in  the  association,  is  one  of  the  most  efficient.  In 
1882  J.  H.  Thompson  was  pastor,  the  church  numbering  103 
members.  This  church  contributes  statedly  to  home  and  for- 
eign missions  and  to  Bible  and  Sunday-school  work. 

KiRKSViLLE  Church, — situated  in  Adair  County,  numbering 
65  members  in  1879,  has  struggled  for  many  years,  and  is  in  a 
decidedly  improved  condition.  In  1881  J.  C.  Shipp  was  pastor, 
and  it  has  been  gradually  gaining  in  numbers  and  efficiency. 
The  time  of  organization  of  neither  of  these  last  named  chiirch- 
es  was  furnished  us. 

Second  Baptist  Church,  Bevter.  —  This  church  was  organ- 
ized April  10,  1870,  with  five  members.     The  same  meeting  con- 


MACON    ASSOCIATION.  509 

tiinied  tifteen  days,  resulting  in  48  additions  to  the  church.  In 
1882  it  had  64  members. 

Friendship  Church, — once  the  largest  in  the  association,  was 
organized  September  28,  1867,  by  T.  M.  Colwell  and  Joseph  Oli- 
ver, with  55  members,  and  is  located  seven  miles  southeast  from 
Macon.  W.  P.  Elliott  was  the  pastor  in  1879.  Joseph  Oliver 
was  the  first  pastor  who  filled  this  office. 

Joseph  Oliver — was  born  in  Clark  County,  Kentucky,  April 
14,  1804.  He  professed  religion  and  joined  the  Baptist  church 
called  Cave  Spring  in  May,  1823.  "Wm.  Oliver,  his  father,  and 
all  the  family  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Howard  County 
in  1825,  and  united  (five  members  of  the  family)  with  Mt.  Moriah 
Church,  some  four  miles  from  Fayette.  In  1828  young  Oliver 
moved  to  Randolph  County  and  became  a  member  of  Dover 
Church,  soon  after  which  he  was  elected  writing  clerk  and  also 
singing  clerk.  When  the  trouble  on  missions  was  agitating  the 
churches  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  Mr.  Oliver  found  himself 
alone  at  Dover  Church,  it  having  declared  non-fellowship  for 
"  missions  and  the  institutions  of  the  day."  He  finally  got  a  let- 
ter and  moved  his  membership  to  Huntsville  Church.  Here,  too, 
he  was  made  church  clerk,  and  was  generally  sent  as  a  messen- 
ger to  his  association.  On  the  third  Saturday  in  September,  1843, 
upon  the  call  of  Huntsville  Baptist  Church,  he  was  ordained  to 
preach  the  gospel  by  Elds.  William  Duncan  and  William  Mans- 
field. The  first  meeting  he  held  was  one  in  his  own  neighbor- 
hood. A  revival  followed  and  twenty-five  converts  were  bap- 
tized. He  continued  in  the  field  of  his  early  labors  for  five  or  six 
years;  Elds.  W.  Duncan,  Jesse,  Benjamin  and  J.  W.  Terrill  and 
Wm.  Mansfield  being  his  colaborers.  In  1849  he  moved  to  Ma- 
con County,  identified  himself  with  the  interests  of  Macon  As- 
sociation and  continued  in  this  field  as  long  as  he  Jived.  Here 
he  labored  as  pastor  of  churches,  as  missionary,  in  protracted 
meetings,  &c.,  &c.  His  gift  was  mainly  exhortational,  which 
classed  him  among  what  we  sometimes  call  revivalists.  During 
his  ministry  he  baptized  over  300  persons  and  married  90  coup- 
les. He  died  on  the  4th  of  August,  1877,  being  73  years,  3  months 
and  20  days  old.  His  remains  were  deposited  in  the  graveyard 
at  Mt,  Tabor  Church,  near  Atlanta,  Macon  County,  on  Sunday, 
the  5th  of  the  same  month, 


CHAPTER  Till. 


NOETH  UNION  AND  NOETH  MISSOUEI  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Disagreement  Between  Elds.  Hite  and  Stringer — Whenandby  Whom  N.Union  Asbo- 
ciation  "Was  Formed — A.  T.  Hite,  His  Early  Life,  Conversion,  Kemoval  to  Missouri, 
and  Pioneer  Life — Frontier  Scenes — The  Pet  Pig  in  the  Meeting-house — Lewis 
Conner — Growth  of  the  Association — North  Missouri  Associatiox — First  Meet- 
ing— Successor  of  North  L'nion — First  Constitution — Amended  Constitution — Un- 
associated  Churches — Ministerial  Destitution. 

IN  1843  it  was  found  that  the  territory  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  As- 
sociation extended  from  the  Missouri  Eiver  on  the  south  to 
the  Iowa  line  on  the  north,  and  at  the  session  this  year  it  was 
thought  advisable  to  make  another  division,  whereupon  the 
churches  lying  northward  were  lettered  off  to  form  a  new  asso- 
ciation. Elds.  A.  T.  Hite  of  Adair  County,  and  Euphrates  String- 
er of  Macon  County,  two  leading  ministers,  disagreeing  about 
the  boundary  lines,  like  Paul  and  Barnabas,  parted  asunder  j 
and  A.  T.  Hite,  with  the  churches  in  Adair,  Schuyler  and  a  part 
of  Macon  County,  formed,  in  October,  1843,  at  the  church  on 
the  Fabius,  Schuj^ler  County,  a  now  association,  called  "  North 
Union."  The  rest  of  the  churches,  with  Eld.  Stringer,  organ- 
ized what  is  now  Macon  Association.  (See  the  history  of  said 
association  for  particulars.)  In  the  organization  of  North  Un- 
ion Association  there  were  10  or  12  churches.  (Four  or  five  of 
these  churches  had  been  dismissed  from  Bethel  Association.) 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  Adair  Count}"  was  organized  in 
1838  or  '39,  by  the  name  of  Bear  Creek.  The  founding  of  this 
and  other  early  churches  in  this  section  of  the  state  will  be  giv- 
en somewhat  in  detail  in  tlie  sketches  which  are  to  follow. 

Archibald  Talbert  Hite — was  the  pioneer  Baptist  preacher 
of  Adair  County,  being  the  first  to  penetrate  the  forests  and 
hunt  up  the  new  settlements  of  this  section  of  the  state  for  pur- 
poses of  evangelism.  And  not  only  did  he  plant  the  first  church- 
es that  composed  it,  but  was  also  the  father  of  the  North  Union 
Baptist  Association. 

He  was  born  in  Clark  County,  Kentucky,  in  April,  1803.  Be- 
ing of  poor  parentage  he  grew  up  amidst  toil  and  hardship. 
When  young  his  father  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812, 


NORTH    UNION    AND    NORTH    MISSOURI    ASSOCIATIONS.  511 

leaving  many  burdens  at  home  on  little  Archibald,  he  being  the 
only  son.  The  close  of  the  war  found  his  father  a  drunkard, 
which  only  increased  the  son's  responsibilities.  He  was  com- 
pelled to  ''hire  out"  to  help  procure  sustenance  for  the  family. 
Amid  all  these  surroundings  he  grew  up  without  even  the  rudi- 
ments of  an  education.  When  15  years  old  he  could  not  read, 
and  when  listening  one  day  to  his  employer  reading  the  hymn, 
"  That  awful  day  will  surely  come,"  he  was  struck  under  convic- 
tion, and  after  many  struggles  and  lingering  for  several  years, 
light  fell  upon  him  and  he  felt  the  conscious  presence  and  for- 
giveness of  Christ.     This  was  at  about  the  age  of  19  years. 

In  1824  Mr.  Hite,  now  a  grown  man,  was  married  to  a  daugh- 
ter of  Peter  Scholl,  and  a  grand-niece  of  the  prince  of  pioneers, 
Daniel  Boone.  He  moved  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Morgan 
County  in  the  fall  of  1825.  He  here  first  made  a  public  profes- 
sion of  religion  and  united  with  the  Baptists.  The  church  is  now 
Winchester,  Scott  County,  by  which  he  was  licensed  to  preach. 
He  emigrated  to  Missouri,  settling  in  Macon  County,  in  1837, 
with  no  Baptist  church  within  less  than  40  miles  of  his  home. 
All  this  while  his  heart  was  burdened  with  anxiety  to  preach  the 
gospel  J  but  so  poor  had  been  his  early  advantages  that  he  re- 
frained. He  had  many  struggles  and  heart  burnings,  but  finally 
silenced  all  objections  and  commenced  the  ministry.  But  what 
should  he  do?  There  were  no  Baptist  churches  nor  Baptist 
preachers  in  those  parts.  About  this  time  there  came  along  a 
Doctor  Still,  a  Methodist  circuit  preacher.  Hite  attended  his 
meeting  in  the  neighborhood,  made  his  acquaintance,  and  agreed 
to  accompany  him  on  a  two  weeks'  circuit  up  the  Chariton  to 
Elm  Narrows,  thence  east  to  the  head  of  the  Fabius,  and  down 
this  stream  to  a  village  called  Edinburg,  thence  south  to  the 
head  of  the  north  fork  of  Salt  Eiver,  thence  home.  Soon  after 
this  Eld.  Hite  made  appointments  of  his  own  and  crowds  of  the 
frontier  settlers  flocked  to  hear  him.  Early  in  his  ministry  he 
held  a  camp-meeting  high  up  on  the  Chariton,  resulting  in  some 
40  conversions.  In  the  winter  of  18.38-'9  the  seven  or  eight  Bap- 
tists in  his  neighborhood  came  together  and  agreed  to  hold  reg- 
ular meetings  for  worship.  In  the  July  following.  Eld.  Thomas 
Fristoe  visited  them  and  organized  them  into  a  church  called 
Big  Spring — the  first  church  so  far  north  in  this  part  of  Missouri. 
The  meeting  was  held  in  the  grove  near  Mr  Kite's  house.  The 
new  church  called  A.  T.  Hite  as  pastor,  Eld.  Fristoe  at  once  or- 
dained   him,  and  he  ba])tized  a  number  of  converts  at  the  close 


512  NORTH    UNION    AND    NORTH    MISSOURI    ASSOCIATIONS, 

of  the  meeting.  Eld.  Hite  now  put  his  whole  heart  into  the 
ministry,  visiting  and  preaching  in  the  newly  settled  districts, 
gathering  together  and  feeding  the  scattered  sheep  of  the  fold, 
baptizing  young  converts  and  forming  new  churches.  Not  long 
after  his  ordination  he  organized  the  first  church  in  Adair  Coun- 
ty at  the  house  of  Lewis  Conner,  a  few  miles  northwest  of  Kirks- 
ville,  and  called  it  ''Bear  Creek."  A  number  of  the  converts 
at  the  before-mentioned  camp-meeting  became  members  of  this 
church. 

The  second  church  formed  was  at  the  house  of  Dr.  BroAver, 
which  took  the  name  of  "Highland;"  and  still  another  during 
the  same  season  on  Salt  River,  called  "  Bethel."  At  this  time 
there  was  no  other  Baptist  minister  near,  so  that  Mr.  Hite  be- 
came pastor  of  these  churches,  although  he  continued  his  itiner- 
ating. And  thus  he  labored  for  some  years.  Some  one  commu- 
nicated the  facts  to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety, it  made  an  appropriation  of  funds  to  this  field,  and  Brother 
Hite  became  the  missionary  of  the  society  for  two  years.  An 
enemy  circulated  an  evil  report  about  him  and  the  society  with- 
drew its  help,  but  he  continued  his  labors  as  before,  and  subse- 
quently received  an  appointment  from  the  General  Association 
of  Missouri,  which  greatly  aided  him  in  his  labors.  During  all 
these  days  of  toil  and  devotion  to  the  cause,  his  efforts  were  sup- 
plemented by  an  industrious  and  self-sacrificing  wife.  His  labors 
were  extended  as  far  to  the  northwest  as  to  what  is  now  Putnam 
County.  Over  these  vast  fields  he  sowed  the  seed  of  divine  truth, 
and  the  day  of  reckoning  alone  will  reveal  the  results  of  A.  T. 
Hite's  labors  for  the  Baptist  denomination  in  the  country  now 
designated  as  the  counties  of  Adair,  Macon,  Scotland,  Schuyler, 
Putnam  and  Sullivan.  He  had  as  cotemporaries  Elds,  Thomas 
Fristoe,  Benjamin  Terrill,  P.  N,  Haycraft,  Lewis  Conner  and 
others. 

Quite  a  number  of  very  interesting  incidents  in  his  life  might 
be  told,  illustrative  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived  and  of  which 
we  write.  He  once  made  a  tour  west  of  the  Grand  Chariton  in 
company,  I  think,  with  P.  N.  Haycraft.  The  first  appointment 
was  at  a  private  house,  made  at  the  solicitation  of  the  owner. 
When  they  reached  the  place  they  found  that  the  family  had  re- 
cently moved  into  a  partly  finished  new  house.  To  this  they 
proceeded — found  about  a  dozen  men  and  women,  besides  chil- 
dren, collected  together  to  hear  preaching,  and  the  husband  and 
two  or  three  of  the  boys  off  on  a  boar  hunt.  Under  these  circum- 


NORTH    UNION    AND    NOllTH    MISSOUEI    ASSOCIATIONS.  513 

stances  services  were  begun  and  soon  their  annoyances  were 
greatly  increased  by  a  pet  pig  which  could  not  be  kept  out  of  the 
doorless  house.  On  another  occasion,  up  in  Putnam  County,  he 
filled  an  appointment  at  a  private  house,  where  only  some  half  a 
dozen  women  had  come  in  to  hear  the  new  preacher,  and  even  the 
man  of  the  house  absent  and  engaged,  as  his  wife  said,  in  making 
a  hog  pen.  He  came  in,  however,  before  the  services  closed,  and 
requested  the  minister  to  preach  at  night,  saying  there  would  be 
a  better  congregation.  This  was  agreed  upon.  The  audience  was 
dismissed  and  dispersed,  and  Eld.  Hite  remained  for  dinner.  It 
was  now  nearly  2  o'clock,  P.M.  Mr.  Hite  having  traveled  from 
early  morning,  was  very  much  fatigued  and  very  hungry.  See- 
ing no  signs  of  dinner,  he  sallied  forth  into  the  yard,  where  he 
found  one  of  the  smaller  boys  turning  at  a  hand-mill  fastened  to 
a  stump,  and  on  inquiry  found  that  the  boy  was  grinding  meal 
for  dinner.  He  took  hold,  helped  the  boy,  and  soon  they  sent  in 
a  bowl  of  fresh  meal  for  dinner. 

We  have  no  account  of  the  labors  of  Eld.  Hite  after  he  moved 
to  Howard  County,  which  was  about  1851  or  '52.  In  the  last 
named  year  he  was  a  member  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  as  a 
messenger  from  Walnut  Grove  Church,  and  the  year  following 
from  Chariton  Church,  of  which,  we  think,  he  remained  a  mem- 
ber until  his  death,  which  occurred  March  7,  1864,  under  very 
peculiar  and  sad  circumstances. 

He  resided  about  eight  miles  northeast  from  Glasgow.  Late 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  preceding  his  death,  his  wife  (of  his 
second  marriage)  left  home  to  spend  the  night  with  a  neighbor, 
leaving  old  Brother  Allen,  of  Eoanoke,  to  spend  the  evening  with 
the  husband.  Suddenly  they  were  startled  by  a  noise  on  the 
piazza  and  a  shout  of,  "  Surround  the  house,  boys,"  when  a  man 
entered  the  house  with  a  drawn  revolver  and  demanded  Elder 
Hite's  money,  which  he  at  once  gave  him,  amounting  to  about  $13. 
With  this  the  highwayman  was  not  satisfied,  and,  in  cold  blood, 
shot  him  through  and  through,  from  which  he  died  in  about  eigh- 
teen hours.  By  his  request  Eld.  Noah  Flood  preached  a  sermon 
at  his  burial.  He  was  calm  and  perfectly  resigned,  and  died  in 
hope  of  a  blessed  immortality.* 

Lewis  Conner, — who  for  some  years  was  numbered  among 

*  A.  T.  Hite  was  at  different  times  pastor  of  the  following  churches :  Big  Spring, 
Highland,  Bear  Creek,  Fabius,  North  Union,  Lynn  Grove,  Friendship,  Providence, 
Bethel,  Liberty,  Long  Eidge,  Blanket  Grove,  Sugar  Creek  and  New  Hope.  He  bap- 
tized during  his  ministerial  life  about  1,300  persons. 

33 


514  NORTH    UNION    AND    NORTH    MISSOURI    ASSOCIATIONS. 

the  pioneer  preachers  of  North  Missouri,  was  born  in  Shelby 
County,  Kentucky,  June  6,  1816.  His  father,  Philemon  Conner, 
dying  while  he  was  quite  young,  he  was  sent  to  Missouri  to  live 
with  his  brother  "Washington  Conner,  then  near  Fayette.  Sub- 
sequently he  learned  the  tanners'  ti'ade  with  Mr.  Eli  Bass  of 
Boone  Count}',  and  at  the  age  of  21  years  married  Elizabeth 
Wilhoite,  daughter  of  Deacon  Stephen  and  Sarah  Wilhoite  of 
Boone  County.  A  short  time  after  his  marriage  he  was  conver- 
ted under  the  preaching  of  Fielding  Wilhoite  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  Bethlehem  Baptist  Church,  and  at  once  commenced  to 
exhort  sinners  to  repentance,  under  a  license  from  the  same 
church . 

In  the  early  part  of  1839  he  settled  in  Adair  County,  several 
miles  northwest  of  where  Kirksville  now  stands,  and  the  same 
year  went  into  the  constitution,  at  his  own  house,  of  the  first 
church  in  the  county,  called  Bear  Creek.  He  continued  his  la- 
bors in  this  part  of  the  state  for  about  nine  years,  being  only  a 
licentiate,  and  in  1848  returned  to  Boone  County,  where  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  buried  the  wife  of  his  youth,  she  having  died  of 
consumption.  He  spent  several  years  in  Boone  and  Eandolph 
Counties,  was  ordained  by  Providence  Church,  Boone  County, 
and  in  1851  returned  to  Adair  County,  having,  just  before,  mar- 
ried Miss  Maiy  J.  Bradley  as  his  second  consoi't.  He  now  gave 
his  time  to  frontier  work  in  Adair  and  Schuyler  Counties,  and 
greatl}'  aided  in  building  up  the  Baptist  cause  in  manj^  a  com- 
munity not  previously  much  acquainted  with  the  principles  of 
the  denomination.  His  home  church  authorized  him  to  establish 
"arms,"  which  subsequently  grew  into  independent  churches. 
After  much  hard  labor  and  exposure  he  was  taken  sick  early  in 
the  winter  of  1854,  of  pneumonia,  and  after  an  illness  of  five 
weeks  of  intense  suffering  patiently  endured,  saying  all  was 
well,  he  fell  asleep  January  5,  1855,  universall}'  beloved,  leaving 
two  children  by  his  first  wife  and  three  by  his  second,  all  of 
whom  professed  a  personal  faith  in  Christ.  The  j'oungest  son 
bears  the  name  of  his  father,  Lewis.  The  memory  of  this  good 
man  is  yet  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  few  remaining  members  of 
his  generation,  and  their  immediate  descendants. 

The  North  Union  Association  continued  to  grow  in  numbers 
and  eflSciency  until  about  the  year  1861  or  '62,  when  it  ceased  to 
nieet.  We  have,  however,  none  of  the  particulars.  The  present 
Xorth  Missouri  Association  may  be  regarded  as  in  some  measure 
its  successor,  as  it  occupies  in  part  the  field  of  old  North  Union. 


NORTH    UNION    AND    NORTH    MISSOURI    ASSOCIATIONS.  515 

'  In  1855  the  twelfth  annual  session  was  held  at  Lancaster, 
Schuyler  County.  The  following  churches  sent  letters  and  mes- 
sengers: Fabius,  169;  Liberty,  75;  Bethel,  35;  Providence,  71; 
Bear  Creek,  124;  Friendship,  32;  Mt.  Pleasant,  18;  Lynn 
G-rove,  65;  Big  Creek,  18;  Mt.  Salem,  27;  Elm  Narrows,  19; 
making  a  total  of  653  members.  The  churches  reported  137 
baptisms,  of  which  72  were  from  Fabius  and  38  from  Bear  Creek. 
The  ministers'  names  at  this  date,  as  indicated  by  the  table, 
were  W.  Seamster,  H.  H.  Parks,  T.  S.  Myers  and  E.  A.  Pat- 
terson. 

The  association  promoted  evangelism  in  a  moderate  degree, 
through  the  agency  of  an  executive  board,  composed  of  W.  Con- 
ner, S.  Parker  and  Wm.  P.  Eippey.  They  were  authorized  to 
draw  on  the  treasurer  to  the  amount  of  funds  on  hand.  S19  on 
pledges  made  the  preceding  year  were  paid  in,  and  a  collection 
made  on  the  Sabbath  to  the  amount  of  S15.40,  making  $34.40  for 
missions.  Fox  Eiver,  Mount  Pleasant,  Wyaconda  and  Middle 
Fork  Associations  were  on  the  list  of  correspondents. 

In  1860  (our  latest  records)  the  association  had  grown  to  21 
churches  and  1,067  members.  There  were  144  baptisms  this  year. 
South  Fabius,  a  new  church,  was  admitted  in  1859 ;  and  Pairview, 
Oak  G-rove,  New  Bethel,  Union  and  Pleasant  Hill  Churches  in 
1860.  The  meeting  was  held  at  Edinburg  in  Scotland  County. 
At  the  former  session  a  resolution  to  drop  the  term  United,  and 
be  known  simply  by  the  name  Baptists,  was  lost,  and  the  matter 
was  referred  to  the  churches  ;  but  no  report  was  made  in  1860, 
and  we  know  not  what  became  of  the  jjroposition. 

Ministers. — H.  H.  Parks,  Wm.  Seamster,  E.  Starbuck,  tf.  W. 
Simmonds,  Norman  Parks,  James  W,  Fee,  L.  J.  Boothe,  E.  K. 
Basket,  G.  J.  Line,  A.  Huckaby,  B.  F.  Morrow,  Peter  Sutter, 
John  Starkey,  Wm.  Eowland,  B.  Shoemaker  and  C.  W.  H.  Bent- 
ley. 

NORTH  MISSOURI  ASSOCIATION. 

Strict  adherence  to  the  plan  of  this  work  would  have  placed 
the  sketch  of  the  North  Missouri  Association  in  a  different  j^art 
of  the  book ;  but  inasmuch  as  it  is  in  reality  the  proper  succes- 
sor of  the  old  North  Union  Association,  its  history  is  placed  in 
this  relation  to  it. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  North  Missouri  Associatiou  was  held 
with  the  Fabius  Church,  in  Schuyler  County,  commencing  Sept. 
4,  1868.  Messengers  were  present  from  four  churches,  viz. : 
Fabius, '91  members  ;  South  Fabius,  24;  Pleasant  Grove,  27;  and 


516  NORTH    UNION    AND    NORTH    MISSOURI    ASSOCIATIONS. 

Bethel,  7  ;  in  all,  149;  all  of  which  churches  had  been  members 
of  the  North  Union  Association. 

Ministers. — E.  Starbiick,  C.  Daughters,  G.  J.  Lyne  and  J.  L.  D. 
Williamson.  The  constitution  adojjted  was  substantially  that 
of  the  United  Baptists,  but  theyleft  off  the  prefix  "United,"  and 
used  the  simple  cognomen  Baptist. 

The  war  left  most  of  the  churches  in  this  part  of  the  state  with 
their  organizations  uninterrupted,  but  few  of  them,  however, 
had  any  associational  connection.  This  state  of  things  called 
forth  the  following  in  this  meeting  of  the  North  Missouri  Asso- 
ciation: 

"Whereas,  We  learn  that  there  are  a  number  of  unassociated 
churches  within  the  bounds  of  this  association,  and  feeling  that 
'in  union  there  is  strength,'  and 

"Whereas,  This  body  has  been  organized  in  faith,  and  is  a  per- 
manent organization ;  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  we  heartily  invite  all  such  churches  to  unite 
with  us  and  co-operate  in  advancing  the  Redeemer's  kingdom." 

Also  the  following  on  another  subject: 

"i2esoZuefZ,That  this  association  recommend  to  each  of  the  church- 
es composing  it  to  organize  and  sustain  the  year  round,  at  their 
places  of  meeting,  and  at  as  many  other  places  in  their  bounds 
as  may  be  profitable,  a  Baptist  Sabbath-school,  furnished  with  a 
library  from  the  Baptist  PuUlication  Society." 

The  officers  of  this  first  meeting  were  C.  Daughters,  modera- 
tor, and  J.  M.  Epperson,  clerk.  The  circular  letter  was  a  well 
prepared  document  on  "Brotherly  Love — Its  Manifestation  Es- 
sential to  the  Prosperity  of  the  Church." 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  the  constitution  was  somewhat  amen- 
ded. 

The  association  gathered  strength  and  numbers  slowly,  there 
being  at  the  end  of  its  fifth  year  (1873)  only  one  church — the 
Fabius — that  had  over  one  hundred  members.  Its  membership 
was  107.  The  smallest  in  numbers  was  Lancaster,  with  11  mem- 
bers. A  missionary  board  was  appointed,  consisting  of  one  mem- 
ber from  each  church,  then  numbering  10  with  410  members. 
Nothing  was  accomplished  in  this  way,  and  in  1874  an  executive 
board,  of  "three  brethren,  full  of  good  works,"  was  chosen  "to 
have  the  oversight  of  the  missionary  business ; "  and  the  mission- 
ary was  instructed  to  make  collections  wherever  he  preached. 
His  salary  was  one  dollar  per  day. 

From  the  minutes  of  September  6,  1879,  held  at  South  Fabius, 


NORTH    UNION    ANH    NORTH    MISSOURI    ASSOCIATIONS.  517 

Schuyler  County,  we  gather  that  something  had  been  done  to 
supply  the  vast  destitution  in  North  Central  Missouri,  but  by  no 
means  what  ought  to  have  been  accomplished.  Sixteen  churches 
were  on  the  roll,  the  most  of  which  were  in  Schuyler  County. 
Only  11  of  the  16  were  represented.  In  these  there  were  593 
members.  The  ministerial  destitution  seemed  even  greater  than 
church  destitution,  there  being  only  five  preachers  in  the  entire 
association,  viz. :  W.  A.  Hatton,  W.  B.  Shoemaker,  E.  Kinman, 
Thomas  Brassfield  and  B.  P.  Ford. 

Coatesville,  Schuyler  County,  entertained  the  association,  com- 
mencing September  2,  1881.  Eev.  A.  J.  Alexander  had  been 
added  to  the  list  of  pastors.  Eleven  churches  were  on  the  list, 
whose  entire  reported  membership  was  593. 


CHAPTER   IX. 


NOETH  LIBEETY  ASSOCIATION. 

Why  Formed,  and  When — "  United  Baptists  "  and  Their  Principles — War  with  the 
Anti-Missionaries — Fishing  Eiver  Association,  Her  Strange  Action — Meeting-houses 
Closed — Eld.  Boulware's  Pamphlet — Constituent  Churches — Sketches  of  New 
Hope,  Eichmond,  Little  Flock,  Second  Liberty,  and  Pleasant  Eidge  Chin-ches — 
Early  Ministers — Thomas  Eigg — Circular  Letter  on  Missions — Luke  Williams — 
Franklin  Graves — Schools  and  Colleges — W.  C.  Ban-ett^H.  M.  Eichardson — W. 
H.  Thomas — O.  P.  Moss — Tables — Northwestern  Association. 

THE  North  Liberty  Association  was  organized  April  27th, 
1844,  in  the  very  heart  of  Fishing  Eiver,  the  strongest  anti- 
missionary  association  in  the  state.  It  numbered,  all  told,  when 
organized,  5  churches,  5  preachers  (one  of  whom  was  a  licentiate), 
and  234  communicants.*  The  constituent  churches  were,  the 
Second  Baptist,  Liberty,  Clay  Co.;  Pleasant  Eidge,  Platte  Co.; 
First  Baptist,  Eichmond,  Eay  Co.;  New  Hope,  Clay  Co.;  and 
Little  Flock  (now  Lebanon),  Clinton  Co. 

In  1844  the  association  published  a  circular  letter,  written  by 
Jabez  Shotwell,  giving  an  extended  account  of  the  causes  which 
led  to  its  organization.  The  letter  was  a  well-written  document 
and  merits  a  place  just  here,  but  it  is  too  long.  The  writer 
clearly  shows  that  the  churches  of  the  North  Liberty  Associa- 
tion adhered  to  the  original  principles  of  the  United  Baptists, 
on  which  the  Fishing  Eiver,  the  first  association  in  western  Mis- 
souri, was  organized,  and  that  the  said  Fishing  Eiver  frater- 
nity violated  its  own  constitution,  as  in  1843  it  opened  corres- 
pondence with  the  Two  Eiver  (so-called)  Old  School  Associa- 
tion. As  early  as  1841  the  Fishing  Eiver  Association  com- 
menced its  crusade  against  what  she  called  modern  institutions, 
advising  the  churches  to  "  stand  aloof  from  all  those  modern 
things  Avhich  are  continually  crj-ing,  '  money,  money.' "  Such 
was  her  prejudice  against  the  friends  of  benevolence,  that  some 
of  her  churches  closed  their  meeting-house  doors  against  them 
and  their  ministers.  (See  history  of  Fishing  Eiver  Association 
in  PEEIOD  THIED.) 

New  Hope  Church, — the  oldest  in  the  association,  located  in 

*  Dr.  A.  P.  AVilliamsiii  Central  BnpfiHt. 


NORTH    TJBEUTY    ASSOCIATION'.  510 

Clay  Count}',  12  or  15  miles  easterly  from  Liberty,  was  organ- 
ized in  1829.  Eld.  Solomon  Kinney  became  the  first  pastor,  and 
at  the  end  of  two  years  the  church  split  on  the  communion  ques- 
tion, Eld.  Kinney  going  with  the  free  communionists,  leaving 
but  15  members  who  held  to  the  original  articles  of  faith.  By 
these  Eld.  Thomas  Bigg  was  chosen  pastor,  and  continued  in 
this  relation  for  three  years.  In  August,  1843,  Eld.  Eobert 
James  took  charge  of  the  church,  and  his  labors  were  much 
blessed,  so  that  in  the  year  following  the  church  numbered  94 
members.  This  church  first  united  with  Fishing  Eiver  Associa- 
tion, but  was  granted  a  letter  of  dismission  in  1843,  and  united 
with  the  brethren  in  resisting  the  encroachments  of  the  anti- 
mission  element.  Its  numerical  strength  in  1881  was  114,  and 
Eev.  T.  H.  Stephens,  of  William  Jewell  College,  was  pastor. 

First  Baptist  Church  of  Kichmond.  —  From  the  month  of 
November,  1840,  this  church  existed  as  an  arm  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Lexington,  but  subsequently  was  granted  letters 
of  dismission  to  go  into  an  independent  organization,  which 
event  was  consummated  on  the  third  Saturday  of  March,  1842, 
by  the  aid  of  Ecv.  A.  P.  "Williams;  23  members  were  in  the  or- 
ganization. The  articles  of  faith  adopted  were  the  same  nearly 
as  those  laid  down  in  the  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge,  She 
first  joined  the  Blue  Eiver  Association.  A.  P.  AYilliams  was 
chosen  pastor,  and  had  gathered  by  1844  a  membership  of  94. 
In  1878  the  church  suffered  the  loss  of  its  house  of  worship  and 
several  of  its  members,  by  a  destructive  cyclone  that  passed 
through  the  town  in  June  of  that  year. 

Little  Flock  (now  Lebanon)  Church. — This  church,  located 
in  Clinton  County,  about  ten  miles  north  of  Plattsburg,  the  coun- 
ty seat,  was  constituted  on  the  20th  of  September,  1842,  of  nine 
members,  by  Thomas  Eigg,  Thomas  Dunegan,  A.  C.  Bragg  and 
W.  L.  Butts.  Eld.  Eigg  was  the  first  pastor,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Franklin  Graves,  J.  D.  Wilson,  W.  C.  Batchelor,  J.  E.  Hughes, 
J.  D.  Black,  W.  H.  Marshall  and  W.  C.  Barrett.  "After  her  con- 
stitution she  petitioned  the  Fishing  Eiver  Association  for  mem- 
bership m  that  body,  but  was  rejected  without  a  reason  being 
assigned  by  the  association." 

In  1862  the  church  held  a  meeting  conducted  by  the  pastor, 
Bro.  Black,  and  the  late  Wm.  Thompson,  continuing  six  weeks, 
and  resulting  in  55  accessions.  The  church  now  numbers  160 
members,  with  D.  G.  Saunders  for  pastor. 

Second  Baptist  Church,  Liberty,  Clay  Co. — 'Dr.  A.  P.  Wil- 


520  North  mbertv  association. 

liams  was  insirumental  in  gathering  this  church.  It  was  formed 
May  19, 1843,  of  members — 13  in  all — dismissed  from  Eush  Creek 
and  Mt.  Pleasant  Churches,  and  was  situated  in  the  hottest  of  the 
fight  on  missions.  This  body  took  the  lead  in  the  contest  in  Fish- 
ing River  Association  and  the  formation  of  North  Liberty.  The 
First  Church,  Liberty,  preceded  it  at  least  ten  years,  and  having 
adopted  anti-mission  views  and  continued  in  co-operation  with 
Fishing  River  Association,  forced  the  friends  of  benevolence  into 
the  formation  of  the  Second  Church.  The  membership  of  the 
First  Church,  in  1850,  was  60  and  16  years  thereafter  had  decreas- 
ed to  36  in  number. 

Immediately  after  the  Second  Church  was  organized,  Eld.  A. 
P.  Williams  was  chosen  pastor,  and  the  church  grew  in  numeri- 
cal  and  moral  force  under  his  ministry,  so  that  when  it  was  eight 
years  old  it  reported  a  membership  of  134.  Its  pulpit  has  been 
filled  by  manj^  of  the  foremost  preachers  of  the  denomination  in 
the  state,  while  some  of  the  leading  laymen  have  been  numbered 
amongst  its  communicants.  This  church,  too,  is  situated  under 
the  shadow  of  William  Jewell  College,  giving  membership  to  the 
faculty  and  many  of  the  students  of  that  institution.  The  church 
numbered,  in  1879,  235  members,  being  one  more  than  the  entire 
membership  of  the  association  in  1844.  Eld.  B.  (x.  Tutt,  in  1882, 
was  pastor. 

The  Pleasant  Ridge  Church — was  constituted  January  27, 
1844,  by  Elds.  A.  P.  Williams  and  P.  N.  Haycraft,  of  10  mem- 
bers dismissed  from  Unity  Baptist  Church.  "  They  were  induced 
to  take  letters  and  go  into  a  new  organization  by  the  opposition 
of  Fishing  River  Association  to  the  freedom  of  thought  and  ac- 
tion in  respect  to  the  mission  cause,  and  by  the  Unity  Church 
joining  in  that  opposition."  The  church  is  located  about  three 
miles  east  of  the  town  of  Weston,  in  Platte  County.  A.  P.  Wil- 
liams was  elected  pastor  soon  after  the  organization  was  com- 
pleted, and  when  the  church  was  nine  months  old  the  original 
10  members  had  become  57.  Williams  continued  in  the  pastoral 
ofiice  for  ten  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Wm.  Price,  W.  H. 
Thomas,  Isaiah  T.  Williams  and  others.  During  the  first  year 
of  Dr.  Williams'  pastorate,  that  is  in  1844,  the  church  built  a 
commodious  brick  edifice  for  worship,  35x55  feet,  which  was 
burned  in  1855  and  rebuilt  the  same  year.  This  has  ever  been  an 
efiicient  body,  and  has  a  total  membership  of  113,  and  the  pas- 
toral services  of  Eld.  E.  H.  Foster. 

From  its  earliest  history  the  North  Liberty  Association  exhib- 


NORTit    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION.  .^21 

ited  a  genuine  spirit  of  progress,  most  of  its  early  ministers,  as 
A.  P.  Williams,  one  of  its  founders,  and  J.  D.  "Wilson,  Franklin 
Graves,  Robert  James  and  others  being  men  of  broad  and  com- 
prehensive views,  doing  a  good  Work  in  laying  the  foundation 
for  a  vigorous  institution,  as  the  association  proved  itself  to  be. 
Within  little  more  than  a  year  from  its  origin  the  membership  had 
increased  one  hundred  per  cent.,  although  the  enemies  of  the  move- 
ment had  predicted  that  "the  few  feeble  churches  that  formed 
this  association  would  soon  be  abandoned  and  perish."  But  they 
were  not  abandoned,  neither  did  they  perish,  but  have  since 
grown  to  be  one  of  the  strongest  associations  in  the  state,  num- 
bering in  1881,  after  having  given  off  quite  a  number  of  churches 
to  other  sister  communities,  50  churches,  and  over  4,000  members. 

The  details  of  the  work  in  this  association  are  much  the  same 
as  in  other  institutions  of  a  similar  kind,  and  will  be  therefore 
omitted:  in  place  of  which,  however,  there  will  be  found  many 
facts  of  special  interest  grouped  together  in  the  tables  at  the 
end  of  this  sketch,  such  as  a  record  of  its  meetings  and  officers, 
and  the  date,  location  and  j^rogress  of  the  churches. 

Thomas  Rigg,  —  a  laborious  minister  and  pastor  of  Little 
Flock  (now  Lebanon)  Church,  died  in  the  latter  part  of  Sept., 
1844.  He  w^as  full  of  zeal  in  the  Master's  vinej^ard,  a  man  of 
pious  and  exemplary  life,  and  very  highly  esteemed  bj^  those  for 
whom  he  labored. 

In  1845  the  ministerial  corps  of  the  association  consisted  of 
Franklin  Graves,  Robert  James,  Luke  Williams,  Jr.,  W.  P.  La- 
nier, Jonas  D.  Wilson  and  A.  P.  Williams.  Correspondence  had 
been  opened  with  Blue  River,  Platte  River  and  North  Grand 
River  Associations.  This  year  also  the  association  became  aux- 
iliary to  the  General  Association  of  the  state,  and  sent  A.  P. 
Williams,  J.  Shotwell,  T.  Herndon,  W.  D.Hubbell  and  E.  Stout 
as  messengers  to  its  next  meeting. 

Eld.  J.  S.  Smith  was  elected  missionary  in  1848  to  "  visit  and 
preach  to  the  destitute  churches  and  neighborhoods  in  the  bounds 
of  the  association,  and  to  continiie  the  entire  J'ear,  provided  he 
was  sustained." 

The  following  circtiiar  letter  was  published  by  order  of  the 
association  in  the  year  1848,  and  was  substantially  an  end  of  the 
controversy  on  missions  in  Western  Missouri.  It  is  an  elabor- 
ately prepared  paper,  and  for  clearness  and  force  of  argument 
has  seldom,  if  ever,  been  excelled.  Relieving  it  of  an  apparent 
redundancy,  we  give  the  argument  in  full. 


622  NORTH   LIBERTY  ASSOCIATION. 

"  Dearly  Beloved  Brethren  :  Pursuant  to  the  order  of  our  as- 
sociation at  her  last  annual  meeting,  we  propose  for  your  consid- 
eration— 

"  The  grounds  upon  ivhich  our  missionary  operations  are  founded. 

"  Feeling  that  the  subject  is  an  important  one,  and  thatwe  are 
but  poorly  qualified  to  discuss  it,  we  invoke  the  Divine  assistance 
and  crave  your  indulgence. 

"  Circulars  as  a  general  thing  get  but  a  cursory  reading  and 
are  then  forgotten.  Shall  this  be  the  fate  of  the  present?  God 
forbid  !  Let  every  brother  and  sister  into  whose  hands  it  may 
come  read  it  thoroughly,  Bible  in  hand,  with  the  view  of  ascer- 
taining the  truth  in  regard  to  the  subject  on  which  it  treats,  and 
then  file  it  away  for  future  reference. 

"  1.  We  found  our  missionary  operations  on  the  belief  that 
the  world  is  to  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  and  glory  of  God. 
This  we  gather  from  prophecy.  God's  promise  to  Abraham  in 
Genesis  12  ;  3,  and  18  ;  18  and  22;  18,  is  prophetical.  His  seed 
through  whom  all  the  families  of  the  earth  are  to  be  blessed  in 
Christ  (Gal.  3  ;  16.) 

"This  promise  will  be  fulfilled.  The  Father's  promise  to  the 
Son  (Psa.  2 ;  7,  8)  is  also  prophetical.  'Ask  of  me  and  I  shall 
give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession.'  Of  the  kingdom  of  God  it 
is  said  (Psa.  145;  13):  'Thy  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom, 
and  thy  dominion  endureth  throughout  all  generations.'  Also, 
'  He  shall  have  dominion  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  rivers  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth.'  See  also  Matt.  8  ;  11  and  Eev.  7  ;9.  From 
these  and  similar  predictions  we  anticipate  the  period  when  the 
world  shall  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  and  glory  of  God. 

"2.  In  accomplishing  this  glorious  result,  God  will  employ  hu- 
man instrumentality.  This  position  we  prove  by  declarations 
from  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments — declarations  pro- 
phetic and  didactic.  Isaiah  49  ;  22,  23.  Please  turn  and  read  the 
text.  This  gracious  promise  was  in  part  fulfilled  in  the  kings  of 
Persia,  when  they  patronized  Ezra  and  iNTehemiah  in  the  re-or- 
ganization of  their  nation,  and  the  rebuilding  of  their  city  and 
temple.  But  it  is  more  gloriously  fulfilled  in  the  missionary  en- 
terprise. 

"Daniel  12;4  :  'But  thou,  O  Daniel,  shut  up  the  words,  and 
seal  the  book,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end:  many  shall  run  to 
and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased.'  What  can  this  refer 
to  but  the  active  labors  of  faithful  gospel  ministers,  and  mission- 


NORTH    LIBERTY   ASSOCIATION.  r)2B 

aries  of  the  present  day?  How  is  knowledge  increasing  through 
their  instrumentality,  and  also  by  means  of  the  Bible  Society. 

"  But  let  us  come  to  the  ISTew  Testament.  At  the  birth  of  our 
Lord  a  heavenly  messenger  announced  that  the  glad  tidings  of 
great  joy  should  be  to  all  people.  To  this  end  'the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world,  as  a  witness  unto 
all  nations.'  That  God  will  employ  human  instrumentality  is 
proven  by  His  representing  the  churches  as  the  *  salt  of  the  earth,' 
'  the  light  of  the  world,'  and  His  subsequent  command,  '  let  your 
light  so  shine  before  men  that  they  may  see  your  good  works 
and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven  '  (Matt.  6 ;  14,  16). 
It  is  also  proven  by  the  fact  that  the  Savior,  just  before  his  ascen- 
sion, said  to  His  disciples,  '  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature.'  It  is  also  proven  by  those  pas- 
sages of  Scripture  which  represent  the  truth  as  the  medium  of  faith 
and  the  instrument  of  sanctification.  As  a  medium  of  faith,  John 
says  (chapter  20;  30),  'many  other  signs  truly  did  Jesus,  which 
are'not  written  in  this  book,  but  these  are  written  that  ye  might 
believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  that  believing  ye  might  have 
life  through  His  name.'  Again  in  Eomans  10  ;  13-15  (let  the  pas- 
sage be  read),  ''How  shall  they  believe  in  Him  of  whom  they 
have  not  heard,  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher,  and 
how  shall  they  preach  except  they  be  sent?' 

"  3.  We  found  our  missionary  operations  on  the  property 
which  God  has  in  us.  We  are  the  Lord's  by  creation,  Acts  17;  28, 
by  providence,  Isa.  1 ;  2,  and  by  purchase,  1  Cor.  6  ;  20.  All  we 
have  belongs  to  Him  also.  It  is  right  that  God  should  have 
His  own,  and  that  He  should  be  served  with,  and  by  His  own. 

"  4.  We  found  our  missions  upon  apostolic  example.  Our  Lord's 
commission,  'Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach,'  &c.,  was  cer- 
tainly understood  by  the  apostles,  and  their  acts  are  a  standing 
commentary  upon  it.  How  did  they  obey  it?  Let  us  see.  At  the 
first,  the  'mystery,'  'that  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellow-heirs, 
and  of  the  same  body,  and  partakers  of  His  promise  in  Christ 
by  the  gospel'  (Eph  3  ;  4,  6),  was  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  the 
apostles,  hence  for  some  time  they  '  preached  the  gospel  to  the 
Jews  only'  (Acts  11 ;  19).  Peter  finally  arrives  at  Joppa,  where 
in  the  vision,  he  is  taught  to  call  no  man  '  common,'  but  to  re- 
gard all  men  as  interested  in  the  '  common  salvation.'  He  was 
here  taught  that  '  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons'  (Acts  10 ;  34, 
35). 

"  The  church  at  Jerusalem  calls  Peter  to  account  for  going  un- 


o24  North  liberty  AssociAMoN. 

to  the  G-entiles.  He  makes  his  defense — light  beams  into  the 
minds  of  the  bi'otherhood,  and  the  truth  is  discovered  that  to 
the  G-entiles  also  Grod  is  '  granting  repentance  unto  life'  (Acts 
11 ;  18).  In  the  meantime  '  men  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene '  come  to 
Antioch,  and,  to  the  G-recians,  'preach  the  Lord  Jesus.'  The 
hand  of  the  Lord  is  with  them,  and  '  a  great  number  believe  and 
turn  to  the  Lord.'  '  Tidings  of  these  things'  reach  the  'ears  of 
the  church  at  Jerusalem,'  and  behold  Barnabas  is  sent  forth  to  go 
as  far  as  Antioch  (Acts  11;  22).  This  is  the  beginning  of  mis- 
sionaryism  in  the  church. 

"Kot  long  after  Barnabas  came  to  Antioch,  the  call  for  mis- 
sionary labor  became  so  great,  that  he  deemed  it  prudent  to  have 
an  'assistant'  and  consequently  sent  for  Saul.  For  'a  whole  year 
they  assembled  themselves  with  the  church  and  taught  much 
people.'  (Verse  26). 

"  After  the  church  had  increased,  and  other  teachers  had  risen 
up  amongst  them  (Acts  13  ;  1)  so  that  Barnabas  and  Paul  could 
be  spared,  the  Holy  Ghost  demanded  their  separation  to  the 
work  to  which  he  had  called  them.  The  church  obeyed,  and  af- 
ter laying  hands  on  them,  sent  them  away  (Ver.  3).  For  a  mo- 
ment note  God's  economy.  Jesus  commissions  and  the  church 
co-operates.  We  are  workers  together  with  Him  (2  Cor.  6  ;  1). 
May  we  not  infer  that  what  was  God's  economy  then,  is  God's 
economy  now  ? 

"5.  Missions  are  founded  upon  the  fact  that  the  missionary 
spirit  is  essential  to  the  co-operation  of  the  church  with  God  in 
the  great  work  of  evangelizing  the  world. 

"  6.  In  the  sixth  place  we  found  our  missionary  operations  on 
what  might  be  called  a  maxim  in  the  gospel,  viz.:  '  Whatsoever 
ye  Avould  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them' 
(Matt.  7  ;  12).  We  have  the  means  of  coming  to  a  just  conclusion, 
both  as  it  respects  the  destitute  at  home  and  the  heathen  abroad, 
and  we  can  by  an  eifort  of  the  imagination  change  conditions 
with  them  and  then  ask  ourselves  how  we  would  have  them  act 
toward  us.  Would  we  have  them  make  no  effort  to  supply  us 
with  the  Bible,  the  living  ministry  of  the  word,  and  the  immun- 
ities of  the  church  of  Christ?  We  would  want  no  anti-mission 
nor  omission  Baptists  amongst  them.  Then  of  course  there  should 
be  none  amongst  us." 

Tiivj  residue  of  the  circular  is  devoted  to  the  answering  of  ob- 
jections, but  our  space  is  full,  and  we  can  give  no  more.  The 
above  is  submitted  as  an  unanswerable  argument  in  favor  of  mis- 


NORTH    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION.  525 

sions,  and  embodies  the  sentiments  of  the  North  Liberty  Associ- 
ation at  the  time  of  her  greatest  conflict  with  the  opposition. 

In  the  year  1849  the  location  of  William  Jewell  College  was 
fixed  at  Liberty,  Clay  County,  whereupon  the  North  Liberty  As- 
sociation very  cheei'fully  supported  the  enterprise  as  follows: 

^^  Resolved,  That  we  feel  highly  gratified  that  the  Baptist  Col- 
lege of  Missouri  has  been  located  at  Liberty,  Clay  County,  and 
that  we  will  heartily  co-operate  with  the  originators  by  our  coun- 
sels and  our  means."     {Minutes  North  Lib.  Asso.,  1849,  p.  5.) 

At  this  session  also  Elds.  J.  D.  Wilson  and  Eobert  James  were 
elected  as  itinerants,  and  the  sum  of  $68.50  was  subscribed  by 
members  of  the  association  to  aid  in  their  support. 

Luke  Williams,  Jr. — The  death  of  this  minister  of  the  gospel 
is  recorded  in  the  minutes  of  1849.  He  was  the  son  of  Luke  Wil- 
liams, one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  Missouri.  He  was  baptized 
by  Eld.  John  Jackson,  of  Cass  County,  and  united  with  a  church 
called  Union,  by  which  he  was  subsequently  licensed  to  preach. 
He  afterwards  moved  to  Clinton  County  and  was  ordained  a  min- 
ister, but  no  dates  are  given. 

In  1850  the  plan  of  missions  was  enlarged  by  the  appointment 
of  an  executive  board,  who,  the  year  following,  reported  that 
they  had  done  but  little,  being  unable  to  secure  the  services  of  a 
missionary  at  $20  a  month,  to  which  amount  they  were  limited 
by  action  of  the  association  the  previous  year.  Brother  Ham- 
mond had  labored  fifteen  days  and  was  paid  $10.  The  work  was 
continued — a  new  board  was  appointed,  and  the  salary  was  raised 
to  $30  per  month.  Thus  matters  continued  until  1852,  when  a 
new  enterprise  was  originated,  resulting  in  the  formation  of  the 
Northwestern  Association,  modeled  somewhat  after  the  G-eneral 
Association  of  the  state.  Through  this  body,  for  several  years, 
the  North  Liberty  did  most  or  all  of  its  itinerant  work.  (See 
Northwestern  Association.) 

The  association  returned  to  its  former  method  of  work  in  the 
year  1858,  under  an  executive  board  scattered  over  the  entire 
field,  on  account  of  which  nothing  was  accomplished.  The  matter 
was  remedied  in  1859,  by  locating  the  board  at  a  central  point, 
Avhich  was  Haynesville.  The  members  of  it  were  A.  D.  Stone, 
W.  L.  Watkins,  S.  Gr.  Hollingsworth,  Spencer  Anderson,  Alvah 
Mariett,  E.  C.  Lindsey  and  N.  S.  Eiley.  The  work  now  moved 
grandly  on.  At  the  end  of  the  second  year  from  the  date  last 
named,  upwards  of  $200  had  been  spent  in  itinerant  labor  per- 
r'ornied  by  Elds, Morris,  J,  D,  Black  and  W,  C,  Barrett, 


526  NORTH    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION. 

Owing  to  the  thickness  of  the  war  clouds  no  meeting  was  held 
in  1864;  but  in  1865  11  of  the  33  churches  sent  messengei's  to 
Providence,  Clay  County,  and  associational  business  was  resumed. 

Ministers  in  1866.— T>.  Anderson,  W.  C.  Barrett,  T.  W.  Bar- 
rett, Asa  N.  Bird,  Jeremiah  Clay,  E.  IST.  Coifee,  J.  B.  Chris- 
tie, J.  D.  De  Berry,  F.  Graves,  James  E.  Hughes,  B.  F,  Keuney, 
John  Major,  Thomas  Montgomery,  T.  N.  O'Brien,  E.  I.  Owen, 
Wm.  Eice,  N.  Eoberts,  E.  E.  tSearcy,  "Wm.  H.  Thomas  and  J.  Yates. 

Franklin  G-raves — was  born  in  the  state  of  Kentucky,  and  re- 
moved to  Missouri  in  1843.  He  united  Avith  the  High  Hill  Bap- 
tist Church,  Saline  County,  the  same  year,  was  soon  after  licens- 
ed to  preach  by  the  same  church,  and  in  ISTovember,  1843,  he  pro- 
cured a  letter  of  dismission,  removed  westward  and  settled  in 
Clay  County,  where  he  became  associated  with  Elds.  A.  P.  Wil- 
liams, Jonas  D.  Wilson  and  others  in  the  anti-mission  contro- 
versy, and  in  the  formation  and  early  history  of  the  North  Lib- 
erty Association. 

After  the  death  of  Eld.  Thomas  Eigg,  the  pastor  of  the  Leba- 
non Church,  Eld.  Graves  was  chosen  as  his  successor  in  1844,  and 
so  continued  until  1850,  during  which  period  the  church  was  very 
much  built  up,  having  also  had  40  additions  to  her  membership. 

In  1872  his  name  disappears  from  the  minutes  of  the  associa- 
tion, but  as  to  whether  he  died  or  moved  to  another  field  of  la- 
bor we  have  no  information. 

In  a  report  on  ministerial  education  and  colleges,  the  North 
Liberty  Association,  in  1866,  committed  itself  as  follows: 

"  It  is  the  opinion  of  your  committee  that  this  association  and 
its  churches  should  urge  the  young  ministers  of  North  Missouri 
to  a  higher  degree  of  intellectual  culture.  For  while  the  sjjir- 
itual  gifts  and  callings  are  from  the  Lord,  the  intellectual  train- 
ing is  of  the  creature.  In  a  call  to  the  ministry'  of  Jesus  Christ, 
God  does  not  give  a  knowledge  of  letters,  but  imposes  the  duty 
and  labor  of  mental  training  on  him  on  whom  He  has  bestowed 
His  gifts.  While  we  have  the  most  tender  regard  for  all  institu- 
tions of  learning  under  the  patronage  of  the  Baptists,  we  feel 
that  William  Jewell  College  is  paramount  to  them  all.  It  is  the 
institution  of  the  state,  and  should  be  fostered  by  all.  Some  of 
those  who  gave  their  labor  and  means  to  this  college  now  sleep 
in  death.  It  is  an  insult  to  the  memory  of  these  illustrious  dead, 
for  us,  their  children,  to  let  this  enterprise  fail  in  our  hands. 
The  denomination  can  yet  save  their  college  if  they  will.  We 
recommend  actiofi  instead  of  high-sounding  resolutions  in  behalf 


NORTH    LIBKRTV    ASSOCIATION.  527 

of  the  College.  Action  is  the  secret  of  success.  In  respect  to 
the  finances  and  Condition  of  the  college,  we  refer  you  to  Bro. 
O.  P.  Moss,  We  will  also  recommend  to  your  favorable  consid- 
eration the  'Liberty  Female  College/  located  in  Liberty.  This 
school  is  now  under  the  control  of  Prof.  B.  W.  Yineyard. 

"  Jas.  E.  Hughes,  Chairnian." 

The  North  Liberty  Association,  with  its  4,000  members,  stands 
as  a  beacon-light  and  tower  of  strength  for  the  defense  and  pro- 
motion of  Baptist  principles  in  Western  Missouri.* 

W.  C.  Barrett — is  a  native  of  Wood  County,  Yirginia,  born 
July  8,  1810,  of  humble  though  highly  honorable  parentage.  His 
grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  in  very 
early  times  settled  in  Yirginia.  He  was  converted  and  com- 
menced the  ministry  in  his  native  county.  When  a  child  he  was 
sprinkled  into  the  Methodist  church — his  parents  being  of  that 
faith.  He  dates  his  first  religious  impressions  back  to  the  fourth 
year  of  his  age,  but  did  not  make  a  profession  of  religion  until 
he  was  about  grown.  Though  brought  up  in  the  faith  of  Method- 
ism by  his  parents,  the  influence  of  his  grandmother  (his  father's 
mother),  a  Baptist  of  the  deepest  convictions,  proved  stronger 
than  that  of  his  parents,  and  he  became  a  Baptist.  His  baptism 
took  place  in  January,  1835  or  '36,  and  he  became  a  member  of 
Mount  Zion  Church,  which  belonged  to  the  Parkersburg  Associ- 
ation. Mr.  Barrett  continued  for  some  years  on  his  farm,  culti- 
vating the  soil  and  occasionally  teaching  school  for  the  benefit 
of  his  neighbors.  He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  August  16, 
1845  (Eld.  Jesse  Wit  of  Eichmond,  Ya.,  being  one  of  the  presby- 
tery), and  at  once  became  pastor  of  the  church  to  which  he  be- 
longed. From  1848  to  1855  he  traveled  as  missionary  of  the 
General  Association  of  Yirginia,  while  at  the  same  time  he  was 
pastor  of  two  churches,  and  for  the  last  two  j^ears  that  he  resided 
in  his  native  state  he  was  moderator  of  the  Parkersburg  Asso- 
ciation. His  labors  were  greatly  blessed  of  the  Lord  in  that 
country. 

Through  the  influence  of  Eev.  W.  M.  Bell  of  Miami,  Eld.  Bar- 
rett removed  to  Missouri  in  1856;  and  settling  in  Clay  Count}', 
he  soon  after  took  the  field  as  missionary  of  the  Xorth  Missouri 
Association.  He  contributed  largely  to  building  up  the  Baptist 
cause  in  Clay,  Eay  and  Clinton  Counties.    The  last  named  coun- 

*  The  organization,  locality  and  strength  of  the  churches,  the  extent  of  the  territory 
of  the  association,  and  many  other  facts  of  special  interest,  ^vill  he  found  in  the  tables 
at  the  end  of  this  sketch.  In  this  case,  we  found  this  method  more  convenient  to  adopt. 


528 


NORTH    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION. 


ty  he  found  almost  entirely  destitute  as  to  Baptist  doctrine  when 
he  commenced  his  labors  there.  He  has  been  directly  or  indi- 
rectly instrumental  in  organizing  or  building  up  nine  or  ten  Bap- 
tist churches  in  the  county.  Eld.  Barrett  is  the  pioneer  of  Clin- 
ton County.  He  was  two  years  pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist 
Church  of  Liberty,  Clay  Countj*,  and  at  Missouri  City  he  labored 
three  years,  where  he  had  a  prosperous  church,  until  the  war  came 
on  and  changed  things  somewhat.     For  eight  successive  years  he 

presided  as  moderator 
over  the  North  Liber- 
ty Association.  His 
seven  children  are  all 
members  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination,  and 
his  oldest  son,  T.  W. 
Barrett,  is  pastor  of 
the  Baptist  church  in 
Jefferson  City,  and  has 
several  times  filled  the 
position  of  chaplain 
of  the  state  senate. 

Eld.  Barrett  is  now 
getting  old.  He  has 
a  pleasant  home  in 
Plattsburg,  in  which 
place  he  contributed 
valuable  aid  both  in 
founding  and  in  build- 
ing up  a  permanent 
Baptist  church,  and 
where  he  was  for  three  years  pastor.  Almost  all  his  friends  of 
early  life,  together  with  his  parents,  were  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church,  most  of  whom  became  Baptists. 

Heney  McQueen  Eichardson. — The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a 
native  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  was  educated  at  Madison 
University,  where  he  graduated  with  the  class  of  1848.  He 
spent  his  first  year  in  theology  at  the  seminary  at  Madison, 
and  the  last  at  Eochester,  graduating  with  the  first  class  of  that 
institution  in  1850.  His  first  pastorate  was  in  Hamilton,  Ohio, 
which  continued  eleven  years,  commencing  with  32  members, 
and  leaving  it  Avith  a  membership  of  150  ;  about  100  of  whom  he 
baptized,     During  Ms  stay  at  Hamilton  he  built  an   elegant 


KEY.  W.  C.  BARRETT. 


NORTH    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION.  529 

house  of  worship,  costing  $12,000.  After  two  short  pastorates 
in  New  York,  and  Ohio  again,  he  settled  as  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in  Columbia,  Missouri,  in  1867.  Here  he  contin- 
ued nearly  four  years,  baptizing,  during  the  time,  forty-five  per- 
sons into  the  fellowship  of  the  church.  From  Columbia  he  went 
to  Fulton,  and  was  pastor  there  about  two  years,  gathering  into 
the  church  by  conversion  and  baptism,  thirty-two  members. 

In  the  spring  of  1873  he  removed  to  Liberty,  the  scat  of 
William  Jewell  College,  and  became  pastor  of  the  Second  Bap- 
tist Church  of  that  place.  Here  he  continued  in  a  successful 
pastorate  until  the  fall  of  1881,  baptizing  160  converts  into  mem- 
bership in  the  church.  He  went  directly  from  Liberty  to  Mary- 
ville,  Nodaway  Co.,  Mo.,  where  about  fifty  persons  have  been 
added  to  the  church  during  the  first  six  months  of  his  pastoral 
period. 

As  a  pastor  Elder  Eichardson  possesses  the  highest  qualifica- 
tions, being  excelled  by  few,  if  any;  and  as  a  gospel  preacher, 
he  is  plain,  practical,  intensely  interesting  and  scriptural.  In 
June,  1877,  William  Jewell  College  conferred  on  him  the  hon- 
orary title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

William  H.  Thomas.*— On  the  24th  of  February,  1881,  W.  H. 
Thomas,  D.  D.,  died  at  his  home  in  Platte  County,  being  then  74 
years,  8  months  and  18  days  old. 

He  was  one  of  Kentucky's  noble  sons.  In  his  15th  year  he 
professed  faith  in  the  Messiah,  and  in  the  year  1833  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Nancy  Willis,  who  was  a  Christian  "  help- 
meet." They  reared  and  educated  six  daughters,  who,  in  early 
life,  began  their  march  in  the  footprints  of  that  faith  marked  out 
by  the  father  and  mother.  In  every  department  of  study  Dr. 
Thomas'  investigations  were  critical  and  profound ;  in  all  busi- 
ness matters  ho  was  exact  and  exacting.  With  him  yes  and  no 
had  an  explicit  meaning.  As  a  husband  and  father,  his  affection 
was  deep  and  tender,  yet  with  unyielding  firmness  he  ruled  his 
own  house  well.  But  as  a  student  of  God's  word  and  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel,  the  worth  of  Dr.  Thomas  will  not  be  known  fully 
until  the  last  sheaf  shall  have  been  brought  in.  Having  received 
a  liberal  education,  he  was  set  apart  to  the  office  of  "  bishop  " 
in  his  25th  year,  and  soon  after  entered  the  field  as  missionary 
of  the  Kentucky  Baptist  State  Convention,  continuing  this  for 
five  years,  and  many  hundreds  were  converted. 

In   1850  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Platte  County,  Mis- 

*  By  Jeremiah  Clay,  in  Minutes  ^orth  Liberty  Association,  1881, 
34 


530 


NORTH    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION. 


souri,  and  became  pastor  of  several  churches,  proving  his  super- 
ior ability  as  an  expounder  of  God's  word.  He  did  much  to  in- 
doctrinate and  raise  the  standard  of  practical  Christianity  high- 
er in  the  bounds  of  the  North  Liberty  Association.  He  lived 
near  Camden  Point. 

Oliver  Perry  Moss— was  born  in  Maysville,  Mason  County, 

Kentucky,     Sep- 
tember 26,  1813. 
He  was    the  son 
of  the   late    Dr. 
Moss,    of    St. 
Louis    County, 
Missouri.      Dea- 
con Moss  was 
brought    by    his 
father  to  Boone 
County,   Missou- 
ri, in    1820.     He 
lived  with    his 
father  until  1831, 
and  during   that 
period  was  edu- 
cated  at    Bonne 
Femme    College 
in  Boone  County, 
by  Eev.    Eobert 
S.  Thomas,  who 
was    the    first 
president  of  Wil- 
liam Jewell  College.     Deacon  Moss  became  a  citizen  of  Clay 
County,  Missouri,  Jul}'  4,  1831,  and  so  remained  until  his  death, 
with  the  exception  of  the  period  of  three  years,  extending  from 
1841   to  '44,  when  he   resided  in  St.  Louis  County,   Missouri. 
From  his  arrival  in  Clay  County,  until  his  temporary  removal  to 
St.  Louis  County,  he  was  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  in  Lib- 
erty.    From  1841,  during  the  residue  of  his  life  he  was  employed 
in  farming,  except  when  he  was  in  public  office  or  in  the  military 
service. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  Marjery  Thornton,  daughter 
t  f  the  late  Col.  John  Thornton  of  Clay  County,  Missouri,  De- 
cember 21,  1837.     She  survives  him.     They  had  no  children. 
He  was  of  a  thoroughly  martial  spirit,  and  loved  the  life  of  a 


OLIVER  P.   MOSS. 


NORTH   LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION.  531 

soldier.  In  1846,  he  volunteered  for  service  in  the  Mexican  war, 
and  was  elected  captain  of  the  company  that  was  raised  in  Clay 
County.  It  formed  a  part  of  the  famous  regiment  of  1st  Mis- 
souri Mounted  Volunteers,  commanded  by  Col.  Alexander  W. 
Doniphan,  and  participated  in  all  the  marches  and  actions  of 
"^  Doniphan's  Expedition,"  He  achieved  an  enduring  reputation 
for  gallantry  and  every  generous  and  soldierly  quality  in  that 
expedition. 

In  1848  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Clay  Countj^,  and  filled  that 
position  for  two  years. 

In  March,  1851,  during  the  progress  of  a  great  revival  of  relig- 
ion in  Liberty,  Missouri,  under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Dr.  Na- 
than Hall  and  others,  he  was  converted,  and  was  baptized  into 
the  fellowship  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  in  Liberty,  by  his 
beloved  friend,  Rev.  E.  S.  Dulin,  D.D.  This  revival  was  proba- 
bly the  greatest  and  most  gracious  visitation  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
ever  known  in  Liberty.  Within  a  few  months  after  his  admis- 
sion into  the  church  in  Liberty  he  was  chosen  to  be  one  of  its 
deacons — an  office  he  held  until  his  death.  In  the  latter  part  of 
1853  or  beginning  of  1854  he  was  elected  a  trustee  of  William 
Jewell  College,  a  position  which  he  retained  during  the  residue 
of  his  life — a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years. 

In  1865  he  was  elected  to  represent  Clay  County,  in  the  lov/er 
house  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Missouri,  and  served  therein 
one  session.  In  1868  he  was  again  elected  sheriff  of  Clay  Coun- 
ty, and  yet  again  in  1870. 

He  was  stricken  with  paralysis  in  August,  1879,  and  of  this 
he  died  June  7,  1881,  in  the  full  possession  of  his  faculties.  He 
died  in  the  joyous  hope  of  life  everlasting,  and  as  though  he 
stood  on  "Jordan's  stormy  banks,"  and  saw  beyond  its  waves 
the  battlements  of  the  Holy  City  bathed  in  eternal  light.  He 
rests  in  the  new  cemetery  at  Liberty,  Mo.,  in  the  midst  of  his 
friends,  living  or  dead. 

He  was  essentially  a  noble  as  well  as  a  useful  man.  Sagacious, 
just  and  honorable,  he  filled  every  station  in  which  he  was  call- 
ed to  act,  with  credit  to  himself  and  profit  to  those  for  whom  he 
labored.  An  impartial  and  faithful  counselor,  an  unswerving 
friend,  a  far-seeing  and  admirable  citizen,  a  most  loving  and 
confiding  husband,  who  that  knew  him  but  admired  and  esteem- 
ed him  ?  The  Baptists  of  Missouri  owe  him  a  lasting  weight  of 
gratitude.  From  the  beginning  of  his  wife's  connection  with 
the  Second  Baptist  Church  in  Liberty,  Mo.,  in  1844,  until  his 


532 


NORTH    LIBERTY  ASSOCIATION. 


death,  his  purse  was  at  their  service  in  all  their  great  dcnoni- 
iuational  enterprises,  foreign  and  domestic.  In  the  opinion  of 
the  writer  of  this  sketch — an  opinion  based  on  every  opportun- 
ity of  knowing — if  it  had  not  been  for  Deacon  Moss'  firmness 
and  undying  hope  at  a  certain  juncture,  "William  Jewell  College 
would  have  either  ceased  to  exist,  or  have  been  so  checked  in 
its  career  of  usefulness  that  its  recuperation  would  have  requi- 
red the  lapse  of  many  years. 

Ardent  and  enthusiastic,  half-hearted  in  nothing,  glowing  with 
hope,  full  of  trust  in  the  mercies  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he 
ever  longed  to  signalize  his  devotion  to  his  Master's  cause  by 
some  great  and  striking  act.  He  enjoyed  religion  in  its  inten- 
sest  sense.  He  was  a  lover  and  the  church  was  to  him  some 
bright,  ideal  maiden.  His  fancy  was  quick,  and  his  imagination 
full  of  martial  images.  He  was  a  true  "soldier  of  the  Cross," 
and  loved  in  thought  to  conceive  himself  in  the  midst  of  "fight- 
ing fields,"  where  the  banner  of  Jesus  flamed  above  himself  and 
his  fellow  warriors.  Never  was  there  a  Christian  man  who  so 
loved  that  precioushymn  of  Watts,  "The  Christian  Soldier,"  nor 
so  felt  the  battle-spirit  in  the  words: 

"  Am  I  a  soldier  of  the  Cross, 

A  follower  of  the  Lamb  ? 
And  shall  I  fear  to  own  His  cause, 

Or  blush  to  speak  His  name  ? 

Must  I  be  carried  to  the  skies, 

On  flowery  beds  of  ease, 
"While  others  fought  to  win  the  prize, 

And  sailed  through  blood v  seas?" 


TABLE   OF  THE   CHUECHES   OF  NOETH   LIBEETY  ASSO- 

CIATIOX,  1879. 


Churches. 


bO 


Counties. 


By  WhomCon-\  former  Pastor, 
stitutea. 


Albany     - 
Bee  Creek 
Bethel     _  - 
Breckenridge 

Cameron  - 

Crab  Orchard 

Centenary 
Cottage  "    ) 
Grove  J 


1839 
1872 
1868 

1866 

1846 


lOSjRav 
60  Platte 
Andrew 
Caldwell 


6 
7115 


1870:i2l  67 


Clinton 
Daviess 

Caldwell 


A.  F.  Randall, 
G.  A.  Crouch 

J.  B.  Christie, 
J.  Yates 

B.  F.  Smith, 

S.  Pugh 

R;  C.  Hill 


B.  Whitely 
Joseph  Yates 
B.  F.  Smith 

IR.  C.  Hill 


Present  Pastor. 


J.  E.  Simpson 
Jer.  Clay 
J.  Roan 
F.  J.  Leavitt 

1  J.  H.  Garnett 


A.  PfisUiP 


NORTH   LIBERTY   ASSOCIATION.  53S 

TABLE  OF  CHURCHES  OF  NORTH  LIBERTY  ASSOCIATION,  Cuntlnued. 


Churches. 


1^ 

5; 

^ 

•S. 

S 

^ 

Counties.  .^^  WhomCon. 
stvtuted. 


Former  Pastor. 


Present  Pastor, 


Concord    - 
Crooked      \ 
Eiver  j 
Enon 

Elm  Grove 
Fishing  Kivcr 
Garden        \ 
Prairie  ) 
Gosneyville 

Haynes^^^le 
Hamilton  - 
Hickory      \ 
Grove  j 
Hopewell  - 
Kearney 
Knoxville 
Lathrop 
Lebanon  - 


Lickfork 
Liberty 
Lisbonville 
Mirabile 

Mt.  Carmel 

Mt.  Vernon 
Mt.  Zion 

Mt.  Zion  - 

Missouri  City 
Missouri      1 
Valley/ 
Xew  Hope 
Olive  Branch 
Osborn 
Park vi lie  - 
Pisgah   - 
Plattsburg 

Pleasant      ") 
Grove  / 
Pleasant      ) 
Ridge  / 
Providence 
Eichmond 
Rising  Sun 
Rock  Falls 
Smith's  Fork 
Stewartsville 
Union 
Weston 
Platte  City 
South  Gale 


1857,21 


1859 


121  Clinton 


49l 

91 

30 


186815 

1856  34 
1868 


1866 


1847 
1870 
1842 


1869 
1843 


1867 

1870 

1856 
1844  11 

1866  17 


10 


1868 


25 


1829  — 


1849 
1854 

1844 

1844 


1846 
1842:23 


1860 
1866 
1851 
1853 


J_ 


62 
201 

53 
105 

176 


94 

235 

35 

41 


93 
150 

81 

63 
41 

139 


Platte 
Clay 


Clay 

Clinton 
Caldwell 


Caldwell 

Clav 

Ray 

Clinton 

Clinton 


Daviess 
Clav 


W.  C,  Barrett 


G.  L.  Black 


W.  C.  Barrett 


A.  W.  Chambliss 


G.  L.  Black 


E.  H.  Foster 
W.  Pu  Rothwell 


C.  M.  Brown, 

A.  N.  Bird 
W.  C.  Barrett 


C.  M.  Brown 
W.  C.  Barrett 


J.  F.  Rarden      A.  Baker 


T.  Rigg, 
T.  Dunegan, 
A.  C.  Bragg, 
W.  L.  Butts 


A.  P.  Williams 


Caldwell 

Clinton 

Clay 
Platte 

Clinton 

Clay 
Buchanan 

Clav 


G.  W.  Smith, 
Jno.  Harman 
W.  H.  Thomas, 
J.  Clav 


DeKalb 
Platte 
Ray 
Clinton 

Platte 

Platte 

Clay 
Ray 


Clinton 

DeKalb 

Ray 

Platte 

Platte 


Peter  Swain, 

M.  Ivline 
A.  K  Bird, 
T.  Montsomerv 


S.  H.  Carter 
F.  J.  Leavitt 


A.  P.  Williams 


J.  W.  Luke 
W.  W.  Odum 


J.  M.  P.  ]\Iartin 
J.  W.  D.  Hunt 
R.  H.  Jones 
D.  G.  Saunders 


A.  Pfister 

H.  M.  Richardson 

S.  H.  Carter 


Swain  and  Kline, 

jointly 
T.  Montgomery 


G.  W.  Everett 


Jer.  Clay 


C.  W.  Stewart 
C.  G.  Rogers 


C.  G.  Rogers 
S.  Kimsev 


S.  H.  Carter 
j.T.  W.  D.  Hunt 

JR.  H.  Jones 

D.  G.  Saunders 


F.  Graves, 
W.C.Batchelor 
P.  M.  Swain 


A.  P.  Williams  A 
P.  N.  Haycraft 


A.  P.  Williams 


W.  C.  Batchelor 
W.  P.  Lanier 
.  P.  Williams 


A.  P.  AVilliams 


J.  S.  Smith 


J.  W.  Sacry 


J.  W.  D.  Hunt 
W.  A.  Crouch 

W.  A.  Crouch 

E.  H.  Foster 

G.  L.  Black 


G.  W.  Everett 
S.  H.  Carter 
J.  H.  Garnett 
J.  E.  Hughes 
J.  E.  Simpson 


G.  W.  Everett 


534  NORTH    LIBERTY    ASSOCIATION. 

THE  NOETHWESTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  to  "Western  and  Northwestern  Missouri 
what  the  General  Association  was  to  the  state  at  large.  The 
idea  of  such  an  organization  for  the  Northwest,  originated  at 
the  meeting  of  the  North  Liberty  Association  in  1852,  when  the 
following  action  was  taken  relative  to  such  an  enterprise: 

"  Whereas,  The  remote  distance  at  which  the  churches  in  the 
Western  part  of  this  state  are  situated  from  the  points  at  which 
the  General  Association  of  Missouri  holds  its  sessions  precludes 
their  correspondence  with  that  body ;  therefore, 

'^Resolved,  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  body  that  it  will  be 
conducive  to  the  interests  of  religion  in  Western  Missouri,  to 
form  a  Western  Baptist  organization  for  the  advancement  of 
domestic  missions  within  the  above  limits. 

^^Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  to  hold  a  convention  at  Pleas- 
ant Eidge  Church,  Platte  County,  Mo.,  Thursday,  before  the 
third  Lord's  day  in  November  next,  for  the  promotion  of  the 
above  object."   {Minutes  of  North  Liberty  Association-,  1852,  pp.  5,  6.) 

The  meeting  was  held  at  Pleasant  Ridge  in  harmony  with  the 
above  action,  and  the  new  association  was  organized  under  the 
name  of  ''  The  Northwestern  Baptist  Association." 

The  constitution  of  this  body  provided  that  it  should  be  aux- 
iliary to  the  General  Association,  and  that  its  object  should  be 
to  provide  means  to  supply  the  destitute  of  Northwestern  Mis- 
souri with  the  preached  gospel,  and  that  it  would,  as  far  as  prac- 
ticable, co-operate  with  the  said  General  Association  in  supply- 
ing the  entire  state. 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  at  Pleasant  Grove  Church, 
Platte  County,  in  July,  1853.  Among  the  ministry  in  attendance 
we  notice  the  names  of  W.  H.  Thomas,  C.  T.  Hammond,  W.  C. 
Bachelor,  James  W.  Sacry,  T.  Bradley,  T.  N.  O'Bryant,  R.  C. 
Hill,  Franklin  Graves,  L.  Allen,  A.  P.  Williams,  E.  S.  Dulin,  L 
T.  Williams,  and  David  Anderson. 

The  association  prosecuted  its  objects  quite  vigorouslj^  for  a 
few  years,  expending  annual  1}'  from  8200  to  about  $800  on  the 
field  in  preaching  the  gospel;  and  then  ceased  to  exist.  The 
latest  minutes  that  have  come  to  hand  are  for  1856,  when  the  body 
held  its  fourth  anniversary  at  Pleasant  Ridge  Church  in  Oc- 
tober of  that  year.  A  published  list  of  ministers  in  the  minutes 
show  that  at  that  date  there  were  fifty-five  in  the  bounds  of  the 
association. 


CHAPTER  X. 


OSAGE  EIVEE  ASSOCIATION-* 

Organization  of — Churches  of  in  1868 — Resolution  on  the  "  Missouri  Constitution  " — 
Mixed  Communion,  Trouble  On — J.  M.  Brockman — E.  M.  Miller — Methodist 
Stronghold,  &c. 

^'  rriHE  Osage  Eiver  Association  was  formed  from  the  pro- 
_L  lific  Concord  in  1844/'  {Benedict's  Baptist  History,  p.  839.) 
According  to  the  same  author,  it  numbered  in  1848  about  500 
members,  and  its  churches  were  in  the  counties  of  Camden,  Pulas- 
ki, Miller  and  Morgan.  The  OsageEiver,  which  gave  name  to  the 
association,  passed  through  its  territory.  It  adopted  the  consti- 
tution and  articles  of  faith  of  the  United  Baptists. 

"We  have  nothing  further  of  the  early  history  of  this  commun- 
ity, our  oldest  minutes  being  for  the  year  1868,  at  which  time  it 
was  composed  of  the  following 

Churches. — Big  Eichwood,  Blue  Spring,  Union,  Elm  Spring 
and  Olive  Branch,  in  Miller  County;  Little  Eichwood,  Maries 
County;  Pisgah,  Pulaski  County;  Wet  Glaze,  Camden  County; 
and  Pin  Oak,  county  not  known.  These  churches  reported  an 
aggregate  of  450  members. 

Pastors  in  1868. — Jacob  S.  McComb,  John  M.  "Williams  and  E. 
M.  Miller. 

The  association  was  in  full  sympathy  with  the  General  As- 
sociation of  the  state,  and  recommended  all  her  pastors  and 
churches  to  make  annual  collections  for  its  treasury.  Besides 
this,  the  organization  of  Sunday-schools  and  church  Bible  classes 
was  urged  upon  the  attention  of  each  congregation. 

"Wet  Glaze,  Camden  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1869. 
On  this  occasion  a  Sabbath-school  convention  was  organized  by 
the  association,  with  Jacob  S.  McComb  as  president,  David  Mc- 
Comb as  secretary,  and  James  M.  Brockman  as  treasurer.  New 
Salem  and  Prosperity  (new  churches)  were  admitted  into  the 
union  at  this  session.  The  treasurer  reported  $51.80  contribu- 
ted to  the  General  Association  during  the  past  year,  and  $22.10 
on  hand  for  printing  minutes. 

The  twenty-sixth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Elm  Sprins:, 
Miller  County,  commencing  September  1,  1870,  when  messen- 


536  b^AGE    RIVER    ASSOCIATIOU. 

gers  W6fe  pi*esent  from  nine  churches  and  one  sent  a  lettei*  onlyi 
At  this  session  a  newly  constituted  church,  Fair  Plajj  made  ap^ 
plication  for  membership,  which  after  investigation  was  reject- 
ed upon  the  following  grounds,  named  by  the  committee  report^ 
ing thereon:  "That the  said  church  was  organized  by  Eld.  Jacob 
Capps,  who  had  no  connection  with  any  church,  and  against 
whom  other  churches  had  passed  resolutions  of  non-fellowship.** 
{Minutes  Osage  River  Asso.,  1870,  p.  4.) 

By  the  following  resolutions,  adopted  in  1870,  we  learn  that 
the  association  held  sessions  in  1863  and  also  in  1865. 

''Whereas,  The  resolution  passed  by  this  association  in  1865,  in 
regard  to  the  new  constitution  of  Missouri,  is  useless  and  offen- 
sive to  sister  associations; 

''Resolved,  therefore,  that  we  hereby  rescind  that  resolution." 

And  again  the  following: 

"TFi^ereos,  the  resolution  passed  by  this  association  in  1863,  is 
offensive  to  some  of  her  delegates; 

"Resolved,  therefore,  that  we  hereby  rescind  that  resolution." 
{Minutes  Osage  River  Associatmi,  1870,  p.  4.) 

As  to  what  these  resolutions  were,  the  records  are  silent,  save 
what  is  said  above  of  the  first  one. 

Flat  "Woods  Church  was  received  into  membership  in  1872, 
when  the  meeting  was  held  at  Blue  Spring,  Miller  County.  The 
association  now  numbered  11  churches  and  546  members.  W. 
M.  McCubbin,  J.  W.  Terry  and  Alfred  Devore  were  appointed 
an  executive  board  with  power  to  appoint  a  missionary  to  labor 
in  the  bounds  of  the  association.  Said  board  was  also  instruct- 
ed to  correspond  with  the  board  of  the  General  Association.  The 
following  query  on  communion  was  presented  and  answered: 

"  Should  a  Baptist  church  retain  in  her  fellowshij)  any  member 
who  practices  mixed  communion?"     Answered — "No." 

In  1873  the  association  met  at  Union,  Miller  County.  Corres- 
ponding messengers  were  present  from  Zion  and  Smith  Valley 
Associations.  The  subject  of  mixed  communion  was  still  troub- 
ling some  of  the  churches  and  the  following  action  was  taken: 

"Resolved,  That  we  as  an  association  advise  Flatwoods  Church 
to  deal  with  Bro.  Thomas  Scott  for  practicing  mixed  commun- 
ion, and  advancing  other  heretical  doctrines  that  are  hurtful  to 
the  church  of  Christ." 

The  table  shows  the  following  summary  of  statistics :  Number 
of  churches,  12;  baptisms,  59;  members,  585;  contributions  for 
jninutes,  $17.50;  for  home  missions,  $125.35. 


OSAGIi   EIVER   ASSOCIAMON.  63? 

James  M.  Brockman's — career  as  a  minister  was  a  short  one. 
Se  grew  up,  from  the  best  information  we  have,  in  the  bounds 
of  Osage  River  Association.  His  name  appears  in  the  minutes 
of  1868  as  clerk  of  Elm  Spring  Church,  Miller  County.  In  1872 
his  name  appears  for  the  first  time  in  the  list  of  ordained  minis- 
ters and  as  pastor  of  Little  Eichwoods  and  Wet  Glaze  Churches, 
and  the  following  year  his  obituary  was  published  in  the  associ- 
ational  minutes,  in  which  he  was  greatly  lamented  and  denom- 
inated "one  of  the  ablest  advocates  in  the  Baptist  family,  and 
one  of  the  brightest  members  in  the  Masonic  fraternity." 

EiCHARD  M.  Miller  —  was  born  in  Sevier  County,  Tenn., 
Nov.  3,  1815,  and  died  April  22,  1871.  He  professed  religion 
when  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  united  with  the  Baptist 
church  soon  after  he  came  to  Missouri,  and  felt  continually  im- 
pressed with  the  duty  of  preaching  the  gospel  in  the  "  backwoods," 
as  he  said,  knowing  that  his  limited  education  disqualified  him 
for  the  pastoral  work  of  a  town  or  city.  He  was  a  man  of  fervent 
piety  and  considerable  usefulness.  The  Union  Church,  in  Osage 
County,  called  for  his  ordination  July  8,  1848.  Rev.  John 
Woody,  Rev,  John  Avery  and  Rev.  Thomas  Jackson  constituted 
the  presbytery.  The  following  year  he  married  Miss  Hornsby, 
a  lady  of  intelligence  and  piety,  and  entered  upon  the  work  of 
the  ministry  with  full  purpose  of  heart,  extending  his  labors 
into  the  counties  of  Johnson,  Cass,  Miller,  Maries  and  Pulaski. 

He  finally  settled  in  Pulaski  County  in  1851  or  '2,  in  one  of 
the  strongholds  of  Methodism.  His  faithful  presentation  of 
Divine  truth  soon  began  to  awaken  a  Baptist  sentiment,  and  in 
1852  he  organized  a  church  after  the  primitive  order.  Metho- 
dism began  to  give  way,  and  finally  that  church  disappeared, 
and  the  entire  community  became  permeated  with  Baptist  senti- 
ments. 

He  remained  pastor  of  this  church  (Pisgah,  Pulaski  County) 
and  undauntedly  preached  during  the  entire  time  of  the  war,  at 
the  close  of  which  the  church  was  found  to  be  well  nigh  in  ruins. 
But  a  few  names  were  found  who  had  not  defiled  their  garments, 
and  under  the  faithful  labors  of  the  pastor  the  church  soon  com- 
menced to  increase  again,  and  before  long  regained  its  former 
strength  and  standing. 

Three  days  before  his  death,  while  laboring  on  his  farm,  he 
was  smitten  down  with  paralysis.  His  wife  found  him  on  the 
ground  helpless  and  almost  speechless.  The  disease  increased 
until  death  released  the  spirH  to  enter  into  rest. 


538  OSAGE   RIVER   ASSOCIATION. 

It  is  but  just  to  say  that  much  of  the  growth  of  the  Baptist 
churches  in  the  thinly  settled  portions  of  the  state  may  be  at- 
tributed to  the  faithful  labors  and  prayers  of  an  unlearned  but 
self-sacrificing  ministry.  Men  of  Grod,  whose  names  were  unti- 
tled and  unpublished  to  the  world,  have  digged  deep  and  laid 
well  the  foundations  on  which  we  are  now  building  up  the  walls 
of  our  spiritual  Zion.     All  honor  to  their  precious  names  ! 


CHAPTER  XI. 


WTACONDA  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Work  of  the  Pioneers — Wyaeonda  from  Bethel  Association — Its  Faith — Con- 
stitution in  Full — "Wyaeonda  and  Gilead  Churches — War  Troubles — Fox  River, 
Mother  of  Churches — Dover,  Bear  Creek,  South  Fork,  South  Wyaeonda,  Mt. 
Salem,  La  Grange,  Sand  Hill,  and  Other  Churches — Itinerant  Methods — Eesults — 
Aggression — Foreign  and  Home  Missions — Lemuel  Hatcher — Samuel  Nieholls — 
James  M.  Lillard. 

THEOUGH  the  devotion  and  sacrifices  of  the  pioneer  church- 
es and  ministers  of  Northeast  Missouri,  Baptist  principles 
made  rapid  progress,  and  many  new  churches  were  early  planted  in 
that  country  lying  northward  from  what  is  now  Marion  County, 
and  the  bounds  of  Bethel  Association  extended  to  the  northern 
limits  of  the  state.  It  was  now  thought  advisable  to  divide  the 
association,  and  at  the  session  of  1844,  held  at  Pleasant  Eun 
Church,  Scotland  County,  the  following  action  was  taken  rela- 
tive to  this  subject : 

"  Besolved,  That  the  following  churches,  viz.:  Mt.  Salem,  Wy- 
aeonda, Waterloo,  Friendship,  Dover,  St.  Francisville,  Bear 
Creek  and  Fox  Eiver  were,  at  their  request,  dismissed  to  form  a 
new  association,  to  meet  at  Wyaeonda  Church,  Lewis  County, 
for  that  purpose,  on  Friday  before  the  fourth  Saturday  in  Octo- 
ber, 1844— Brethren  A.  Broadus,  Jer.  Taylor,  B.  M.  Parks,  T.  E. 
Hatcher,  J.  H.  Keach,  A.  H.  Slaughter,  A.  Lafon,  W.  Kendrick, 
L.  Brown,  J.  S.  Green,  W.  Finley,  J.  F.  Smith,  J.  Kaylor  and 
W.  Maffott  to  attend."    (^Minutes  of  Bethel  Association,  1844.) 

In  harmony  with  this  action,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  time 
and  place  designated,  the  new  association  was  formed  of  the 
churches  above  named,  and,  in  honor  of  the  church  with  which 
the  body  first  met,  it  was  called  "  Wyaeonda  Association." 

The  constitution  adopted  was  as  follows  : 

"From  a  long  series  of  experiences,  we,  the  Baptist  churches 
of  Jesus  Christ,  being  regularly  baptized  upon  a  profession  of 
our  faith  in  Christ,  are  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  a  combina- 
tion of  churches.  In  order  to  perpetuate  a  union  and  commun- 
ion amongst  us,  and  to  preserve  and  maintain  a  correspondence 
with  each  other  in  our  union^  we  thought  proper  to  maintain  and 


540  WYACONBA   ASSOCIAMON. 

keep  the  order  of  an  association,  according  to  the  following  plan 
and  form  of  government: 

"  1.  The  association  to  be  composed  of  members  duly  chosen 
by  the  churches  in  our  union,  and  sent  to  represent  them  in  the 
association. 

"2.  The  letters  from  the  different  churches  are  to  express  their 
numbers  in  full  fellowship,  those  baptized,  received  by  letter, 
dismissed,  excluded  and  dead  since  the  last  association. 

"  3.  The  members  thus  chosen  and  convened  to  be  denominated 
the  'Wyaconda  United  Baptist  Association,'  composed  of  sundry 
churches  lying  and  being  in  the  state  of  Missouri,  who  are  to 
have  no  power  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  nor  are  they  to 
exercise  ecclesiastical  power  over  the  churches,  nor  to  infringe 
on  any  of  the  internal  rites  of  the  churches  in  our  union.  Never- 
theless, it  becomes  necessary  to  have  a  uniform  rule  of  proceed- 
ing; {.  e.,  in  case  an  offense  may  be  committed  by  an  individual 
church  which  affects  any  of  the  sister  churches  in  our  union  ;  the 
church  so  offending  may  be  brouglit  to  trial,  and  if,  in  the  opin- 
ion of  the  association,  the  church  has  departed  from  orthodox 
principles,  or  has  become  disorderly  in  its  practice,  the  associa- 
tion shall  withdraw  from  it,  and  drop  it  from  her  union,  pro- 
vided, however,  that  no  query  shall  come  into  the  association 
until  the  usual  course  be  taken  upon  the  subject,  as  prescribed  in 
the  18th  chapter  of  Matthew. 

"4.  The  association,  when  convened,  are  to  be  governed  by  a 
regular  and  popular  decorum,  which  they  are  authorized  to  form 
for  themselves. 

"5.  The  association  to  have  a  moderator  and  clerk,  who  are  to 
be  chosen  by  the  members  present. 

"6.  Any  new  church  may  be  admitted  into  the  association. 
Such  are  to  petition  by  letter,  and,  upon  examination,  if  found 
orthodox  and  orderly,  may  be  received  by  the  association,  and 
manifested  by  the  moderator  giving  the  right  hand  of  fellowship. 

"7.  Ever}^  church  in  this  association  shall  be  entitled  to  a  rep- 
resentation of  four  members. 

"8.  It  is  the  business  of  the  association,  first — to  provide  for  a 
general  union  of  the  churches;  second — to  preserve,  inviolable, 
a  chain  of  communion  amongst  them  in  order  to  obtain  this  de- 
sirable end;  third — to  inquire  into  the  cause  why  the  churches 
do  not  represent  themselves  in  the  association. 

"9.  Amendments  to  the  constitution  may  be  made  at  any 
time,  by  a  majority  of  the  members,  when  they  think  it  necessary." 


WYACONDA    ASSOCIATION.  541 

The  articles  of  faith  adopted  by  the  association  were  those 
found  in  the  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge,  commonly  called 
the  "New  Hampshire  Confession  of  Faith." 

Wyaconda  Church — was  organized  August  30, 1829,  and  by  the 
records  was  the  first  Baptist  church  founded  in  what  is  now 
Lewis  County.  The  church  was  at  first  located  one  mile  below 
La  Grange,  but  subsequently  moved  to  its  present  site,  some  ten 
miles  easterly  from  Monticello,  the  county  seat,  and  two  miles 
from  Canton  on  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  There  were  twenty  con- 
stituents members,  one  of  whom,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Lefler — then  a 
Miss  Cannon — was  living  in  1871.  Eld.  Jer.  Taylor  organized 
the  church  and  became  its  first  pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Elds.  Mordecai  Boulware,  Fuqua  and  A.  Merrill'.  Eld.  Merrill 
adopted  the  views  of  Alex.  Campbell,  and  was  excluded  from  the 
fellowship  of  the  "Wyaconda  Church  during  the  term  of  his  pas- 
torate. In  1833  Eld.  James  M.  Lillard  was  chosen  to  the  pas- 
toral office,  in  which  he  continued  uninterruptedly  for  seventeen 
years. 

The  church  first  erected  a  house  of  worship  in  1837,  24x36  feet, 
and  in  1856  built  its  present  edifice,  40x60  feet,  of  brick,  which 
was  valued  in  1871  at  $2,500.  When  the  war  broke  out  in  1861, 
the  Wyaconda  Church  numbered  240  members.  Upon  revising 
her  list  in  18G5,  she  found  herself  reduced  in  numbers  to  140, 
She  has  but  recently  passed  her  semi-centennial,  had  in  187  9  a 
membership  of  108,  with  J.  M.  Lillard  as  pastor,  and  contributed 
regularly  to  home  and  foreign  missions. 

GiLEAD  Church. — On  the  23d  of  November,  1833,  by  the  vet- 
eran and  pioneer,  Jer.  Taylor,  the  Gilead  Church  was  organized 
with  six  members,  at  or  near  its  present  location,  some  seven 
miles  south  of  Monticello,  and  some  ten  miles  westerly  from  La 
Gran  ge.  Jer.Tay  lor  was  the  first  pastor,  and  continued  pai-t  of  two 
years.  After  him  J.  M.  Lillard  and  P,  N.  Hay  craft  served  alter- 
nately as  pastors,  until  1849,  when  Eld.  John  Eowe  was  called  to 
fill  that  office.  Gilead  has  been  a  fruitful  vine.  From  her  have 
gone  out  into  the  ministry  Elds.  J.  Shumate,  J.  M.  Holt  and  Eli- 
jah Hubbard.  In  1841  the  church  built  a  log-house  to  worship 
in  which  served  a  very  good  purpose  until  1854,  when  a  brick 
house,  40x50  feet,  took  its  place,  valued  at  $2,500. 

God's  people  at  Gilead  have  alternated  with  prosperity  and 
adversity.  At  one  time  an  extensive  revival  was  enjoyed  by  the 
church  and  120  souls  were  converted.  But  the  baneful  influence 
of  the  war  greatly  affected  this  body,  and  finally  resulted  in  a 


542  WYACONDA    ASSOCIATION. 

division.  It  occurred  in  this  way.  The  war  over,  the  "Union" 
members  decided  that  the  rest  should  make  a  confession  of  their 
errors ;  but  when  the  test  came,  they  found  themselves  in  the 
minority  and  had  to  withdraw.  This  they  did  and  formed  a  new 
church,  which  has  since  then  enjoyed  a  good  degree  of  prosper- 
ity. "  Since  the  division  "  (says  Brother  J.  T.  "Wallace,  clerk  of 
Gilead  Church)  "peace  and  prosperity  have  crowned  our  eiforts, 
and  we  feel  that  we  are  what  we  are,  by  the  grace  of  God."  Eld. 
C.  S.  Taylor,  grandson  of  the  founder  of  the  church,  was  pastor 
in  1882,  the  church  numbering  114  members. 

Fox  EiVER  Church — is  the  pioneer  church  of  Clarke  County, 
having  been  organized  May  7,  1835,  with  10  members,  by  Eld. 
Jer.  Yardeman,  in  Fox  River  neighborhood,  ten  miles  east  of 
Kahoka,  the  county  seat.  The  constituent  members  were  E.  P. 
Mitchell,  J.  "Wayland,  Addison  King,  John  M.  King,  Rebecca 
Hay,  Rachael  Wayland,  G.  K.  Biggs,  Ursula  Floyd  and  Prudence 
King. 

Eld.  J.  M.  Lillard  served  the  church  as  first  pastor,  and  in  all 
twenty-three  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Andrew  Broadus,  C. 
Bush,  and  since  1862,  T.  J.  Musgrove  has  been  pastor.  (This 
was  written  in  1871.)  The  church  has  sent  forth  by  ordination 
the  following  ministers:  J.  Worthington,  A.  Broadus,  J.  B. 
Moncricf,  Samuel  Kicholls,  T.  J.  Musgrove,  S.  Picard,  R.  V.  L. 
Wayland  and  Henry  Moseley  (colored). 

Fox  River  is  also  the  mother  of  churches.  She  divided  equal- 
ly with  St.  Francisville.  This  was  prior  to  1844,  as  St.  Francisville 
was  in  the  organization  of  W3^aconda  Association  that  year.  Then 
Honey  Creek  (now  Winchester)  Church  went  off,  taking  about 
one-fourth  of  the  membership,  this  was  in  May,  1849.  Next, 
about  one-fifth  of  the  members  got  letters  and  formed  Sugar 
Creek  Church.  Then  Alexandria  took  a  small  number  of  mem- 
bers. The  church  worships  in  a  commodious  brick  edifice,  40x60 
feet,  which  is  worth  from  $2,000  to  $3,000.  Her  membership  in 
1879  was  109  in  number,  and  R.  V.  L.  Wayland  was  the  pastor. 

Dover  Church,  Lewis  County, — located  six  miles  west  of  La 
Grange  and  twelve  miles  southeast  of  Monticello,  was  organized 
Sept.  30,  1837,  with  eight  constituent  members,  viz.:  James  M. 
Lillard,  Martha  Lillard,  Geo.  K.  Keal,  Dulcenia  P.  Neal,  Austin 
Morris,  Nancy  Cox,  Sarah  Morris  and  John  C.  Faulconer.  This 
church  has  also  a  brick  house  of  worship,  first  built  in  1848,  in 
size  35x50  feet,  rebuilt  in  1867,  valued  at  $2,500.  Eld.  James  M. 
Lillard  was  first  pastor  and  served  eleven  years,  was  followed  by 


WYACONDA    ASSOCIATION.  543 

Eld.  John  W.  Eowe  in  a  nine  years'  pastorate,  and  he  then  suc- 
ceeded by  Eld.  James  M.  Holt,  who  was  still  pastor  in  1870,  when 
these  statistics  were  furnished.  The  numerical  strength  was  125 
in  1879.      Eld.  J.  B.  Weber  then  filled  the  pastoral  office. 

Bear  Creek  Church, — located  in  Clarke  County,  not  far  from 
Fairmount,  was  organized  by  J.  M.  Lillard  and  P.  N.  Haycraft, 
with  14  members,  July  6,  1839,  under  the  title  of  Mount  Moriah. 
Eld.  Jeptha  Smith  was  first  elected  pastor — served  five  years  and 
was  succeeded  by  O.  S.  Jones  in  a  ten  years'  pastorate.  The 
house  of  worship  is  of  brick,  24x36  feet,  and  supposed  to  be 
worth  $1,000.  The  name  of  this  church  does  not  now  appear  in 
the  minutes  of  the  association. 

South  Fork  Church. — In  September,  1843,  the  South  Fork 
Church  was  organized  by  J.  M.  Lillard,  with  only  5  constituent 
members.  Its  location  was  in  Lewis  County,  twelves  miles  wes- 
terly from  Monticello.  Eld.  Jeptha  Smith  first  filled  the  pastor- 
al office,  then  P.  N.  Haycraft,  who  was  followed  by  J.  S.  Hobbs, 
J.  W.  Eowe,  J.  M.  Holt  and  E.  D.  Truman.  The  clerk  says : 
*'We  built  a  log  house  of  worship  in  1847.  About  1860,  we 
built  a  brick  house,  but  did  not  finish  it.  The  war  came  on  and 
the  house  was  much  abused.  After  the  close  of  the  war,  we  found 
that  the  house  was  not  centrally  located,  such  had  been  the 
changes  in  our  membership.  The  house  was  not  repaired,  and 
now  (1871)  we  are  unable  to  build,  and  meet  in  a  school-house." 
The  name  of  this  church  does  not  now  appear  in  the  minutes. 

South  Wyaconda  Church. — In  the  Foree  neighborhood,  Clarke 
County,  eight  miles  southwest  of  Kahoka,  on  the  16th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1847,  fifteen  persons  assembled  together  and  were  organ- 
ized into  a  Baptist  church  called  South  Wyaconda,  by  Eld.  Jas. 
M.  Lillard,  and  called  Eld.  Chas  Y.  Maddox  as  pastor.  In  1852 
the  church  built  a  house  of  worship  which  was  burned  to  ashes 
during  the  war.  In  1880  the  numerical  strength  of  the  church 
was  114,  and  Eld.  J.  M.  Grolden  was  pastor. 

Mt.  Salem  Church. — This  was  one  of  the  constituent  church- 
es of  "Wyaconda  Association,  and  should  have  preceded  the  last 
named.  It  was  organized  March  13,  1838,  by  Elds.  Wm.  Hurley 
and  A.Broadus  :  location,  Clarke  County.  It  had  101  members 
in  1880  and  Eld.  J.  Griffith  for  pastor. 

La  Grange  Church, — located  in  the  town  of  La  Grange,  the 
seat  of  La  Grange  College,  was  constituted  by  Eld.  J.  M.  Lillard 
and  P.  N.  Haycraft  on  the  26th  of  April,  1845,  and  in  1880  had 
fi  membership  of  172,  with  Eld.  J.  B.  Stark  as  pastor. 


544  WYACONDA   ASSOCIATION. 

Sand  Hill  Church, — Scotland  County,  not  now  on  the  list,  was 
formed  by  Eld.  Jer.  Taylor  and  P.  N.  Haycraft,  October,  1837. 

Liberty  Church. — On  December  29,  1847,  near  Fairmount, 
Clarke  County,  at  the  house  of  F.  Smith,  the  Liberty  Church  was 
organized  with  22  constituent  members.  The  council  was  com- 
posed of  C.Y.  Maddox,  J.  W.Worthington,  J.  K.  Ball  and  M.  Bas- 
kett.  Eld.  Maddox  was  chosen  pastor.  The  church  worships  in 
a  brick  house  built  in  1854  valued  at  $800.  Eld.  J.  M.  Golden 
was  pastor  in  1880,  J.  H.  Bull,  clerk  and  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school.     Total  membership  in  1880,  105. 

Providence  Church. — This  church  bears  date  of  January  22, 
1848,  and  is  situated  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Williamstown, 
Lewis  County.  The  constituent  members  numbered  12,  and  Eld. 
J.  W.  Eowe  was  the  first  pastor  and  continued  in  this  office  ten 
years.  The  first  house  of  worship  was  a  log  house,  24x32  feet, 
which  was  replaced  by  a  substantial  frame  building  in  1867  at  a 
cost  of  $1,775.  Eld.  Eobert  Wayland  was  pastor  in  1882.  Total 
membershij),  50. 

Middle  Wyaconda. — The  church  bearing  this  name  was  found- 
ed by  Eev.  O.  Jones  January  26,  1850,  ;with  15  members.  It  is 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Memphis,  Scotland  County.  Eld.  Jones 
served  the  church  as  pastor  until  1858.  At  the  commencement 
of  the  war  there  were  52  members  which  were  reduced  to  24  by 
the  year  1870.  At  that  time  the  church  had  no  house  of  worship, 
and  its  name  is  not  now  on  the  list. 

Pleasant  Eidge  Church, — situated  in  Knox  County,  was  or- 
ganizedby  Eld.  J.  W.  Eowe  the  first  Saturday  in  Aug.,  1855.  "This 
church  has  had  the  hardest  struggle  to  sustain  herself  against 
Campbellism  and  all  other  'isms,  of  any  church  in  the  Wyacon- 
da Association."  So  says  John  B.  Pulis,  a  former  clerk.  In 
1870  the  church  worshiped  in  a  very  poor  log-house,  18x22  feet, 
but  was  then  preparing  to  build  a  new  house.  Eld.  J.  W.  Eowe 
was  the  first  pastor.  In  1879  the  church  numbered  33  members. 

Mt.  Pleasant  Church, — now  one  of  the  efficient  churches  of 
Wyaconda  Association,  located  in  Knox  County,*  was  organized 
with  25  members  by  Eld.  J.  W.  Eowe,  September,  1856.  Eld. 
Eowe  served  the  church  five  years  as  first  pastor,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Eld.  E.  D.  Truman.  The  church  worships  in  a  neat 
frame  house  worth  $1,200,  which  was  erected  in  1868.  Eld.  ,T. 
M.  Holt  was  pastor  in  1880,  the  church  numbering  104  members. 

*  When  the  church  house  was  built  in  1868,  it  was  located  iu  Lewis  County,  where 
it  now  worships. 


WYACONDA   ASSOCIATION.  545 

Pleasant  Grove  Church. — For  awhile  this  body  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Wyaconda  Association.  It  has  the  following  brief  his- 
tory: It  was  organized  in  Scotland  County  under  the  name  of 
West  Providence,  June  13,  1857,  with  20  members,  by  J.W.  Rowe, 
who  served  as  pastor  till  April,  1861.  From  this  time  till  July, 
1862,  it  had  no  preaching.  After  this,  till  October,  1863,  C.  V. 
Maddox  supplied  occasionally.  It  laid  idle  from  then  till  June, 
1865,  when  it  dissolved,  as  also  did  Middle  Wyaconda,  to  consol- 
idate at  the  town  of  Etna.  The  new  church  was  constituted  with 
43  members.  Eld.  C.  Ingram  was  chosen  pastor  in  October,  1865. 
After  one  year  the  church  dissolved  and  moved  back  to  West 
Providence,  and  organized  under  the  name  of  "Pleasant  Grove 
Church,"  with  C.  Ingram  as  pastor. 

ZioN  Church. — On  the  second  Saturday  in  August,  1858,  eight 
persons  met  together  at  Black  Oak  Grove  school-house,  eleven 
miles  northeast  from  Memphis,  county  seat  of  Scotland  County, 
and  were  organized  into  a  Baptist  church,  called  Zion,  Eld. 
Charles  Maddox  and  others,  assisting.  James  B.  Moncrief  be- 
came first  pastor  and  was  succeeded  by  William  Morris,  William 
Tolton,  Joshua  Harvey  and  Phineas  Inskeep. 

Brother  Aaron  Mattley,  the  clerk  of  the  church,  furnishes  the 
following  facts;  he  says  ;  "  Our  first  pastor  joined  the  rebel  ar- 
my under  Gen.  Martin  E.  Green  and  died  during  the  war.  Our 
second,  Wm.  Morris,  joined  the  union  army  and  was  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing.  Our  members  are  united.  We 
tolerate  no  drinking,  gambling  in  lotteries,  or  dancing ;  and  la- 
bor in  love  to  reclaim,  not  to  cutoff".  Our  late  pastor,  P.  Ins- 
keep,  died  while  serving  us,  and  having  agreed  to  pay  him  $175 
per  year,  we  paid  his  widow  that  amount,  and  over.  We  pay 
our  present  pastor.  Wm.  Tolton,  $75  for  one  fourth  of  his  time." 
The  date  of  this  writing  was  1870. 

MoNTiCELLO. — This  is  the  county  seat  of  Lewis  County.  35 
members  covenanted  together  and  formed  a  Baptist  Church  here, 
December  6,  1863,  under  the  leadership  of  James  M.  Holt,  who 
was  elected  as  pastor.  His  successors  were  T.  J.  Musgrove,Wm. 
Cleveland  and  J.  F.  Cook,  up  to  1870.  In  the  year  1869  the  church 
erected  a  substantial  and  commodious  brick  edifice,  32x52  feet, 
as  a  place  of  worship,  at  a  cost  of  $2,500.  The  membership  in 
1880  was  90,  and  J.  M.  Lillard  was  the  pastor. 

The  following  churches  in  the  bounds  of  Wyaconda  Associa- 
tion have  been  planted  since  the  close  of  the  war: 

Fairmount,  Clark  County,  December  23,  1865,  with  21  mem- 
35 


546  WYACONDA   ASSOCIATION. 

bers;  West  Bethel,  Shelby  County,  March  1866,  with  14  mem- 
bers ;  Canton,  Lewis  County,  bears  date  August  11,  1866,  mem- 
bers, 12 ;  J.  M.  Holt  became  pastor  and  its  present  strength  nu- 
merically is  72  with  no  pastor ;  Corinth  Church,  Lewis  County, 
organized  by  P.  N.  Haycraft,  October,  1866,  with  41  members — 
Haycraft,  first  pastor  ;  Memphis,  Scotland  County — till  recently 
this  and  Corinth  were  in  Wyaconda  Association;  they  are  now 
members  of  some  other  community  of  Baptists.  The  church  at 
Memphis  was  organized  July,  1867,  by  A.  F.  Eandall  and  J.  M. 
Ingold,  with  12  members.  Up  to  1870  the  church  had  no  j)astor 
nor  house  of  worship. 

When  organized,  the  Wyaconda  Association  numbered  8  church- 
es, with  an  aggregate  of  496  members.  It  adopted,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  its  career,  an  aggressive  policy.  The  first  printed 
records  we  have  of  it  are  for  1850,  when  it  had  grown  to  18 
churches  and  916  members,  its  territory  extending  into  Schuyler 
and  Scotland  Counties.     The  following  ministers  were,  at  this 

date,  acting  pastors  of  the  churches :  P.  IST.  Haycraft, Moore, 

J.  W.  Rowe,  O.  S.  Jones, Ormsby,  Samuel  Nicholls,  C.  Y. 

Maddox,  J.  M.  Holt  and  Caleb  Bush.  About  three  months  of 
itinerant  labor  were  reported,  of  which  C.  Bush  performed  one 

and  a  half  months;  J.  W.  Rowe  eleven  days,  and Moore  one 

month.  The  amount  of  money  paid  out  for  this  labor  was  $38. 
At  the  close  of  the  session  of  1850  there  were  $125.37  on  hand  for 
associational  purposes.  Pledges  from  churches  and  individuals 
were  taken  to  be  paid  in  1851  amounting  to  $102.40.  Providing 
for  the  salaries  of  missionaries  in  this  way  was  a  common  custom 
for  many  years  in  the  Wyaconda  Association.  The  following 
churches  made  pledges:  Fox  River,  $4.70;  Bear  Creek,  $7.00; 
South  Fork,  $7.00  ;  La  Grange,  $6.60  ;  Sand  Hill,  $4.00  ;  South 
Wyaconda,  $6.00;  Liberty,  $10.00;  Providence,  $7.00;  Honey 
Creek,  $3.00;  Ten  Mile,  $4.00.  A  number  of  individuals  also 
made  pledges. 

In  1850  the  missionary  business  of  the  association  was  given 
into  the  hands  of  an  executive  board,  and  F.  Smith,  J.  V.  Lillard, 
E.  Kerfoot,  Ralph  Smith  and  C.  J.  Brent  were  appointed  said 
board.  The  next  j'ear  (1852)  $128.46  were  paid  out  for  itinerant 
labors,  Eld.  C.  Bush,  under  the  auspices  of  the  executive  board, 
having  performed  five  months'  labor  at  $20  per  month.  Eld.  O. 
S.  .Tones  was  appointed  a  messenger  to  the  General  Association. 

The  Wyaconda  Association  grew  steadily  in  strength  and  num- 
bers, so  that,  in  1858  (our  latest  records  prior  to  the  civil  war) 


WYACONDA   ASSOCIATION  547 

the  total  membership  was  1,953,  distributed  among  30  churches 
scattered  over  the  counties  of  Lewis,  Clarke,  Scotland  and  Knox. 
One  church — Des  Moines — was  in  the  state  of  Iowa.  Gilead  was 
the  largest,  having  217  members ;  Dover  was  next,  with  186  mem- 
bers. Extensive  revivals  had  prevailed  in  more  than  half  of  the 
churches  and  469  were  added  to  them  by  baptism,  of  which  num- 
ber 87  were  received  by  G-ilead  Church  and  48  by  La  Grange. 

At  the  session  of  1856  preliminary  steps  were  taken  to  found 
an  institution  of  learning,  and  the  establishment,  the  following 
year,  of  "La  Grange  Male  and  Female  Seminary"  was  the  result. 
This  institution  grew  into  the  present  "La  Grange  College,"  a 
history  of  which  will  appear  in  this  volume  under  the  head  of 
"Institutions  of  Learning."  For  the  first  time,  the  association 
published  this  j^eara  list  of  its  ministers,  as  follows:  Caleb  Bush, 
"William  Yolton,  J.  B.  Monterief,  C.  V.  Maddox,  Orin  S.  Jones, 
Jeptha  S.  Smith,  Joshua  S.  Hobbs,  J.  M.  Lillard,  J.  W.  Eowe,  J. 
M.  Holt,  Peter  Turner  and  C.  J.  Brent. 

The  war  greatly  reduced  the  churches  of  this  association. 
Guided  by  the  title  page  of  the  minutes,  we  conclude  that  in  at 
least  one  year  no  meeting  was  held.  It  was,  we  judge,  in  1862. 
In  1863,  13  of  the  32  churches  met  in  session  at  Zion  Church, 
Scotland  County.  Very  little,  however,  was  done,  save  to  lament 
the  distress  in  the  land  and  to  invoke  the  Divine  guidance  and 
protection.  In  their  corresponding  letter  they  say:  "By  the 
permission  of  Divine  Providence,  after  almost  the  absence  of 
years,  we  are  permitted  to  send  forth  this  our  letter.  The  church- 
es with  but  few  exceptions  complain  of  coldness  and  leanness; 
consequently  the  growth  in  our  body  is  very  small.  We  long  to 
see  the  day  when  Christ  shall  reign  as  King  in  Zion,  when  wars 
and  tumults,  conflicts  and  battling  armies  shall  cease  their  strifes 
and  men  everj^where  shall  cultivate  a  spirit  of  love  and  friendship." 

Though  many  of  the  churches  lost  their  visibility  during  the 
civil  strife,  yet  the  faithful  and  fortunate  continued  to  meet  as  an 
association.  By  the  year  1868  a  considerable  degree  of  prosperity 
was  manifested  in  the  proceedings.  21  churches  were  represent- 
ed, only  3  of  which  were  in  Clarke  County,  there  having  been  a 
new  association  formed  in  1866  of  churches  in  this  county.  The 
total  membership  in  1868  was  1,674. 

The  association  has  been,  and  is  yet,  an  active  supporter  of 
foreign  and  home  missions,  education,  Sabbath-schools  and  gen- 
eral denominational  interests.  In  1870  action  was  taken  as  fol- 
lows on  the  subject  of  a  denominational  paper: 


648  WYACONDA   ASSOCIATION. 

"  On  motion  of  J.  F.  Cook,  the  association  earnestly  recom- 
mended the  Central  Baptist  to  all  her  constituent  members  as 
worthy  of  their  liberal  patronage  and  support,  because  it  is  an 
able,  liberal  and  sound  denominational  paper,  and  the  organ  of 
the  Baptists  of  Missouri."  {Minutes  Wyacond a  Association,  1870,  p.  8.) 

By  the  year  1876  the  association  again  found  its  bounds  too 
large,  and  the  year  following  10  churches,  mainly  in  Scotland 
County,  were  dismissed  to  form  a  new  association  (see  Pleasant 
Grove  Association).  The  minutes  of  this  year  (1877)  exhibit  the 
following  summary : 

Churches.  —  Antioch,  Alexandria,  Bethany,  Canton,  Dover, 
Edina,  Fox  Eiver,  G-regory's  Landing,  Gilead,  Kahoka,  Knox 
City,  La  Grange,  Luray,  Liberty,  Lewiston,  Middle  Fabius, 
Monticello,  Mt.  Salem,  Mt.  Pleasant,  New  Prospect,  Pleasant 
Eidge,  Providence,  South  Fork,  South  Wyaconda,  South  Union, 
Shiloh,  Ten  Mile,  Union,  Winchester  and  Wyaconda.  Total 
members,  2,341 ;  baptisms,  144. 

Ministers.—^.  K.  Ball,  C.  Bush,  W.  D.  Cave,  J.  F.  Cook, 

Collins,  S.  P.  Firestone,  J.  P.  Greene,  J.  Hobbs,  E.  Hubbard, 
J.  M.  Lillard,  J.  S.  Lillard,  J.  A.  Minter,  T.  J.  Musgrove,  J.  E. 
Maupin,  N.  Nelson,  D.  B.  Eay,  C.  N.  Eay,  J.  W.  Eowe,  J.  J.  Shu- 
mate, Thomas  Smoot,  E.  H.  Sawyer,  J.  F.  Suter,  E.  V.  L.  Way- 
land  and  J.  Wayland. 

The  Wyaconda  Association  is  now  a  large  and  influential  body 
of  Baptists  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  state,  with  an  able 
ministry  and  29  churches,  the  most  of  which  are  self-sustaining, 
the  whole  aggregating  2,220  members.  In  1880  $356.50  were 
paid  in  at  the  session  for  the  purposes  of  the  association. 

Lemuel  G.  Hatcher. — This  brother  moved  to  Missouri  in  an 
early  day,  united  with  the  Wyaconda  Church,  Lewis  County, 
and  was  clerk  of  said  church  five  or  six  years.  He  was  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  in  1843  by  the 
Wyaconda  Church,  being  of  a  delicate  constitution,  his  career 
as  a  minister  was  exceedingly  brief,  he  dying  August  7,  1844, 
of  consumption.  He  was  never  called  to  the  pastoral  office, 
but  preached  incidentally  to  the  churches  in  his  neighborhood, 
as  his  health  would  permit.  He  was  a  brother  of  Thomas  E. 
Hatcher,  of  Palmyra,  so  long  moderator  of  Bethel  Association. 

Samuel  Nicholls.* — Died  at  the  residence  of  Eobert  Worthing- 
ton,  in  Clarke  County,  Missouri,  July  11,  1872,  Samuel  Nicholls 
aged  86  years,  6  months  and  10  days. 

*  Written  by  Eld.  R.  Van  Lear  Wayland,  of  East  Bend,  Clarke  County,  Mo. 


Wyaconda  association.  549 

The  deceased  was  boi'n  in  Scotland  on  the  firstday  of  January, 
1786,  and  when  quite  a  young  man  went  to  Liverpool.  He  re- 
mained there  for  some  time,  but  at  the  age  of  26  was  drafted  into 
the  service  of  King  George,  and  was  in  several  engagements 
during  the  war  of  1812  against  Napoleon.  He  sailed  for  Amer- 
ica in  the  ship  "John  Wells,"  and  landed  in  Philadelphia,  May 
30,  1832.  He  next  emigrated  westward  and  settled  at  St. 
Francisville  in  1833 ;  after  staying  there  for  several  years  he 
then  moved  to  Chambersburg,  where  he  resided  until  sixteen 
years  ago,  from  which  time  he  has  made  his  home  with  Mr. 
Worthington.  The  deceased  was  the  oldest  person  in  the  coun- 
ty, a  man  of  strong  intellect  and  ability,  and  highly  esteemed 
by  all  his  acquaintances.  Old  age  had  greatly  reduced  him  in 
strength,  and  notwithstanding  he  had  been  blind  for  nearly  a 
year,  he  bore  his  sufferings  without  a  murmur,  was  fully  ap- 
prised of  his  approaching  dissolution,  and  met  it  with  calm- 
ness and  resignation. 

He  had  been  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  a  number  of 
years,  was  a  faithful  advocate  of  its  truths,  and  most  faithfully 
did  he  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  his  Savior.  His  favorite 
literature  was  the  Bible,  and  his  most  cherished  songs  were  the 
songs  of  Zion.  His  daily  walk  through  life  has  been  a  Christian 
one.  During  his  illness  he  would  frequently  speak  of  death, 
and  express  himself  as  being  ready  and  willing  to  meet  it.  He 
died  as  a  soldier  of  the  Cross,  full  of  the  Christian's  hope  of  a 
glorious  resurrection  from  the  grave  and  a  triumphant  ascension 
to  the  haven  of  rest  for  those  who  love  and  serve  the  Lord. 

Eld.  Samuel  Nicholls  ever  exhibited  a  Christian  character, 
and  a  godly  walk  in  humble  devotion  to  his  blessed  Master,  so 
that  even  the  worldly-minded  man  acknowledged  his  piety.  He 
had  been  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  for  nearly  30  years. 
His  excellency  consisted  in  profundity  of  thought,  in  thorough- 
ness in  his  knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  and  in  hu- 
mility of  life. 

James  M.  Lillard, — is  emphatically  the  pioneer  preacher 
of  Scotland  County,  having  preached  the  first  sermon  ever  de- 
livered, organized  the  first  church  ever  formed,  and  baptized 
the  first  convert  ever  immersed  in  the  county.  He  was  born 
in  Mercer  County,  Kentucky,  September  27,  1806.  His  parents 
were  Baptists,  and  his  father,  David  Lillard,  a  minister, 
preached  the  gospel  for  45  years.  At  the  age  of  19  years  James 
Lillard  professed  faith  in  Christ,  and  about  two  years  thereafter. 


550  WYACONDA    ASSOCIATION. 

September  7,  1827,  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Cox.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  April,  1832,  and  the  following  September 
was  ordained  by  Abner  D.  Landi'um  and  his  father,  David  Lil- 
lard,  at  the  Ten  Mile  Church,  Gallatin  County.  The  month  af- 
ter (October,  1832)  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Lewis 
County,  near  the  present  town  of  Monticello.  The  county  was 
organized  that  year,  and  named  in  honor  of  Meriwether  Lewis, 
of  the  famous  Clarke  and  Lewis  expedition,  these  two  adventur- 
ous explorei'S  being  the  first  white  men  to  cross  the  western 
part  of  the  continent.     (Campbell's  Gazetter  of  Missouri,  p.  307). 

Eld.  Lillard  was  no  sooner  "fixed  up"  in  his  new  western 
home  than  he  gave  himself  to  the  work  which  his  ordina- 
tion obligated  him  to  do.  There  being  no  Baptist  preacher 
north  or  west  of  him,  nor  within  less  than  twenty-five  miles  south 
of  him,  he  had  a  vast  field  for  labor,  and,  plunging  at  once  into 
the  new  settlements,  he  crossed  many  a  swollen  stream,  and 
traveled  many  a  weary  mile  along  a  mere  bridle-path,  some- 
times under  a  burning  summer's  sun  or  facing  wintry  blasts, 
preaching  the  gospel  to  the  destitute  and  feeding  the  scattered 
sheep  of  his  Master's  fold.  He  ])lanted  the  first  Baptist  church 
in  Scotland  County,  called  Sand  Hill. 

In  the  winter  of  1842  and  '43  he  was  almost  continuously  in 
revival  meetings,  during  which  time  he  preached  104  days  and 
nights  and  baptized  285  converts.  In  all,  during  his  ministry 
of  now  nearly  fifty  years,  he  has  baptized  over  3,000  persons, 
and  constituted  a  great  number  of  churches  in  Lewis,  Clarke,  Scot- 
land and  other  counties  in  Northeastern  Missouri.  He  has  aid- 
ed in  the  ordination  of  twenty-six  ministers,  and  thirty-two 
ministers  attribute  their  conversions  to  his  preaching. 

Father  Lillard  has  lived  out  more  than  his  threescore  years 
and  ten  and  is  now  waiting  to  cross  over  the  river.  Though  af- 
flicted and  aged,  he  not  long  since  conducted  a  religious  service 
in  which  there  were  several  peculiarly  interesting  features.  He 
furnishes  the  subjoined  statement,  with  which  we  Avill  close  thi-s 
sketch  : 

"  The  last  baptism  I  administered  was  a  very  interesting  case 
and  occasion.  ^  It  occurred  on  Monday  succeeding  the  fifth  Sun- 
day in  October,  1880.  The  subject  was  a  young  lady  who  had 
been  greatly  afflicted  from  her  childhood,  and  who,  for  years, 
had  been  a  close  student  of  the  Bible.  While  thus  engaged  she 
sought  the  Lord  and  found  him  a  precious  Savior.  And  al- 
though her  parents  were,  one   a  Presbyterian  and  the  other  a 


wyaconda  association.  651 

Campbellite,  she  wished  to  unite  with  the  Baptists  and  desired 
that  I  should  baptize  her.  In  consequence  of  my  age  and  afflic- 
tion I  had  to  sit  in  a  chair  and  use  a  bathing  trough.  Her  ex- 
perience was  very  clear,  and  after  her  baptism  she  became  quite 
happy  and  shouted  and  praised  Grod  aloud," 

Father  Lillard  continues:  "I  am  now  waiting  my  Master's 
will  to  cross  death's  cold  river,  with  sweet  anticipations  of  meet- 
ing those  whom  I  have  been  the  humble  instrument  in  leading  to 
Christ,  as  well  as  many  others  I  have  known  and  labored  with 
here  below." 


CHAPTER  Xn. 


WEST  FOEK  AKD  OTHEE  ASSOCIATIONS.* 

Formation — Settlement  of  Daviess  County — The  Monnons,  War  with  Them — First 
Churches:  Grand  River,  Union,  Friendship,  Pilot  Grove,  Zoar,  Crab  Orchard — 
Compromise  on  IMissions — Other  Churches — Opinion  of  the  War  and  the  Test  Oath — 
State  Convention — Co-operation  with — John  Woodward — Wm.  JMcCammon — The 
Converted  Wife  and  the  JVIad  Husband — Gentry  Baptist  Association — The 
"Old"  Gentry  Association — The  New  Gentrj- — Churches  in  1868 — Missionarj- 
Board — Query  on  the  Deacouship — The  New  Country — Heresies — Missouri  B^vp- 
TisT  Indian  Mission  Association. 

AMONG  the  active  and  efficient  Baptist  institutions  of  North- 
west Missouri,  with  its  churches  located  in  Daviess,  Har- 
rison, Mercer  and  G-rundy  Counties,  is  the  West  Fork  Associa- 
tion. It  was  organized  by  a  convention  of  messengers  from  two 
small  churches  and  a  letter  from  another,  on  the  15th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1845.  Eld.  B.  F.  Smith  was  moderator,  and  James  Wil- 
liams clerk. 

Churches  and  Messengers. — Grand  Eiver,  26  :  J.  N.  and  Moses 
Netherton,  Henry  Mills,  S.  Pue  and  Eld.  B.  F.  Smith;  Union, 
24:  Eld.  Wm.  McCammon  and  J.  Brown  ;  Friendship,  26,  by  let- 
ter onl}^;  total  members,  76.  The  name  chosen  was  West  Fork 
Association  of  United  Baptists. 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  at  Grand  Eiver  Church,  Daviess 
County,  on  the  second  Saturday  in  September,  1846,  but  no  re- 
cord was  made,  and  the  association  book  has  this  entry  for  1847 : 
"  The  minutes  for  1847  were  lost  in  manuscript  in  the  hands  of 
the  printer."     These  are  the  facts  in  brief  up  to  the  year  1848. 

Grand  Eiver  Church. — '<  The  first  settlement  in  what  is  now 
Daviess  County,  was  made  in  1831,  near  the  center  of  the  county. 
On  the  29th  of  December,  1836,  the  county  was  organized  from 
a  part  of  Eay,  and  named  in  honor  of  Col.  Jo.  Daviess,  of  Ken- 
tuck3%  The  Mormons  went  there  in  1836,  and  built  many  cabins 
throughout  the  county.  On  the  east  bluffs  of  Grand  Eiver,  about 
three  miles  above  Gallatin,  they  built  a  town  and  called  it  Dia- 
mond, declaring  that  at  that  place  they  had  found  the  grave  of 
'  Old  Father  Adam.'     The  lawless  element  among  them  prac- 

*For  Early  Sketches  of  this  Association  we  are  indebted  to  Eld.  Peter  Bear. 


WEST   FORK   AND    OTHKR   ASSOCIATIONS. 


553 


ticed  their  thieving  propensities  and  earned  the  ill-will  of  the 
settlers,  who  heartily  co-operated  in  driving  them  from  the  coun- 
try in  1838.  Diamond  (then  containing  a  pojDiilation  of  500)  sur- 
rendered to  the  state  militia  under  Col.  Doniphan,  and  a  partial 
restitution  of  the  stolen  property  was  made  by  the  Mormons. 
Before  they  surrendered  they  had  burned  the  town  of  Gallatin 
and  many  houses  throughout  the  county."  (CampbeU's  Gazetteer 
of  2Iissovri.) 

Such  were  some  of  the  surroundings  when  the  Baptist  pioneers 
first  raised  the  gospel  banner  in  Daviess  County,  Missouri. 

The  first  church  organized  in  this  county  was  the  Baptist 
church  called  Grand  Eiver,  in  1833,  of  seven  of  the  newly  arrived 
settlers.  Its  location  was  some  seven  miles  north  of  Gallatin, 
the  county  seat.  This  was  one  of  the  constituents  of  West  Fork 
Association.  It  has  had  a  continued  existence  until  the  present, 
with  C.  Nation,  B.  F.  Smith,  B.  F.  Wheeler,  Thomas  Campbell, 
Samuel  Prewitt  and  Wm.  Baldwin  as  pastors.  It  numbered  123 
members  in  1879,  and  had  for  its  pastor  J.  L.  Netherton.  This 
church  was  organized  by  Elds.  William  Tunnago  and  John  Stone. 

Union  Church, — another  of  the  constituents  of  West  Fork  As- 
sociation, was  formed  in  1844,  and  is  located  in  Grundy  County, 
eight  or  ten  miles  northwesterly  from  Trenton. 

Friendship  Church, — the  last  of  the  three  original  churches 
in  the  West  Fork  fraternity,  docs  not  now  appear  in  the  list, 
nor  have  we  the  date  of  its  organization.  We  know  not  whether 
it  disbanded  or  joined  some  other  association.  There  is  now  a 
Friendship  Church  in  this  association  which  was  organized  in 
1876. 

Pilot  Grove  Church. — This  church  united  with  the  West  Fork 
Association  in  1848,  having  been  organized  April  18th,  1840,  on 
9  constituent  members.  Eld.  Wm.  Michaels  was  its  founder. 
Colonies  have  gone  out  from  this  church  and  organized  two  new 
churches — the  first.  Union,  in  Grundy  County;  the  second,  Union 
Grove,  in  Daviess.  For  the  first  twenty-nine  years  of  its  history 
its  successive  pastors  were,  Elijah  Merrill,  3  years;  Jonathan 
Smith,  13  years  ;  and  William  Baldwin,  13  years.  Joseph  Wood 
now  fills  this  office.     Membership  in  1880  was  103. 

In  1846  this  church  built  a  log  house  for  a  place  of  Avorship, 
and  twelve  years  thereafter  erected  a  frame  in  its  stead,  30x40 
feet,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000.  Two  ministers  have  been  ordained  and 
sent  forth  hy  this  body,  viz. :  Wm.  McCammon  and  Jonathan 
Smith ;  the  former  in  1843,  the  latter  in  1845.     The  location  of 


554  WEST  roRK  and  other  associations. 

Pilot  Grove  Church  is  twelve  miles  northeast  from  G-allatin,  just 
in  the  edge  of  Daviess  County. 

ZoAR  Church. — In  March,  1845,  Elder  Henry  M.  Henderson 
organized  a  small  Baptist  church  in  Harrison  County,  twenty 
miles  northeast  from  Bethany,  the  county  seat,  and  near  the 
town  of  Cainsville.  Seven  persons  enrolled  their  names  as 
constituent  members.  Its  ministers  have  been  IraBlakely,  Jno. 
Woodward,  Chesley  Woodward  and  J.  H.  Burrows.  In  1882 
this  church  numbered  116  communicants,  and  worshiped  in  a 
frame  house,  25x35  feet,  which  was  first  erected  in  1856.  She  has 
been  fruitful  in  ministerial  gifts,  having  sent  out  by  ordination 
no  less  than  five  preachers  :  Isaac  Seay  and  John  Woodward 
in  1849,  D.  C.  Harrison  in  1861,  and  Joseph  H.  Burrows  and 
W.  E.  Goodell  in  1867. 

Other  churches  in  the  association  bear  date  as  follows : 
Mount  Pleasant,  No.  1,  A.  D.,  1851 ;  Mount  Pleasant,  No.  2, 
1852  ;  New  Hope,  1856  ;  Pleasant  Eidge,  1857;  Pleasant  Grove, 
1855 ;  Blue  Eidge,  1856  ;  Concord,  1871 ;  Eagleville,  1864 ;  Mt. 
Moriah,  1862;  Olive,  1872;  Salem,  1868;  Union  Grove,  1866; 
Edinburg,  1876;  Zion,  1878;  Hickory  Creek,  1879.  Up  to  the 
session  of  1848,  held  at  Union  Church,  Grundy  County,  the  West 
Fork  Association  had  increased  to  six  churches,  Providence, 
South  Big  Creek  and  Pilot  Grove  having  been  added  since  the 
organization  in  1845.  "Union"  or  " yearly "  meetings  were 
appointed  in  each  of  the  churches,  save  the  one  with  which  the 
association  met  that  year. 

South  Big  Creek  (now  Crab  Orchard)  Church — was  organ- 
ized December  5,  1846,  by  Benj.  F.  Smith,  upon  eight  constituent 
members  and  was  located  in  Daviess  County,  five  or  six  miles 
northwest  from  Gallatin.  Benjamin  Smith  became  their  minis- 
ter, and  so  continued  until  his  death,  September  28,  1852.  Ben- 
jamin Wheeler  succeeded  him  in  the  pastoral  oflSce  and  the  church 
was  greatly  strengthened  during  his  term.  This  church  contin- 
ued a  member  of  the  West  Fork  Association  until  the  formation 
of  the  North  J\Iissouri  Association — the  predecessor  of  Mt.  Mo- 
riah— when  it  became  a  member  of  that  fraternity.  In  the  year 
1859  Eld.  B.  F.  Kenny  became  the  pastor,  and  the  year  follow- 
ing the  church  built  a  house  of  worship,  and  also  changed  its 
name  to  "  Crab  Orchard." 

From  1848  to  1851  four  new  churches,  Middle  Fork,  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Pleasant  Hill  and  Lick  Fork,  were  added  to  the  association; 
the  three  last  in  1851.     This  swelled  the  number  of  churches  to 


WEST   FORK    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  555 

ten,  in  which  were  257  members.  Ministers  in  1851  :  B.  F.  Smith, 
W.  McCammon,  Thomas  Campbell  and  J.  Smith. 

The  propriety  of  expunging  the  9th  article  of  the  constitution 
was  submitted  to  the  churches  in  1853.  In  1854,  '<  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  churches  it  was  agreed  that  the  9th  article  of  the 
constitution  of  the  association  be  erased,  an^l  the  following  in- 
serted in  lieu  thereof: 

"This  association  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  missionary  in- 
stitutions further  than  to  receive  and  disburse  voluntary  contri- 
butions for  the  purpose  of  supplying  destitute  parts  within  the 
bounds  of  our  association  with  Baptist  preaching;  but  each 
member  must  be  left  free  to  give  or  not,  as  he  may  think  the 
Scrijitures  teach." 

We  have  no  means,  whatever,  of  ascertaining  what  the  old  9th 
article  was,  the  constitution  never  having  been  published  pre- 
vious to  this  year  after  its  amendment.  The  expunging  of  the 
old,  and  the  adopting  of  the  new  article  9  of  the  constitution, 
however,  must  have  been  a  compromise  on  the  missionary  en- 
terprise. 

At  the  same  session  when  the  constitution  was  amended,  the 
association  proceeded  to  inaugurate  a  much  more  aggressive  pol- 
icy, and  appointed  an  executive  committee,  the  business  of  which 
was  "to  raise  funds  and  employ  an  itinerant  minister  to  labor  in 
the  bounds  of  the  association."  The  committee  consisted  of 
Jno.  Everly,  J.  B.  Christie,  I.  N.  Carson,  G.  W.  G-reen  and  Jno. 
Y.  Chriswell. 

At  the  meeting  in  1855  four  new  churches.  Freedom,  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant No.  2,  Gallatin  and  Athens,  made  application  and  were  ad- 
mitted as  members.  Elds.  Jno.  Woodward  and  David  Stites 
had  labored,  the  former  5  months  and  the  latter  198  days,  as  itin- 
erants, and  made  very  gratifying  reports. 

Freedom  Church, — situated  in  Mercer  County,  was  consti- 
tuted September  5,  1855,  by  Elds.  D.  Stites  andB.  Wheeler  on  20 
members. 

Mt.  Pleasant,  No.  2. — Jno.  Woodward,  one  of  the  itinerants, 
formed  this  church  in  February,  1852,  with  a  little  band  of  six 
members.  It  is  located  high  up  in  Harrison  County,  not  far  from 
the  Iowa  state  line. 

Gallatin,  Daviess  County. — The  church  in  this  county  seat 
was  organized  by  Elds.  E.  C.  Hill  and  Franklin  Graves,  the  1st 
Saturday  in  May,  1855,  nine  members  signing  the  covenant  that 
day. 


556  WEST    FORK    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Athens  Church — bears  date  from  February  15,  1851,  having 
been  organized  by  Wm.  Worldley  of  eleven  members. 

At  the  request  of  a  majority  of  the  churches,  the  subject  hav- 
ing been  again  submitted  to  them,  the  ninth  article  of  the  con- 
stitution was  repealed  and  stricken  out  in  1858,  after  which  it 
was 

"Besolved,  That  the  association  shall  have  a  missionary  to  labor 
in  her  bounds." 

The  last  meeting  prior  to  the  war  was  held  at  Liberty  Church, 
Gentry  County,  in  September,  1860.  After  having  lettered  off 
several  churches  to  unite  with  other  bodies,  the  association  now 
numbered  15  churches  with  845  communicants. 

No  meetings  of  the  association  were  held  in  1861,  '62  and  '63, 
the  country  being  filled  with  the  political  and  war  excitements 
of  the  day. 

In  1864  seven  of  the  15  churches  last  reporting  and  three  new 
churches  sent  messengers  to  Pilot  Grove  Church,  and  the  associ- 
ation resumed  business.  The  membership  was  now  reduced  to 
425.  At  this  session  the  following  sentiments  were  put  to  record, 
relative  to  the  war  : 

'^Whereas,  We,  the  United  Baptist  churches  of  Christ,  having 
met  in  an  associated  capacity,  and  believing  it  to  be  the  duty  of 
all  ecclesiastical  bodies  to  express  their  views  in  this  trying  time 
of  the  government;  therefore  be  it 

'^Besolved,  1st.  That  the  word  of  God  makes  it  obligatory  upon 
Christians  who  are  citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America  to 
be  loyal  to  the  government  of  the  same. 

"2d.  This  association  will  not  solicit  nor  receive  correspon- 
dence from  disloj'al  associations. 

"3d.  That  we  advise  the  churches  composing  this  association, 
who  have  disloyal  members  that  will  not  make  an  acknowledg- 
ment and  ask  forgiveness,  to  exclude  them  from  the  privileges 
of  the  church." 

This  association  sent  J.  J.  Everly,  in  1865,  as  a  messenger  to 
the  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention  to  meet  at  Hannibal  that 
year.     And  at  the  same  meeting  it 

"Resolved,  That  the  ministers,  deacons  and  trustees  of  the  church- 
es comprising  the  association,  endorse  and  carry  out  the  require- 
ments of  the  state  convention,  and  take  the  oath  prescribed." 
(See  history  of  the  "  Test  Oath,"  in  another  place.) 

By  the  year  1870  the  association  had  grown  to  18  churches  and 
1,394  members.  The  missionary,  J.  H.  Hardin,  reported  seventy- 


WEST    FORK    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.  557 

two  days'  itinerant  service  and   $135  collected  for  the  board.* 

In  1872  the  ministerial  force  consisted  of  "Wm.  E.  Goodell, 
James  Turner,  John  Ilaycraft,  J.  L.  Netherton,  W.  H.  Graves, 
S.  E.  Dillon,  B.  Eobinson,  J.  Nordike,  J.  H.  Hardin,  William 
Baldwin,  W.  McCammon,  D.  C.  Brown,  J.  A.  Davis,  Jonathan 
Smith,  James  C.  Poe,  John  Woodward,  J.  H.  Burrows,  J.  M. 
Woodward  and  D.  C.  Harrison. 

The  only  action  in  1873  we  shall  note,  is  on  education,  as  fol- 
lows : 

'^Besolved,  That  we  co-operate  with  the  North  Grand  Eiver  As- 
sociation in  the  educational  movement,  and  hereby  agree  jointly 
to  adopt  and  take  under  our  fostering  care  Grand  Eiver  College ; 
and  that  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  nominate  eight 
trustees,  who  shall  meet  with  trustees  from  North  Grand  Eiver 
Association  and  arrange  matters  necessary  to  carry  into  opera- 
tion this  educational  movement. 

Our  latest  minutes  are  for  1880.  There  were  then  22  churches 
with  1,  791  members.  The  year  previous  there  were  15  preach- 
ers. In  1880  the  minutes  showed  a  good  degree  of  progress, 
with  108  baptisms. 

John  Woodward. — This  servant  of  the  Lord,  though  not  in  the 
organization  of  the  West  Fork  Association,  has  been  connected 
with  it  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  His  name  first 
appears  as  a  member  of  the  association  in  1854,  when  he  was  a 
messenger  and  elder  from  Zoar  Church.  He  was  moderator  of 
the  association  in  1880,  and  also  filled  the  pastoral  ofiice  in  one 
or  more  of  its  churches. 

William  McCammon, — one  of  the  founders  of  the  West  Fork 
Association,  and  for  years  its  moderator,  is  a  native  of  Clay 
County,  Kentucky,  and  was  born  January  4,  1811.  He  was 
sprinkled  when  an  infant,  having  been  brought  up  by  Methodist 
parents.  About  the  age  of  21  years  he  was  converted,  and  after 
reading  the  Bible  for  himself  and  being  convinced  that  he  had 
never  been  baptized,  he  united  with  the  Baptists,  though  he  met 
with  much  fierce  opjiosition  from  his  parents  and  a  large  circle 
of  relatives. 

He  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Grundy 

*  Eelative  to  the  dissolution  of  the  state  convention,  and  the  return  of  its  mem- 
bers to  their  seats  in  the  General  Association,  the  West  Fork  adopted  the  following 
in  1868  :  "  That  we  heartily  endorse  the  recent  action  of  the  two  branches  of  the  Bap- 
tists in  our  state,  and  we  gladh'  hail  this  as  fin  event  in  the  history  of  our  denomina- 
tion which  shall  bring  peace  and  harmony  in  our  churches  and  contribute  to  the 
building  up  of  the  cause  of  Christ  in  om-  midst."    {Minutes,  1868,  p.  5.) 


558       .  WEST    FORK    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

County,  in  1837,  having  married  Miss  Eosannah  Oxford,  daughter 
of  Hon.  Jacob  Oxford,  of  Clay  County,  Kentucky,  a  few  years 
before.  Indians  and  wild  game  existed  in  the  greatest  abund- 
ance all  around  him.  Though  converted  in  Kentucky,  he  was 
not  baptized  for  five  years  after  he  came  to  Missouri.  In  1842 
he  heard  of  a  Baptist  meeting  near  Pilot  Grove,  Daviess  Coun- 
ty, some  eight  miles  from  his  home.  He  attended  in  July  of 
that  year,  found  the  audience  in  a  tobacco  barn,  and  the  preach- 
er nearly  through  his  sermon.  He  gave  his  name,  related  his 
experience  and  was  soon  after  baptized  by  Elijah  Merrill,  and 
commenced  preaching  at  once.  His  first  work  was  in  his  own 
neighborhood — quite  an  interest  following,  and  in  December, 
1844,  he,  his  wife  and  fourteen  others  got  letters  from  Pilot 
Grove  and  formed  the  Union  Church,  after  which  he  became  their 
minister,  so  continuing  without  interruption  until  1879,  a  period 
of  thirty-four  years.  Elder  McCammon  has  been  a  self-sacrific- 
ing minister  of  Christ.  He  was  the  founder  of  Mount  Pleasant 
Church,  Harrison  County,  and  was  its  pastor  for  some  years. 
Much  of  his  time  has  been  given  to  what  might  be  called  itiner- 
ating, and  most,  or  all,  with  little  or  no  reward  as  temporal- 
ities. Old  and  well  worn,  and  held  in  the  highest  esteem,  is 
Brother  McCammon. 

On  one  occasion,  some  years  past,  he  baptized  a  lady 
whom  the  church  had  accepted  for  membership,  which  very 
much  enraged  her  husband,  and  he  threatened  to  leave  her  un- 
less she  would  leave  the  church.  Elder  McCammon  visited  the 
husband  and  talked  the  matter  over  with  him.  Finally  the  en- 
raged man  said,  *' If  jon  will  pay  me  S15  I  will  say  no  more 
about  the  matter  and  be  satisfied."  Mr.  McCammon  paid  the 
money  and  that  ended  the  trouble. 

Elder  McCammon,  from  1849,  was  moderator  of  his  associa- 
tion for  nine  consecutive  years,  save  one,  and  was  called  on  a 
number  of  times  to  preach  the  annual  sermon. 

The  tenth  anniversary  was  held  at  Mount  Pleasant  Church, 
Gentry  County,  beginning  September  26,  1874.  The  state  of 
the  churches  may  be  learned  from  the  report  of  the  commit- 
tee on  destitution.  They  say:  "  Of  the  eighteen  churches  com- 
prising our  association  we  find  seven  of  them  without  pastors,  in- 
cluding the  three  county  seats  of  Albany,  Grant  City  and  Mays- 
ville.  Nine  churches  have  preaching  once  a  month,  and  two 
twice  a  month.  One  or  two  of  the  pastorless  churches  have  oc- 
casional preaching." 


WEST    FORK   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  ,    559 

The  churches  were  urged  to  sustain  Baptist  Sabbath-schools; 
and  the  Sabbath-school  convention  was  recommended  to  hold 
two  sessions  a  year,  which  it  subsequently  agreed  to  do.  Rela- 
tive to  education,  "William  Jewell  College  and  Stephens'  College 
were  highly  commended,  the  former  as  oifering  the  best  induce- 
ments in  the  state  to  our  young  men,  and  the  latter  for  our  young 
women. 

In  1875  the  territory  of  West  Fork  Association  extended  north 
to  the  Iowa  state  line,  its  churches  being  located  in  Gentry  and 
Worth  counties,  with  two  in  De  Kalb  and  one  in  Daviess.  At 
that  time  they  were  expending  between  one  and  two  hundred 
dollars  in  missions  in  their  own  bounds. 

GENTEY  B^VPTIST  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  organized  in  the  fall  of  1856,  of  three 
churches — Middle  Fork,  Freedom  and  Friendship — dismissed 
from  the  West  Fork  Association  for  the  purpose.  Its  territory 
embraced  the  most,  if  not  all,  of  Gentry  and  Worth  Counties. 
This  fraternity  sent  messengers  to  West  Fork  Association  in 
1857,  and  so  continued  to  do  up  to  the  war,  when  we  lose  sight 
of  it  altogether.  From  the  minutes  of  West  Fork  we  cull  these 
facts  :  That  the  first  annual  meeting  of  the  Gentry  Association 
was  held  with  the  Middle  Fork  Church,  Gentry  County,  com- 
mencing the  second  Saturday  in  September,  1857  j  and  that  its 
second  annual  session  was  at  Island  Branch  Church,  Gentry 
Countj^  the  second  Saturday  in  September,  1858.  And  further, 
that  in  1860  it  adjourned  to  meet  the  first  Saturday  in  Septem- 
ber, 1861,  at  Freedom  Church,  Gentry  County. 

The  Gentry  Association  of  a  later  date  was  organized  in  1864, 
and  soon  grew  to  be  a  much  larger  body  than  its  predecessor. 
The  first  records  we  have  of  this  association  are  for  1868,  its 
fourth  annual  meeting,  held  at  Grant  City  Church,  Worth  Coun- 
ty, commencing  September  12th.  J.  J.  Daniel  was  elected  mod- 
erator, and  J.  H.  Pierce  clerk.  The  association  then  consisted 
of  the  following 

Churches. — Albany,  55;  Allenville,  24;  Ellenorah,  30;  Grant 
City,  85;  Hopewell,  56;  Island  Branch,  150;  Liberty,  10;  Long 

Branch, ;  Maysville,  16;  Mt.  Vernon,  86;  Middle  Fork,  46; 

Little   Flock,  38;  Little  Eock,  75;  New  Castle,  44 ;  Union,  45; 

Alanthus, ;  Pleasant  Grove, ;  total  members,  760.      124 

had  been  added  to  the  churches  by  baptism  from  the  former 
meeting. 

A  missionary  board  was  appointed  at  this  session  of  five  mem- 


560  WEST    FORK    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

bers,  to  employ  a  missionary  for  such  time  as  the  circumstances 
and  the  means  raised  might  justify.  The  board  consisted  of  B. 
Steves,  T.  J.  Stocton,  M.  Horner,  Benjamin  Tweedale  and  James 
Canaday.  One  of  the  churches  had  sent  this  query :  "Have  dea- 
cons a  right  to  baptize?"  But  the  association  refused  to  enter- 
tain it.  At  the  close  of  the  session,  and  by  the  request  of  the  as- 
sociation, a  Sabbath-school  convention  was  formed  with  J.  J. 
Daniel  as  president,  and  I.  H.  Denton  secretary. 

Island  Branch  Church  entertained  the  sixth  anniversary  in 
1870.  18  churches  were  now  on  the  list;  total  members,  1,070  j 
baptisms  during  the  year,  73  ;  832.45  minute  funds.  A  public 
collection  amounting  to  SIO  was  made  for  the  General  Associa- 
tion, Eev.  I.  H.  Denton  was  appointed  as  the  messenger  to  said 
body,  and  $15  were  contributed  by  the  members  to  defray  his 
expenses  to  its  next  anniversary.  A  list  of  ministers  was  pub- 
lished this  year  as  follows,  E.  Tuttle,  D.  Dyer,  F.J.  Leavitt, 
Jno.  B.  Dunn,  A.  Oiler,  E.  George,  T.  N.  O'Bryant,  David  Stites, 
A.  G.  Cox,  J.  J.  Daniel,  I.  H.  Denton,  J.  T.  Neal,  P.  W.  Murphy, 
H.  Miller  and Hunt. 

Alanthus  Church. — This  Church  bears  date  September  6th, 
1866,  and  is  located  twelve  miles  northwesterly  from  Albany, 
the  county  seat  of  Gentry.  Its  constituent  members  were  four- 
teen in  number,  and  they  chose  John  A.  Dunn  as  their  pastor. 

Ellenorah  Church. — Twenty-one  persons  were  organized  in- 
to a  Baptist  church  by  this  name,  June,  1868,  by  Jno.  W.  Eowe. 
It  is  about  seven  miles  north  of  Albany  and  is  also  in  Gentry 
County.  J.  W.  Eowe  served  as  pastor  for  the  first  eight  months. 
They  have  a  Baptist  Sunday-school. 

Hopewell, — situated  in  De  Kalb  County,  five  miles  northeast 
from  Maysville,  was  organized  on  eight  members  by  T.  N. 
O'Biyant,  March  31,  1866.  O'Bryant  served  two  years  as  pas- 
tor, and  was  succeeded  by  John  Neal. 

Little  Eock, — in  Worth  County,  twelve  miles  southeast  from 
Grant  City,  the  county  seat,  was  organized  by  David  Stites  and 
Thomas  B.  Eowlett,  August  17,  1857,  of  twelve  constituent  mem- 
bers. Elder  Eowlett  was  chosen  as  their  minister,  continued 
one  year,  and  then  came  David  Stites. 

Mount  Pleasant. — This  church  is  in  Gentry  County,  in  atown 
of  the  same  name,  ten  miles  west  of  the  county  seat.  It  was 
gathered  and  constituted  by  J.  W.  Murphy  and  J.  J.  Daniel,  witli 
forty  members,  on  June  20,  1869.  Daniel  was  elected  pastor. 
In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  the  church  built  a  frame  meeting- 


WEST    FORK    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  661 

house,  40x55  feet,  at  a  cost  of  ^3,000.     It  has  a  Baptist  Sunday- 
school. 

Union  Church, — seven  miles  west  of  Albany,  was  organized 
in  August,  1866,  with  eighteen  members.  A.  Oiler  was  elected 
to  fill  the  pastoral  office,  accepted,  and  remained  nearly  5  years. 

Little  Flock  Church — began  with  nine  members,  having 
been  organized  the  second  Saturday  in  September,  1854,  and  is 
located  about  eight  miles  northwest  from  Albany. 

Allenville  Church, — at  Allenville,  Worth  County,  was  con- 
stituted with  eleven  members  in  1871,  and  first  had  P.  Jones  for 
their  minister.  It  meets,  or  did  a  few  years  past,  in  the  chapel 
of  the  school  building. 

The  Baptist  churches  in  this  section  of  the  state  have  had 
many  hard  trials.  The  county  is  comparatively  new,  and  many 
men  of  many  minds  have  found  their  way  thither,  so  that  there 
have  been  a  multitude  of  heresies,  and  the  Baptists  have  had, 
and  are  now  having,  to  meet  and  overthrow  them.  Added  to 
this,  there  has  been  an  element  in  the  Baptist  churches  too  wil- 
ling to  compromise  with  those  in  error.  But,  despite  all  dis- 
couragements, no  little  progress  has  been  made  in  the  last  twen- 
ty-five 3"ears. 

THE  MISSOUKI  BAPTIST  INDIAN  MISSION  ASSOCIATION. 

Thirty  and  forty  years  ago  the  Indian  country  lay  just  west 
of  the  borders  of  Missouri,  and  many  of  our  Baptist  fathers  felt 
the  need  of  putting  forth  efforts  for  the  civilization  and  evangel- 
ization of  the  red  men.  This  feeling  deepened,  until,  in  1846, 
a  society  was  formed  to  promote  this  end,  under  the  above  title. 

The  organization  of  this  body  was  consummated  August  31, 
1846.  The  constitution  adopted  made  this  fraternity  auxiliary  to 
the  American  Indian  Mission  Association  whose  headquarters 
were  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  Its  object  was  "the  civilization 
and  evangelization  of  the  aborigines  of  this  country."  (From 
the  constitution  in  Minutes  of  1849,  p.  7.) 

The  third  anniversary  was  held  at  Lexington,  Missouri,  on  the 
eighth  and  ninth  days  of  June,  1849.  The  officers  then  were 
James  W.  Waddell,  president,  H.  Wallace  and  E.  Latimore,  vice- 
presidents,  E.  S.  Dulin,  corresponding  secretary,  M.  F.  Price, 
recording  secretary,  and  Wm.  B.  Waddell,  treasurer. 

The  association  was  very  active  in  the  use  of  means  both  for 
the  civilization  and  the  evangelization  of  the  Indians  of  the  ter- 
ritories Ij^ing  west  and  northwesterly  from  Missouri,  expending 
as  high  as  ^1,000  a  year  for  these  purposes. 


662  WEST   FORK   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

This  was  pre-eminently  a  Missouri  institution  until  1854,  when 
it  withdrew  its  co-operation  with  the  American  Indian  Mission 
Association,  and  became  an  independent  society  under  the  title 
of  the  "  "Western  Baptist  Indian  Mission  Association."  This 
body  now  sought  the  entire  control  of  the  Indian  missions  to  the 
Northwest,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  both  with  the 
American  Association  and  the  Missionary  Union,  and  request 
them  to  relinquish  to  it  all  the  mission  stations  of  the  Northwest. 
Prominent  among  the  supporters  of  Indian  missions  under  the 
auspices  of  this  association,  might  be  named  Jas.  W.  Waddell, 
J.  J.  Eobinson,  Dr.  D.  Doyle,  Wm.  Thompson,  Thomas  Fristoe, 
A.  M.  Lewis,  D.  E.  Murphy,  W.  M.  Bell,  W.  L.  Watkins,  Eobt. 
Y.  Thompson,  E.  S.  Dulin,  Wm.  C.  Batchelor,  Dr.  D.  Lykins, 
Wm.  Duvall,  W.  B.  Waddell,  T.  C.  Harris,  H.  Wallace,  M.  F, 
Price,  J.  Eoyle,  T.  F.  Lockett  and  H.  C.  Wallace, 


CHAPTER  xrn. 


CEDAE  (NOW  ANTIOCH)  AND   GASCONADE   ASSOCIA- 
TIONS. 

Fomiation  of  Cedar — Its  Ministers — Eecord  of  Meetings — Cedar  Church — Obadiah 
Smith — Sacrificing  Men — Thomas  Smith — Change  of  Name  to  Antioch — Commun- 
ion Trouble — James  Johnson — William  Cook — Gascots'ade  Eiver  Associatiok — 
First  Appearance  of  its  Xame — Serai- Anti-Mission — Light  and  Change  of  Views — 
Alien  Baptism — Pulpit  Affiliation — Dry  Fork  Association  Formed  by  a  Colony 
from  Gasconade, 

THE  Cedar  Association  was  organized  in  1848  by  the  follow- 
ing churches  dismissed  from  Liberty  Association,  viz. :  Ce- 
dar, Coon  Creek,  Bethel,  High  Prairie,  Pleasant  Eidge  and  Blue 
Spring.  The  aggregate  membership  was  164.  The  meeting  was 
held,  we  think,  with  Cedar  Church,  the  oldest  in  what  was  then 
Eives,  but  now  Cedar  County,  and  from  which  the  association 
was  named. 

The  meeting  in  1850  was  held  at  Cedar  Church.  Eld.  D.  E. 
Murphy,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Southwest  Missouri,  was  elected 
moderator,  and  Eld.  L.  E.  Ashworth  clerk.  Four  other  church- 
es, Siloam,  Hopewell,  Liberty  and  Bear  Creek  had  been  added 
to  the  fraternity  since  1848.  The  entire  membership  was  only 
260. 

Ordained  Ministers  in  1850. — L.  E.  Ashworth,  J.  Satterfield,  Oba- 
diah Smith,  D.  E.  Murphy,  W.  Cook,  J.  Ashcraft  and  James  Cole. 
The  association  adopted  the  constitution  of  the  United  Baptists, 
but  did  not  use  that  appellation  in  her  title.  At  this  session  she 
decided  by  vote  to  continue  correspondence  with  the  General 
Association  and  made  a  contribution  of  $3.10  to  the  funds  of  that 
body.  And  further  it  was  voted  to  try  and  support  an  itinerant 
minister  in  the  bounds  of  Cedar  Association.  The  churches  were 
located  mostly  in  what  is  now  Cedar  and  St.  Clair  Counties. 

The  sessions  were  held  as  follows  :  The  third  anniversary,  in 
1851,  at  Coon  Creek,  St.  Clair  County;  at  Hopewell,  Cedar 
County,  in  September,  1852;  Pleasant  Eidge,  Cedar  County, 
1853 ;  High  Prairie,  Cedar  County,  August,  1854 ;  at  Pleasant 
Grove,  Dade  County,  September,  1855 ;  Bear  Creeek,  St.  Clair 
County,  1856 ;  Antioch^,  Cedar  County,  1857 ;  at  Alder,  Cedar 


564       CEDAR  (now  antioch)  and  gasconade  associations. 

County,  1858;  Pleasant  Spring,  SI.  Clair  County,  1859;  Liberty, 
Vernon  County,  in  1860. 

The  moderators  of  this  association  from  1850  to  1860  were  as 
follows:  Eld.  D.  E.  Murphy,  1  year;  Eld.  L.  E.  Ashworth,  5 
years;  Eld.  Jno.  Satterfield,  1  year;  U.  L.  Sutherland,  3  years. 
The  clerks  for  the  same  time  were:  L.  E.  Ashworth,  1  year; 
U.  L.  Sutherland,  6  years  ;  W.  H.  Trolinger,  3  years. 

Cedar  Church. — This  is  the  pioneer  church  of  what  is  now  Ce- 
dar County,  having  been  organized  in  July,  1838,  by  Hiram  Sav- 
age, Wm.  Savage  and  Elijah  Williams.  Constituent  members: 
William  Ainsworth,  John  Conner,  Warren  P.  Eeavis,  Ezra  Ha- 
mor,  Jno.  Long,  Obadiah  Smith,  Lucretia  Ainsworth  and  Keziah 
Hamor.  The  first  pastor  was  Eld.  Hiram  Savage,  who  continued 
two  j-ears  in  this  relation.  His  successors  were  D.  E.  Murphy, 
David  Stites,  Thos.  Smith,  John  Satterfield,  Jno.  Ford,  J.  B. 
Carrico  and  B.  F.  Lawler. 

In  1840  the  church  erected  a  frame  building  as  a  house  of  wor- 
ship, 30  by  40  feet,  which  was  rebuilt  in  1871.  At  the  call  of  the 
church,  Obadiah  Smith,  L.  E.  Ashworth  and  James  Johnson  have 
been  ordained  as  ministers.  July,  1861,  was  the  date  of  the  last 
meeting,  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Elds.  Jno.  T.  Metcalf,  James 
Cole  and  Brother  S.  L.  Smith,  a  licentiate,  held  a  meeting  in 
September,  1866,  and  reorganized,  or  rather  revived  the  church, 
and  it  went  to  work  again.  Our  latest  records  are  for  1874,  at 
which  time  the  total  membership  was  54,  and  Eld.  H.  Smith  was 
pastor. 

Obadiah  Smith. — The  father  of  Obadiah  Smith  was  a  North 
Carolinian  by  birth,  a  Kentuckian  and  afterwards  a  Missourian 
by  adoption.  He  lived  for  a  time  in  McLain's  Fort  in  Howard 
County  ;  thence  he  moved  to  Fort  Hempstead.  This  was  during 
the  M^ar  of  1812-'15.  In  that  day  the  settlements  were  compel- 
led to  live  in  forts,  and  while  a  part  of  the  men  cultivated  the 
fields,  the  rest  stood  with  guns  in  hand,  as  guards.  The  fath- 
er, Andrew  Smith,  a  member  of  the  anti-mission  Baptist  denom- 
ination, died  at  a  ripe  old  age. 

The  son,  Obadiah  Smith,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  a  native 
of  Kentucky,  was  born  August  6,  1806 ;  and  grew  up  on  the  farm 
with  but  little  education,  spending  most  of  his  early  life  in  irre- 
ligious sports  and  pastimes.  He  married  Miss  Catherine  Hart- 
man  in  1824,  and  about  the  same  time  was  converted  and  baptiz- 
ed into  the  fellowship  of  Old  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  Howard 
Qounty,  by  Ebenezer  Eogers.     He  was  lioensed  to  preach  by 


CEDAR   (NOW   ANTIOCH)    AND    GASCONADE    ASSOCIATIONS.        565 

this  church  in  1831,  sooQ  after  which  he  moved  to  Cedar,  then  a 
frontier  county,  and  as  we  have  seen,  was  a  constituent  mem- 
ber of  Old  Cedar  Church,  the  first  formed  in  the  county.  At  the 
call  of  this  church  Eld.  Smith  was  ordained,  Elds.  Wm.  Tatum 
and  D.  R.  Murphy  acting  as  a  presbytery. 

After  his  ordination  he  gave  most  of  his  time  to  the  ministry, 
building  up  the  Baptist  interest  in  Cedar  Association  and  adja- 
cent fields.  Though  somewhat  younger,  he  was  a  colaborer 
with  D.  R.  Murphy,  Wm.  Tatum,  L.  R.  Ashworth,  J.  Satterfield 
and  Wm.  Cook.  For  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  he  was  pastor 
of  from  two  to  four  churches,  and  in  1857  and  '59  he  traveled 
as  an  itinerant  in  Cedar  Association,  the  numerous  conversions 
testifying  to  his  success. 

He  was  four  times  nlarried,  his  second  wife  being  a  sister  of 
the  first.  His  last  wife,  Eliza  Preston,  survived  him  at  his  death, 
In  1862  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  where  he  faith- 
fully performed  his  duty  to  his  constituents.  On  April  20, 1863, 
he  landed  at  his  home  from  the  capitol,  and  two  days  thereafter 
was  called  to  his  door  and  ruthlessly  assassinated  by  Quantrell 
and  his  band  of  guerillas,  in  the  presence  of  his  wife  and  the 
younger  members  of  the  family,  after  which  his  house  was  rob- 
bed of  $800. 

After  the  war  closed  and  the  people  could  again  assemble  in 
peace  to  worship  God,  the  old  veteran,  D.  R.  Murphy,  preached 
his  funeral  sermon  to  an  assembly  of  over  500  of  his  former 
friends  and  neighbors,  who  had  met  to  do  honor  to  his  memory. 

During  the  period  from  1850  to  1860  the  Cedar  Association 
grew  from  10  to  19  churches  with  an  aggregate  membership  of 
962.  For  full  half  of  this  time  her  ministry  made  much  great- 
er sacrifices  than  the  private  membership  of  her  churches.  In 
1854  there  were  $7.50  for  missionary  funds  in  the  hands  of  U.L. 
Sutherland,  the  clerk,  which  was  by  resolution  '^  equally  divided 
among  the  churches  for  purposes  of  charity;"  after  which  Elds. 
0.  Smith,  J.  Ford,  J.  B.  Carrico  andL.R.  Ashworth  were  recom- 
mended as  itinerants  to  depend  on  those  to  whom  they  preached 
for  remuneration.  This,  of  course,  was  an  easy  way  for  the 
churches  to  carry  on  missionary  work  at  little  or  no  cost  to  the 
membership.  Destitute  places,  where  itinerants  usually  go,  sel- 
dom give  much  to  the  ministry;  hence,  substantially,  these  men 
were  sent  on  a  "  warfare  at  their  own  charges,"  which  was  a  mani- 
fest violation  of  the  Scriptures.  But  to  the  sequel  of  this.  In  1855, 
three  of  the  aforesaid  itinerants,  viz.:  Elders  Smith,  Carrico  and 


566       CEDAR  (now  antiooh)  and  gasconade  associations. 

Cook,  reported  an  aggregate  of  314  sermons,  83  baptisms,  3  new 
churches  and  no  remuneration. 

In  1856  the  association  decided  to  make  amends  for  her  past 
omissions,  and  $65  in  cash  and  pledges  were  raised  for  itinerant 
work,  and  Eld.  J.  B.  Box  was  appointed  to  this  field  at  a  salary 
of  $18  per  month. 

The  session  of  1859  was  called  to  lament  the  death  of  Eld. 

Thomas  Smith,  one  of  the  most  aged  ministers  of  the  association. 

Thomas  Smith*. — After  an  illness  of  four  months  this  servant 

of  the  Lord  died  at  his  home  in  Cedar  County,  Missouri,  April 

16, 1857. 

Thomas  Smith  was  born  in  Garrett  County,  Kentucky,  March 
11,  1793,  and  with  his  father,  Thomas  Smith,  Sen.,  moved  to 
Barren  County  in  his  native  state  when  a  mere  boy;  thence  to 
Warren  County,  Tennessee,  in  1808.  Five  years  thereafter  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Hutton,  and  in  1816  professed  religion  and 
united  with  the  Buckspring  Baptist  Church.  Soon  after  this,  in 
the  same  year,  he  removed  to  Franklin  County,  Missouri,  and 
united  with  Bethel  Church,  by  which  he  was  ordained  in  1823. 
Twenty-five  years  of  his  ministry  were  spent  in  Franklin  and 
adjacent  counties,  and  in  1848  he  settled  in  Cedar  County,  and 
united  with  old  Cedar  Church,  where  his  membership  remained 
until  his  death. 

His  labors  in  the  ministry  were  crowned  with  encouraging  suc- 
cess. He  preached  with  his  feet  as  well  as  with  his  voice.  One 
great  end  of  his  life  was  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body  and 
bring  it  under  subjection  to  the  service  of  God.  He  had  not  been 
known  to  be  in  an  ill  humor  for  the  last  fifteen  years  of  his  life. 
He  had  the  pleasure  of  leading  nine  of  his  children  down  into 
the  baptismal  waters. 

His  wife,  three  sons  and  five  daughters,  survived  him,  all  of 
whom  are  members  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  save  the 
youngest  son.  In  his  death  his  faith  was  triumphant,  centering 
alone  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Eev.  A.  P.  Williams,  as  agent  of  the  General  Association,  vis- 
ited the  Cedar  Association  in  1857,  and  was  cordially  received 
and  recommended  to  the  churches.  A  greater  interest  in  the 
work  was  awakened  by  his  visit,  as  shown  in  an  increase  of  funds 
for  district  missions,  amounting  this  year  to  $120  in  cash  and 
pledges,  and  the  raising  of  the  salary  of  the  missionary  to  $1  per 

day- 

*  By  D.  K.  Murphy,  in  Western  Watchman,  Vol.  X,  Iso.  11. 


CEDAR   (now   ANTTOCH)    AND    GASCONADE   ASSOCIATIONS.        567 

The  dogma  of  mixed  communion  being  taught  by  some  of  the 
ministers  and  churches  in  the  association,  the  Pleasant  Spring 
Church  in  1859  made  complaint  against  said  churches  and  min- 
isters, asking  the  "  association  to  request  said  ministers  and 
churches  to  discontinue  said  practice."  Considerable  discussion 
followed,  and  finally,  on  motion  of  H.  B.  Lindsey,  the  follow- 
ing was  passed  : 

^^  Resolved,  That  we  strictly  adhere  to  the  constitution,  rules 
of  decorum,  also  articles  of  faith  of  Cedar  Association,  adopt- 
ed at  its  organization,  in  regard  to  communion,  and  that  as- 
sociating with  other  denominations  or  not,  shall  be  no  bar  to  fel- 
lowship." 

This  is,  we  confess,  strange  talk  for  Baptists.  It  is  absolute- 
ly unbaptistic.  And,  further,  we  undertake  to  say,  with  the 
aforesaid  constitution,  &c.,  before  us,  that  there  is  not  a  word 
in  any  of  said  instruments  about  "  associating  with  other  de- 
nominations being  no  bar  to  fellowship." 

The  constitution  does  provide  that  "giving  or  not  giving  to 
any  benevolent  society  shall  be  no  bar  to  fellowship." 

No  meetings  were  held  from  1861  to  1866,  when  messengers 
from  seven  churches,  viz :  Mount  Gilead,  Eed  Hill,  Olive  Branch, 
Union,  Waubleau,  Antioch  and  Mount  Pleasant,  met  with  the 
Antioch  Church,  Cedar  County  and  re-organized  the  associ- 
ation under  the  appellation  of  "  Antioch  Association  of  United 
Baptists." 

J.  M.  Smith  was  elected  permanent  moderator,  and  G.  Ward 
clerk.  The  total  membership  of  the  churches  was  283.  The 
meeting  in  1867  was  at  Union  Church,  when  seven  new  churches 
attached  themselves  to  the  association.  The  next  meeting  (1868) 
was  at  Mount  Gilead,  when  and  where  the  political  tomahawk 
was  buried  by  the  adoption  of  the  following: 

"  Resolved,  That  we  will  wrangle  less  and  pray  more,  talk  more 
of  Jesus  and  his  holy  religion  and  less  of  politics,  and  cultivate  a 
forgiving  spirit." 

Up  to  this  date  the  association  had  regained  her  numerical 
strength  just  prior  to  the  war.  Her  growth  continued  slowly 
until  1872,  when  she  numbered  twenty-four  churches  and  1,077 
members.  We  have  records  for  1874,  when  there  was  a  total 
membership  of  936,  showing  a  decrease  of  141  members  in  two 
years.  Great  coldness  and  destitution  abounded  throughout  the 
associational  field,  and  some  of  the  churches  were  troubled  with 
unsound  teachers ;  but  to  her  credit  the  association  declared  she 


568       CEDAR  (now  anttoch)  and  gasconade  associations. 


would  ''  hold  the  churches  within  her  bounds  strictly  to  account 
for  unsound  doctrines  taught  by  ministers  having  membership 
or  pastors  in  churches  belonging  to  the  union," — a  prerogative 
enjoyed  by  Baptist  associations  from  time  immemorial. 

TABLE  OF  CHUECHES  IN  18G0,  TIME  OF  ORGANIZATION,  &c. 


Name  of  Church. 


County. 


Cedar,   - 
Coon  Creek, 
Pleasant  Spring, 
Alder, 
Hopewell, 
Siloam, 

Pleasant  Eidge, 
Liberty,    - 
Bear  Creek,  - 
Pleasant  Grove, 


I  Cedar  |  43  1838 
St.  Clair  101 1841 
9lil842 


Cedar 


[St.  Clair 
|Cedar 
Vernon 
jSt.  Clairj  43 
iDade       1  67 


110 


1843 
1845 
1846 
1848 
1849 
1849 
1851 


Name  of  Church. 


County. 


Union,  - 
Antioch,  - 
Brush  Creek, 
Mt.  Gilead, 
Fremont, 
Harmony, 
New  Hope,    • 
Montevallo, 
Salem,  - 


Cedar 

391 

" 

94 

St.  Clair 

30 

Cedar 

15 

" 

32 

Dade 

27 

Vernon 

20 

" 

45 

Dade 

34 

1854 
1854 
1855 
1855 
1856 
1858 
1858 
1858 


In  1881  the  association  was  held  at  Hazel  Dell,  Cedar  County, 
commencing  August  26th.  Elder  J.  T.  Metcalf  was  moderator, 
and  J.  K.  P.  "Williams  clerk.  Then  there  were  17  churches  and 
13  ministers  ;  total  membership  of  the  11  churches  reporting,  483. 

James  Johnson  —  was  from  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Cedar 
County  about  the  year  1842.  He  was  an  experimental  preach- 
er of  the  older  type,  visiting  and  aiding  in  protracted  meetings, 
and  though  a  man  of  limited  education,  he  was  earnest  and 
zealous  and  did  much  good  in  his  sphere.  He  was  a  farmer, 
and  worked  hard  tilling  the  ground,  not  depending  on  the 
churches  for  a  sustenance,  giving  only  such  time  to  the  ministry 
as  he  could  under  these  circumstances.  Only  a  few  days  before 
his  death  he  had  the  pleasure  of  baptizing  several  converts. 

William  Cook,* — an  early  settler  in  Cedar  County  and  for 
some  years  a  preacher  in  the  bounds  of  Cedar  Association,  was, 
we  think,  a  native  of  North  Carolina.  Before  he  commenced 
preaching  he  was  a  faithful  and  liberal  layman,  ever  ready  to  do 
all  he  could  to  advance  the  cause.  His  house  was  the  preachers' 
home.  He  was  getting  gray  when  he  commenced  to  preach,  but 
was  faithful  in  his  ministry  until  death.  His  labors  extended 
over  portions  of  several  counties,  and  the  people  were  always 
glad  to  sec  and  hear  "  Old  Father  Cook,"  as  he  was  familiarly 
called.  He  lived  to  be  quite  old,  and  used  to  say  that  from  an 
early  day  he  had  impressions  to  preach,  and  regretted  that  he 
had  not  begun  with  those  impressions. 

We  have  not  been  furnished  an  account  of  his  death. 


*  From  the  MS.  of  D.  E.  Murphy. 


CEDAR   (now   ANTIOCH)    AND    GASCONADE    ASSOCIATIONS.        569 

GASCONADE  KIVER  ASS0CIATI0:N". 

This  association  is  located  in  the  midst  of  the  Ozark  MouH' 
tains,  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Gasconade  River,  in  Texas, 
Wright  and  adjacent  counties.  We  have  not  the  exact  date  of  its 
formation,  but  shall  place  it  in  the  year  1848,  it  having  sent  that 
year  Elds.  J.  Aaron  and  Jno.  L.  Springer  as  messengers  to  Lib- 
erty Association,  praying  a  correspondence  with  said  body.  We 
have  no  evidence  that  it  existed  prior  to  that  date. 

Our  earliest  minutes  are  for  1868,  when  the  association  met  at 
Cedar  Bluff,  Texas  County.  This  is  put  down  on  the  title  page 
as  the  "  17th  annual  meeting,'*  whereas  if  it  had  held  regular 
sessions,  it  would  have  been  the  20th  annual  meeting,  provided 
the  association  was  constituted  in  1848.  This  can  be  easily  un- 
derstood when  we  remember  that  many  of  the  associations,  es- 
pecially in  Southern  Missouri,  held  no  meetings  during  the  war, 
and,  as  a  rule,  the  years  in  which  no  meetings  were  held,  were 
not  numbered  in  the  subsequent  records. 

In  1868  the  association  was  composed  of  the  following 

Churches. — Union,  Ozark,  Gladden  Yalley,  Boon's  Creek,  Spring 
Yalley,  Dry  Fork,  Spring  Creek,  Zion  Hill,  Friendship,  Liberty, 
Freedom,  Berean,  Cedar  BluflF,  Mt.  Pisgah,  Beaver  Creek,  Mt. 
Zion,  Little  Piney,  Pleasant  Hill,  Pobid6aux,  Hepzida  and  Pleas- 
ant Yalle*^\  The  last  seven  were  new  churches.  There  were  176 
baptisms,  and  a  total  of  737  members. 

Ministers. — Thos.  Johnson,  J.  C.  Boyd,  W.  F.  Thornton,  J.  A. 
Summers,  J.  L.  Springer,  F.  A.  Dodson,  G.  P.  Johnson,  M.  M. 
King,  G.  B.  Stogsdell,  W.  J.  Morris  E.  C.  Dye,  E.  M.  Reed  and 
E.  B.  Hodges. 

Of  this  session  of  the  association  we  have  the  following  account 
by  an  eye  witness  (Eld.  G.  Seymour) : 

"This  association  nominally  embraces  a  large  region  of  sparse- 
ly settled  countiy.  It  includes  all  the  county  of  Texas,  and  parts 
of  the  counties  of  Pulaski,  Laclede,  Wright,  Shannon,  Dent  and 
Phelps.  It  has  never  taken  an  interest  in  missions,  Sabbath- 
schools  or  religious  literature.  Resolutions  upon  these  subjects, 
introduced  at  its  late  meeting,  resulted  as  follows.  On  sympa- 
thizing with  and  aiding  the  General  Association  of  Missouri — 
seven  voted  for  it,  twenty-eight  voted  against  it,  and  a  few  dele- 
gates did  not  vote.  On  the  promotion  and  maintenance  of  Sun- 
day-schools, six  for  and  fifteen  against  the  motion.  But  on  a  res- 
olution requesting  all  to  use  such  means  as  they  could  command 
to  inform  themselves  upon  the  objects  of  missions  and  Sunday- 


570      CEDAR  (now  antioch)  and  gasconade  associations. 

schaols,  the  vote  was  unanimous,  as  was  also  the  vote  recom- 
mending the  Central  Baptist  and  publications  of  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  to  the  favor  of  the  churches. 

"Taken  altogether  the  associational  meeting  was  a  good  one. 
I  doubt  not  that  the  results  of  this  meeting  will  appear  for  the 
good  of  the  cause  for  all  future  time.  There  are  in  this  associa- 
tion many  good  and  devoted  ministers  and  members.  Their  want 
is  better  acquaintance  with  the  wants  of  the  great  field  of  the 
world,  and  the  results  of  the  efforts  now  making  to  supply  those 
wants  by  the  agencies  employed,  or,  in  other  words,  correct  un- 
derstanding of  their  own  relations  and  necessities  to  Christ  and 
his  cause.  As  we  took  the  parting  hand,  many  were  the  decla- 
rations of  changing  views  upon  these  subjects,  and  determined 
intention  to  investigate  them.  I  see  the  bright  glow  of  morning 
— this  association  is  well  on  the  road  to  the  city  of  Correction." 

The  following  year  (1869)  the  session  was  held  at  Zion  Hill, 
Phelps  County,  when  six  new  churches  were  received,  and  a 
board  of  managers  was  elected,  into  whose  hands  the  manage- 
ment of  the  missionary  and  colporteur  work  was  placed.  The 
association  now  numbering  27  churches,  a  resolution  was  adopted 
approving  a  division  of  the  territory,  which,  however,  was  not 
accomplished  for  several  years.  Revivals  had  been  frequent  and 
147  converts  had  been  baptized  during  the  year. 

In  1870  the  meeting  was  held  at  Boon's  Creek,  Texas  County, 
where  Eld.  S.  W.  Rutledge  was  elected  evangelist  and  sent  to  the 
destitute  fields  in  the  association.  There  were  now  28  ordained 
and  15  licensed  ministers,  31  churches  and  over  1,000  members. 

In  1872  the  association  declared  by  resolution  that  she  "would 
not  correspond  with,  or  hold  in  fellowship,  associations  or  church- 
es who  receive  members  upon  'alien  baptism.'  " 

A  colony  of  churches  was  sent  out  in  1877  to  fojm  a  new  asso- 
ciation, and  messengers  sent  to  aid  in  organizing  it  (see  Dry 
Fork  Association).  Prior  to  the  departure  of  said  colony  the 
association  had  on  her  roll  31  churches,  with  1,214  members. 

The  following  query  on  pulpit  affiliation  w^as  offered:  "Is  it 
scriptural  to  invite  ministers  of  other  denominations  to  officiate 
and  affiliate  with  us  in  a  public  manner?"  "Answered  in  the 
negative." 


PERIOD  SIXTH. 


1850-1860. 

CHAPTER  I. 

BEAE  CEEEK  ASSOCIATION. 

Origin  of — History  of  its  First  Churches — Constituent  ^linistcrs — Progress  of  the 
Work — The  Great  Catholic  and  Lutheran  Field— Joseph  Nicholls — The  Little  Bap- 
tist House  in  St.  Louis — Lewis  Duncan — D.  W.  Nowlin,  Early  Life,  Conversion, 
and  Doctrinal  Views  of — Thomas  T.  Johnson,  the  Revivalist — W.  D.  Grant. 

THE  Indian  Creek  Church,  Pike  County,  in  her  letter  to  the 
Salt  Eiver  Association  in  1853,  suggested  "  the  propriety  of 
dividing  the  association;"  in  answer  to  which  the  last  named 
body  "  recommended  that  such  churches  as  wished  to  form  a 
separate  organization,  hold  a  convention  with  the  Zion  Church, 
Montgomery  County,  on  Friday,  the  18th  of  May,  1854,"  &c. 
The  convention  met  at  the  time  and  place  recommended,  and 
after  an  interchange  of  views,  organized  the  Bear  Creek  Asso- 
ciation of  United  Baptists,  adopting  a  constitution  and  articles 
of  faith  in  harmony  with  the  Baptist  brotherhood.  The  follow- 
ing September  the  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Union  Church 
in  Warren  County,  when  9  churches  sent  letters  and  messengers 
as  follows:  Union,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Zion,  Mt.  Hope,  Sulphur  Lick, 
Bethlehem,  Indian  Creek,  Cottonwood  and  Middletown,  located 
in  the  counties  of  Warren,  St.  Charles,  Montgomery,  Pike  and  Lin- 
coln, occupying  a  most  important  field  in  the  forks  of  the  two  great 
rivers.  The  aggregate  membership  was  352.  All  these  churches 
were  dismissed  from  Salt  Eiver  Association,  except  Union,  which 
came  from  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association.  The  following 
ministers  were  in  the  organization  :  Lewis  Duncan,  W.  D.  Grant, 
Walter  McQuie,  Joseph  ISTicholls,  W.  H.  Vardeman,  J.  E.  Welch, 
and  one  licentiate,  E.  S.  Duncan. 

The  association  adopted  a  system  of  domestic  missionary  op- 
erations, making  all  her  pastors  itinerants,  requesting  them  to 
devote  as  much  time  as  they  could  in  preaching  the  gospel  and 
forming  Sunday-schools  in  such  places  as  had  no  organized  Bap- 
tist church,  keeping  an  account  of  and  reporting  their  labors  to 
the  committee  on  missions,  promising  that  the  money  should  be 


572  .  BEAR    CREEK   ASSOCIATION. 

divtded  proportionately  among  them,  provided  that  no  one 
should  receive  more  than  one  dollar  per  day. 

Of  the  original  churches  the  oldest  is  Sulphur  Lick. 

Sulphur  Lick. — This  church  is  in  Lincoln  County,  eight  or 
nine  miles  northwest  of  Troy,  the  county  seat.  It  was  organized 
hy  Eld.  Bethuel  Riggs,  in  his  own  private  house,  near  a  large 
spring,  called  Sulphur  Lick,  close  to  the  north  fork  of  Cuivre, 
four  miles  east  of  the  present  site,  in  the  year  1823,  of  four  mem- 
bers, viz. :  Bethuel  Riggs,  Nancy  Riggs  his  wife,  Armstrong 
Kennedy  and  Polly  his  wife.  John  Cox  and  his  wife  Polly  were 
received  by  experience  the  same  day  of  the  organization,  and 
were  baptized  by  Eld.  Riggs. 

In  1826  or  '27  it  moved  to  its  present  location,  and  a  few  years 
after  erected  a  substantial  brick  house,  which  was  replaced  by 
its  present  frame  building  in  1856.  This  church  has  been  a  fruit- 
ful vine  in  days  that  are  past,  but  is  now  in  a  feeble  state,  having 
passed  hersemi-centennial.  She  is  an  ecclesiastical  grandmother, 
and  had  in  1881  only  19  members. 

Mount  Hope  —  comes  next  in  chronological  order.  This 
church  is  located  in  St.  Charles  County,  one  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic strongholds  of  the  state.  It  was  organized  by  Elds.  Joseph 
Nicholls  and  Robt.  Gilmore  in  1839,  with  four  members,  viz.: 
Henry  Ball,  Littleton  Cockerell,  Horatio  Ball  and  James  Carr. 
For  many  years,  with  a  bold  heart  and  a  steady  hand,  this  church 
stood  by  and  defended  the  banner  of  Immanuel ;  but  for  several 
years  past  has  not  been  so  efficient,  many  of  her  active  members 
having  formed  a  new  church  near  Flint  Hill,  called  Pleasant 
Hill.  (This  church,  from  the  best  information  we  can  get,  does 
not  now  exist;  its  name  has  disappeared  from  the  minutes.) 

ZioN  Church — Avas  organized  March  15,  1841,  with  5  members, 
viz.  :  John  H.  Button,  Mary  R.  Button,  Washington  Graves, 
Mildred  Graves  and  Jesse  "Watkins,  all  of  whom  have  gone  to 
their  home  above.  Eld.  R.  Gilmore  was  the  first  pastor,  continu- 
ing as  such  six  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Eld.  Lewis  Duncan, 
he  by  Malan  Spyres,  A.  C.  Davenport,  W.  H.  Vardeman  and 
others. 

This  church  was  made  to  suifer  much  during  the  war.  Its  pas- 
tor, W.  H.  Vardeman,  was  snatched  away  and  became  a  political 
prisoner;  and  a  little  later  some  of  its  stanchest  members  were 
banished  or  otherwise  compelled  to  leave  the  state,  among  whom 
was  Eld.  D.  W.  Xowlin.  She  worships  in  a  large  frame  church 
edifice,  located  on  the  eastern  border  of  Montgomery  County. 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION.  573 

Union  Church. — Friendship  Baptist  Church,  the  first  in  what 
is  now  Warren  County,  was  organized  by  Eld.  Jas.  E.  Welch  at 
Flanders  Callaway's  house,  October  22,  1818.  It  continued  10 
or  12  years  and  dissolved.  On  May  5,  1831,  eleven  of  the  mem- 
bers were  organized  into  a  church  called  Salem,  at  the  house  of 
John  Welch,  now  Eose  Hill.  The  church  united  with  Cuivre 
Association,  but  subsequently  withdrew  on  account  of  the  anti- 
mission  proclivities  of  said  body.  About  1840  or  '41,  on  account 
of  an  unhappy  state  of  things  in  the  church,  a  large  proportion 
of  the  members  took  letters  and  joined  Freedom  Church,  near 
Loutre  Island,  some  20  miles  distant.  Freedom  Church  estab- 
lished an  arm  in  the  neighborhood.  The  members  of  that  arm 
and  the  residue  of  Salem,  held  a  conference  on  July  31, 1843,  and 
referred  their  differences  to  Elds.  E.  C.  Hill  and  L.  C.  Musick, 
who  advised  the  Salem  Church  to  dissolve  and  the  members  of 
said  arm  to  forsake  their  adhesion,  and  together  form  a  new 
church.  The  advice  was  unanimously  accepted,  and  on  the  same 
day  the  present  church  was  organized,  called  Union.  For  more 
than  20  years  the  church  greatly  prospered.  It  is  now  not  so 
large  or  prosperous,  having  given  off  members  to  form  other 
churches.  Wright  City  Church,  Warren  County,  and  Mt.  Airy 
in  Monroe  County,  are  daughters  of  Union. 

Bethlehem  Church  (now  Fairview), — in  Lincoln  County, 
was  organized  in  1845,  and  for  many  years  worshiped  in  a  log 
house  with  a  dirt  floor.     It  now  has  a  substantial  frame  house. 

Middletown. — This  church  bears  date  of  the  2nd  Saturday  in 
September,  1851.  It  now  has  a  half  interest  in  a  well  built  brick 
edifice,  one  among  the  best  church  houses  in  the  association. 

Indian  Creek. — This  is  probably  the  most  efiicient  church  in 
Bear  Creek  Association,  and  was  formed  September  20,  1851,  in 
an  old  log  school-house  within  a  few  yards  of  its  present  beauti^ 
ful  house  of  worship,  five  miles  south  of  Ashley,  Pike  County. 

Cottonwood— was  organized  October,  1852. 

Mt.  Pleasant, — in  a  beautiful  locality  one  and  a  half  miles 
north  of  High  Hill,  was  organized  in  June,  1853,  by  Eld.  Joseph 
JSTicholls.  Not  long  after,  it  erected  a  frame  church  house,  40x60 
feet,  and  unwisely  went  in  debt  for  the  same,  and  has  never  been 
a  very  prosperous  body,  but  still  tries  to  hold  forth  the  word  of 
life. 

Under  the  influence  of  a  moderately  aggressive  policy,  these 
nine  original  churches  have  grown  into  twenty-one,  with  a  total 
membership  of  1,212,  the  strength  of  the  association  in  1881. 


674  BEAR   CEEEK   ASSOCIATION. 

We  have  not  the  space  to  go  into  details,  and  can  only  add  that 
the  Bear  Creek  Association  has,  from  the  beginning  of  its  exis- 
tence, been  identified  with  the  various  interests  of  the  denomi- 
nation; not  accomplishing  half  as  much  as  a  proper  consecra- 
tion would  have  enabled  her  to  do.  She  has  never  been  united 
in  her  methods  of  oj)eration,  especially  in  her  itinerant  work  j 
sometimes  having  an  executive  board,  then  having  none  j  atone 
time  electing  her  own  missionary,  then  submitting  the  whole 
matter  to  the  board  ;  and  again,  at  another  time,  selecting  one  or 
two  suitable  men  to  travel  as  evangelists,  and  the  next  year  do- 
ing away  with  this  method  altogether,  and  sending  all  her  pas- 
tors out  as  itinerants. 

In  her  efforts  to  introduce  a  pure  faith,  the  association  has  met 
with  determined  opposition,  but  none  more  obstinate  thanEom- 
an  Catholicism  and  Lutheranism,  which  fill,  in  a  large  measure, 
St.  Charles  and  "Warren  Counties. 

In  addition  to  those  already  named,  there  are  now  churches 
in  the  followiug  towns  and  villages  :  Troy,  Olney,  New  Hart- 
ford, Wellsville,  Montgomery  City,  Wright  City  and  Jonesburg. 
The  following  churches,  in  addition,  make  up  the  list  composing 
the  association  :  Loutre,  Libertj'^,  Pleasant  Hill,  Hopewell,  Wal- 
nut Grove  and  Mt.  Gilead. 

Only  two  of  the  original  ordained  ministers  are  now  living, 
viz.:  Elds.  W.  H.  Vardeman  and  W.  D.  Grant.  The  following 
have,  from  time  to  time,  been  identified  with  the  association:  T. 
T.  Johnson  (now  dead),  M.  T.  Bibb,  J.  H.  Thomas  (now  dead), 
Ezekiel  Kinman,  D.  W.  Nowlin  (now  dead),  J.  N.  Griflin  and 
Wm.  Lowrance. 

In  1881  her  ministerial  force  was  thirteen  ordained  and  four 
licensed :  D.  W.  Graves,  Isaac  M.  Oliver,  E.  D.  Owen,  W.  D. 
Grant,  E.  E.  McQuie,  L.  C.  Musick,  W.  H.  Vardeman,  M.  T.  Bibb, 
J.  D.  Eobinett,  E.  S.  Duncan,  A.  P.  Oliver,  W.  G.  Eobinson,  T. 
Bowles  and  W.  C.  Wamble. 

The  Bear  Creek  association  has  for  some  years  been  auxiliary 
to  the  General  Association  of  the  state. 

Joseph  Nicholls  —  was  one  of  the  constituent  ministers  of 
Bear  Creek  Association,  and  until  near  his  death  was  one  of  its 
most  discreet  and  instructive  preachers.  "  He  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Blockley,  in  Worcestershire,  England,  November  8, 
1789,  and  was  married  October  21,  1815,  in  St.  Pancras  church, 
in  Tottenham,  which  was  then  one  of  the  suburbs  of  the  city  of 
London.     He  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1830  ^  lived  in 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION  575 

Pennsylvania  and  IS'ew  Jersey  four  years;  moved  to  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  in  1834,  and  from  there  to  Warrenton,  Warren  Coun- 
ty in  1836,  Some  years  after  losing  his  wife,  in  1867,  he  moved 
to  St.  Charles  County,  where  he  abode  with  his  son-in-law,  F.  A. 
Freymuth,  and  his  daughter,  until  the  day  of  his  death,  No- 
vember 8th,  1872. 

It  is  said  of  Elder  Nicholls  that  he  could  not  read  or  write 
when  he  was  21  years  of  age,  about  which  time  he  professed  re- 
ligion, and  being  a  man  of  untiring  energy  and  industry,  he 
united  with  the  Baptist  church,  learned  to  read  and  write,  and 
finally  acquired  a  very  good  English  education  ;  and  his  heart 
being  filled  with  the  love  of  God,  he  began  to  try  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  a  dying  world.  He  thus  labored  wherever  he  lived 
until  he  came  to  St.  Louis.  I  have  heard  him  say  that  the  Bap- 
tist cause  was  so  low  in  St.  Louis  at  the  time  he  arrived  there 
that  though  the  city  was  then  comparatively  small,  it  was  difficult 
for  him  to  find  the  little  house  in  which  the  Baptists  worshiped. 
He  preached  there  and  in  the  vicinity,  some  two  years  as  an  in- 
dependent missionary  of  the  Cross."* 

Upon  his  removal  to  Warrenton  in  1836,  he  continued  his 
ministerial  labors  in  the  destitute  country  adjacant.  He  united 
with  the  Salem  Church,  near  the  eastern  border  of  Warren  Coun- 
ty, and  by  said  church  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  on  the  5th 
of  August,  1838,  Elders  Wm.  Stephens  and  A.  B.  Snethen  act- 
ing as  the  ordaining  council.  From  this  time  until  1867  he  was 
active  in  the  work,  laboring  most  of  the  time  through  the  week 
at  his  secular  trade,  carpentry,  for  his  daily  bread,  and  spending 
his  Saturdays  and  Sundays  preaching,  traveling  as  far  west  as 
Loutre  Island. 

He  formed  the  church  of  Mount  Pleasant,  Montgomery  Coun- 
ty, and  Warrenton  and  Wright  City,  Warren  County,  and  con- 
tributed in  no  small  degree  to  building  up  of  the  Baptist  cause 
in  the  bounds  of  the  association. 

He  was  devotedly  attached  to  missions,  especially  among  the 
heathen.  When  only  a  small  boy  he  would  gather  pins  from 
among  the  rubbish  swept  from  the  stores  and  shops  in  London, 
sell  them  for  their  value,  and  thus  raise  his  promised  "penny  a 
week  "  for  the  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 

In  1839  he  was  a  member  of  Cuivre  Association.  A  measure 
was  introduced  in  antagonism  to  missions.  Nicholls  plead,  be- 
ing almost  alone,  for  liberty  of  conscience.     The  measure  was 

^  From  the  pen  of  Mrs.  W.  H,  Vardeman. 


576 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION. 


adopted  and  he  and  the  other  members  of  Salem  Church  present 
withdrew,  and  the  church  afterwards  united  with  Little  Bonne 
Femme  Association. 

Elder  Nicholls  was  not  a  brilliant  speaker,  but  he  was  a  sound 
gospel  preacher,  a  calm,  deliberate  and  logical  reasoner.  He 
had  a  weak  and  somewhat  shattered  voice,  but,  with  his  well  ar- 
ranged and  scriptural  sermons,  he  seldom  failed  to  instruct  and 
edify  the  thinking  members  of  his  congregation.  In  doctrine 
he  was  calvinistic. 

Because  of  his  failing  memory  and  loss  of  his  strength,  he  was 
not  able  to  preach  the  gospel  for  the  last  five  years  of  his  life. 
He  was  cared  for  in  his  decline  by  his  faithful  son-in-law,  Mr. 
Freymuth,  of  St.  Charles  County,  who  affectionately  watched 
over  him  until  his  death,  which  occurred  the  day  he  was  eigh- 
ty-three years  old. 

Lewis  Dunc  vn. — In  an  early  day,  two  brothers,  named  respect- 
ively John  and 
George  Duncan, 
emigrated  f  r  o  m 
Scotland  to  theUni- 
ted  States.  John 
settled  in  the  state 
of  Virginia  (then  a 
Province),  and 
George  settled 
in  Pennsylvania. 
From  these  two 
men  it  is  believed 
that  all  by  that 
name  in  the  United 
States  have  de- 
scended. 

Lewis     Duncan, 
the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was   a   na- 
tive  of  Virginia, 
REV.  LEWIS  DUNCAN.  and   was    born   in 

Culpepper  County,  the  first  day  of  March,  1806.  The  old  home- 
stead was  about  eighteen  miles  northwest  of  Culpepper  court 
house,  and  six  miles  from  Gaines'  Cross  Roads. 

His  father  was  James  Duncan,  a  native  of  Fauquier  County, 
yirginia,  and  his  mother's  maiden  name  was  Dorcas  Butler,  a 


BEAR   CREEK   ASSOCIATION.  577 

daughter  of  Spencer  Butler,  of  Culpepper  County,  Virginia. 
They  were  in  moderate  circumstances ;  educational  advantages 
were  not  such  then  as  now,  and  he  received  only  a  partial  com- 
mon-school education  while  growing  up.  But  when  near  his 
maturity  he  managed  to  acquire  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  the 
English  branches  to  teach  school.  In  the  school-house  he  was 
at  home.  By  his  mild  but  jsositive  manner  of  government,  he 
used  to  control  with  ease  quite  a  number  of  young  men,  some  of 
whom  were  quite  rude,  as  was  not  unfrequently  the  case  in  those 
early  days.  After  his  ordination  to  the  ministry  he  quit  teach- 
ing school.  He  was  the  middle  son  of  seven  children — six  sons 
and  one  daughter — none  of  whom  are  now  living  except  it  be 
Dr.  William  Duncan,  of  Texas,  who  is  now  quite  elderly,  if  liv- 
ing. 

Lewis  Duncan  was  married  September  11,  1827,  to  Harriet 
Kinnaird,  youngest  daughter  of  David  Kinnaird,  of  Culpepper 
County,  Virginia.  She  was  to  him  a  help-meet  indeed,  for  twen- 
ty-five years ;  and  of  her  was  born  to  him  eleven  children — eight 
sons  and  three  daughters — all  of  whom  lived  to  manhood  and 
womanhood.  He  professed  conversion  and  was  baptized  in  the 
spring  of  1828. 

On  the  16th  of  the  following  October,  he,  with  his  family — my 
mother  and  oldest  brother,  who  was  but  an  infant — started  for 
Missouri,  where  he  landed  about  the  middle  of  the  following- 
December.  The  trip  was  made  in  an  old-fashioned  Virginia  car- 
ry-all.    He  settled,  lived  and  died  in  Lincoln  County. 

For  twelve  years  he  lived  in  the  vicinit}^  of  Troy,  the  county 
seat,  and  was  a  member  successively  of  the  following  churches, 
viz.:  Antioch  (now  defunct),  Troy  (now  called  Sand  Eun),  and 
Sulphur  Lick. 

While  belonging  to  the  second  named  church  an  incident  oc- 
curred in  his  life  somewhat  interesting,  and  illustrative  of  one 
trait  in  his  character — candor.  The  preliminaries  to  the  anti- 
mission  controversy  were  gradually  being  developed,  about 
which  time  my  father,  having  moved  some  distance  from  the 
church  house,  asked  for  a  letter  of  dismission.  One  brother, 
who  afterwards  became  a  rather  celebrated  anti-mission  Baptist 
preacher,  arose  and  said:  "I  object  to  the  applicant  having  a 
letter  of  dismission  in  full  fellowship,  on  the  ground  that  he  be- 
lieves in  a  general  atonement," 

My  father,  who  was  scrupulously  honest  and  candid,  arose  and 
said:  "Brother  Moderator,  I  believe  in  a  general  atonement, 
87 


578  BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION. 

and  am  perfectly  willing  for  my  view  of  that  doctrine,  or  any 
fact  in  this  case,  to  be  stated  in  my  letter." 

The  case  was  continued  until  next  meeting,  and,  by  unanimous 
consent,  the  letter  was  granted,  and  he  became  a  member  of  Sul- 
phur Lick  Church,  of  which  he  remained  a  member  for  some 
years.  By  this  church  he  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  a 
gospel  minister  on  the  23d  day  of  May,  1838.  The  ordaining 
presbytery  consisted  of  Elds.  William  Davis,  Eobert  Gilmore 
and  Ephraim  Davis. 

In  1840  he  moved  to  the  northwestern  part  of  Lincoln  County 
and  subsequently  became  one  of  the  constituent -members  of  In- 
dian Creek  Church,  Pike  County.  He  was  pastor  successively 
of  the  following  churches,  viz.:  Sulphur  Lick  and  New  Salem  in 
Lincoln  County;  Zion,  Montgomery  County;  Indian  Creek, 
Pike  County;  and  Pleasant  Grove,  in  Lincoln  County.  His  ac- 
tive ministerial  career  lasted  about  twenty-five  years,  during 
which  time  he  faithfully  performed  his  mission  in  "  feeding  the 
flock  of  God,"  for  which  he  was  eminently  fitted. 

In  doctrinal  views  he  was  of  the  Andrew  Fuller  school.  He  had 
a  feeble  frame  and  a  very  weak  voice,  and  in  the  pulpit  was  one 
of  the  most  deliberate  and  self-possessed  speakers  we  ever  heard. 
By  close  application  to  study,  and  a  rigid  life-training  to  sys- 
tematic thought,  he  acquired  the  ability  to  master  whatever  sub- 
ject he  undertook.  His  conception  of  divine  truth  was  clear, 
distinct  and  comprehensive;  and  in  symmetrj^,  depth  of  thought, 
logical  arrangement  and  selection  of  words,  his  sermons  were 
well  nigh  perfect.  His  preaching  was  real  food  and  drink  to 
souls  hungry  and  thirsty  for  Bible  truth. 

He  was  a  farmer  preacher,  saying  little  or  nothing  about  mon- 
ied  remuneration.  In  his  day  few  pastors  were  sustained.  If  a 
man  received  a  salary  he  was  often  styled  a  "money  preacher." 
We  who  now  live  know  but  little  of  what  our  fathers  endured 
and  sacrificed  to  build  up  churches  able  to  furnish  us  comfortable 
pastorates.  They  removed  many  prejudices,  corrected  many 
wrongs,  established  many  precedents,  and  thus  prepared  the  way 
for  the  present  generation  of  ministers. 

I  must  be  permitted  to  bear  testimony  to  my  father's  eminent 
piety.  In  this  regard  he  was  certainly  an  example  of  uniformity. 
He  possessed  great  evenness  of  temper.  When  others  were  wild 
with  excitement  he  was  cool  and  self-possessed.  In  March,  1852, 
he  was  called  upon  to  follow  to  her  grave  the  companion  of  his 
life.     This  he  did  with  great  composure,  Christian  fortitude  and 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION. 


579 


resignation.  My  mothei*  died  in  the  same  faith  in  which  she  had 
lived.  She  was  a  loving  and  lovely  mother  and  wife,  a  devoted 
and  good  woman,  and  one  of  the  sweetest  singers  I  ever  heard. 

His  vital  powers  gradually  gave  way,  and  when  he  died  there 
was  no  visible  form  of  disease  present.  After  he  became  too  fee- 
ble to  sit  on  his  chair,  we  were  one  day  by  his  bedside  when  he 
commenced  to  talk  of  death  with  the  greatest  possible  tranquil- 
ity. On  this  occasion  he  said :  "What  a  relief  it  would  be  to  be 
delivered  from  this  tenement  of  clay.  Young  people  know  but 
little  about  the  burden  of  a  feeble  old  age.  But  I  will  not  say 
more,  lest  I  should  be  thought  grumbling.  I  want  to  be  patient 
and  bide  my  time." 

He  died  like  a  babe  going  to  sleep — without  a  struggle  or  a 
shudder.  Thus  he  fell  asleep  on  the  Lord's  day,  December  15, 
1872,  and  on  the  17th  he  was  buried  in  the  family  cemetery,  be- 
tween his  mother  and  my  mother. 

David  William  Nowlin. — One  of  the  most  profound  thinkers 
in  the  Baptist  minis- 
try in  Eastern  Mis- 
souri was  David  W. 
Nowlin.  He  was  a 
native  of  Pittsyl- 
vania County,  Ya., 
and  was  born  April 
11th,  1812.  "The 
founder  of  the  fam- 
ily in  Yirginia  was 
John  Nowlin.  He 
and  his  wife  were 
Irish,  and  were  res- 
idents of  Goochland 
County,  Ya.,  as  ear- 
ly as  1715,  when 
their  son,  James 
Nowlin,  was  born, 
who  was  a  carpen- 
ter by  trade  and 
died  in  Pittsylva- 
nia County  in   1808,  REV.  DAVID  W.  NOWLIN. 

aged  93  years.  His  son,  Bryan  Ward  Nowlin,  prior  to  1765,  mar- 
ried Lucy  Wade,  of  whom  were  born  to  him  sixteen  children. 
Samuel,  the  fourteenth  child,  was  bora  January  11;  1784,  and 


580  BEAR    CEEEK   ASSOCIATION. 

married  Fannie  Pannell  on  the  8th  of  November,  1808,  the 
daughter  of  William  Pannell  of  Orange  County,  Va.,  and  of 
Scotch  or  English  origin.  By  this  marriage  Samuel  Nowlin  had 
two  sons,  Joseph  Bryan  and  David  William  the  subject  of  this 
sketch."  (From  the  MS.  of  Mrs.  Fannie  B.  Owings,  the  eldest 
daughter.) 

Before  he  had  completed  his  fifth  year  his  mother  died.  She 
had,  however,  given  him  many  lessons  in-morality  and  religion, 
and  his  mind  was  early  impressed  with  his  own  responsibility. 
His  father  also  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  his  children  around 
the  family  altar  to  read  the  Bible  and  pray  with  them.  Of  this 
part  of  his  life.  Brother  Nowlin  subsequently  wrote  thus :  "With 
all  these  means  and  opportunities,  and  efforts  of  grace  bestowed 
upon  me,  the  first  fourteen  years  of  my  life  were  passed  j"  and  his 
heart  must  indeed  have  been  harder  than  the  nether  millstone, 
who  could  have  passed  all  these  without  any  impression.  "I  read 
the  Bible  and  implicitly  believed  every  word  of  it  as  the  writing 
of  God  Himself.  I  found  great  pleasure  in  accompanying  my 
father  to  meeting,  and  in  listening  to  the  conversation  when  any 
of  the  brethren  would  come  to  see  him." 

His  father  gave  him  a  liberal  education.  When  twenty-two 
years  old  he  read  law  under  Cooper  Shelton,  attended  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia  during  the  session  of  1835-'36,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  his  native  state. 

His  first  marriage  was  with  Elizabeth  J.  Berger  of  his  native 
county,  on  the  19th  of  N'ovember,  1835.  In  the  fall  of  1836  he 
removed  to  Missouri,  and  in  the  following  spring  settled  at  Tiv- 
iot,  Montgomery  County.  After  opening  a  farm  he  divided  his 
time  between  the  school-room  and  the  law,  having  been  admit- 
ted to  the  Missouri  bar  soon  after  his  removal  to  the  state. 

In  January,  1850,  he  professed  faith  in  Christ,  and  from  this 
time  forward  prayed  in  his  family,  and  often  led  in  the  weekly 
prayer  meetings.  He  was  baptized  by  Eld.  W.  H.  Vardeman 
and  received  into  fellowship  in  the  Zion  Baptist  Church,  Mont' 
gomei-y  County,  in  JSTovember,  1851. 

It  was  the  wish  and  jDrayer  of  his  father's  family  that  he  might 
be  a  minister.  He  had  convictions  relative  to  the  ministry  be^ 
fore  his  conversion.  In  an  old  manuscript,  lately  come  to  hand, 
dated  January,  1846,  he  recorded  the  following  prayer:  "Re- 
deem me,  Oh !  Lord,  from  sin  and  bondage.  Give  me  a  will  and 
power  to  serve  Thee  aright,  and  enable  me  to  declare  thy  gospel 
to  a  sinful  generation,  and  in  me,  Oh!  God,  gladden  thy  Zion." 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION.  58l 

He  was  called  to  ordination  by  the  Zion  Church,  and,  by  Elds. 
J.  E.  Welch,  W.  H.  Vardeman  and  T.  T.  Johnson,  was  set  apart 
to  the  work  in  1856. 

He  labored  as  pastor  with  but  few  churches,  but  generally 
kept  one  or  more  stated  appointments  in  destitute  neighborhoods, 
thus  seeking  to  build  on  a  foundation  vv^hich  he  laid.  His  influ* 
ence  was  second  to  no  one  in  the  association.  For  some  years 
he  was  recording  clerk  of  the  body,  and  in  1862  presided  as  mod- 
erator. 

Eld.  Nowlin  was  a  strong  predestinarian.  He  used  to  relate 
the  following  incident :  "  When  I  was  a  boy  I  one  day  approach' 
ed  my  grandmother,  saying:  '  G-randmother,  you  are  a  Baptist, 
and  also  a  predestinarian,  yet  you  believe  in  Sunday-schools, 
missionary  societies,  &c.  To  me,  this  seems  very  inconsistent. 
If  God  has  predetermined  to  save  the  elect,  what  use  have  we 
for  such  societies?'  She  answered :' Davy,  you  only  go  half 
way.  God  has  not  only  predetermined  the  end,  but  he  has  also 
predetermined  the  means  suited  to  accomplish  that  end.'  So  that 
I  found  my  grandmother  much  more  of  a  predestinarian  than  I 
had  been." 

He  was  a  doctrinal  preacher ;  very  earnest,  pointed  and  logi- 
cal. In  the  common  acceptation  of  the  word,  he  was  not  elo- 
quent, but  a  sound,  solid  reasoner.  His  sermons  were  well  ma- 
tured and  full  of  Bible  truth;  better  calculated  to  convince  the 
judgment  than  to  move  the  passions,  always  securing  the  atten- 
tion of  the  intelligent  part  of  his  audience. 

In  June,  1852,  the  wife  of  his  early  manhood  and  mother  of  his 
children  died,  and  he  was  again  married  about  three  years  there- 
after to  Mrs.  Eleanor  M.  Adams. 

One  of  the  trials  of  his  life  was  his  banishment,  as  a  political 
prisoner,  in  the  year  1863.  This  was  done  by  a  military  com- 
mission, because  his  Southern  proclivities  were  supposed  to  en- 
danger the  cause  of  the  Federal  authorities  in  the  state.  Eld. 
B.  H.  Spencer  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  and  Dr.  Pitman,  an 
eminent  physician  of  Jonesburg,  Missouri,  were  his  companions 
in  banishment. 

He  died  at  his  home  in  Montgomery  County,  October  17, 1865, 
being  then  in  the  54th  year  of  his  natural  life. 

Mr.  Nowlin  was  a  man  of  broad  literary  culture,  and  his  social 
qualities  and  conversational  powers  were  superb,  hence  he  was 
always  welcomed  as  an  important  member  of  social  circles,  and 
left  the   impress  of  his  noble  character  upon  the  hearts   and 


582 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION. 


minds  of  his  acquaintances,  a  memorial  more  precious  and  en- 
during than  pillars  of  stone  or  brass. 

Thomas  Thornton  Johnson — was  a  descendant  of  the  "Woods 
and  Johnsons  of  Yirginia,  who  lived  in  that  state  in  the  times  of 
religious  persecution,  when  John  Waller  and  Lewis  Craig  used 
to  preach  through  prison  grates.  He  was  born  in  Fauquier 
County,  July  20,  1803.  At  the  early  age  of  fifteen  years  he  was 
converted  under  the  preaching  of  Eld.  James  Suggett  of  Scott 
County,  Kentucky,  by  whom  also  he  was  baptized  into  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  Great  Crossings  Church. 

He  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1828  and  settled  in  Pike  County, 

which,  together  with 


Marion,  Ralls,  Lin- 
coln and  Montgom- 
ery Counties  consti- 
tuted the  principal 
field  of  his  labors. 
He  was  in  the  or- 
ganization of  M  t. 
Pisgah  Church,  Pike>. 
County,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1833;  at  hei- 
call  was  ord'ainedl 
the  following  June,, 
and  became  the  first 
pastor;  which  office 
he  held  for  some  fif- 
teen years.  In  1838 
or  '39^  he  and  a  few 
others,  in  the  midst 
of  the  battle  against 
REV.  T.  T.  joHxsoN.  missious,   formed   a 

little  missionarj^  society  to  collect  funds  for  itinerant  work.  Bro. 
Jiohnson  was  sent  out  as  a  missionary  and  his  labors  were  much 
blessed.  Soon  after  these  events,  his  association  (then  Salt  Riv- 
er) raised  funds  for  home  missions  and  Brother  Johnson  was  se- 
lected as  the  missionary  at  sixty  cents  a  day.  Small  pay;  but 
he  was  at  home  in  the  itinerant  work,  and  for  the  first  five  years 
of  his  labor,  four  or  five  hundred  persons  were  converted  and 
baptized.  A  number  of  churches  were  founded,  and  many  oth- 
ers were  strengthened  under  his  evangelical  labors.  He  aided 
in  organizing  Providence,  Mill  Creek,  Buffalo  Knob,  Bowling 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION.  683 

G-reen  and  Salt  Eiver  Churches  in  Salt  Eiver  Association  •  also 
Liberty,  Elkhorn  (now  Montgomery  City)  and  Massey's  Creek 
Churches  in  Bear  Creek  Association.  During  the  vigor  of  his 
life  he  was  active  in  the  ministry,  traveling  many  weary  miles 
to  reach  congregations  gathered  together  in  school-houses  to  hear 
the  gospel  message  from  his  lips. 

His  preaching  was  generally  on  the  exhortational  order,  and 
when  in  his  prime  his  appeals  were  often  overwhelming — melt- 
ing sometimes  almost  the  entire  congregation  to  tears.  Hun- 
dreds of  souls  in  the  bounds  of  Salt  Eiver  and  Bear  Creek  As- 
sociations have  been  brought  under  conviction  and  led  to  Christ 
under  his  preaching. 

His  first  marriage  was  on  the  15th  of  March,  1827,  to  Miss 
Margaret  Henderson,  daughter  of  Eev.Thos.  Henderson,  superin- 
tendant  of  Choctaw  Academy,  Scott  County,  Kentucky.  Young 
Johnson  was  at  the  time  acting  usher  in  that  institution.  By 
the  woman  of  his  first  love  four  children  were  borne  to  him. 
She  died  in  1834,  and  on  the  15th  of  June,  1836,  he  married  Mar- 
garet Ann  Watson,  who  became  the  mother  of  seven  children — 
four  sons  and  three  daughters — and  who  yet  lives. 

"  In  1856  he  removed  to  Montgomery  County,  and  settled  near 
High  Hill,  and  from  there  to  Truxton,  Lincoln  County,  in  1865, 
at  which  place  he  resided  till  his  death.  Bro.  Johnson  was  em- 
phatically a  Bible  student,  comparing  Scripture  with  Scripture, 
and,  considering  his  limited  educational  advantages,  and  a  pecu- 
liar notion  which  led  him  to  reject  all  the  ordinary  "  helps,"  to 
a  Biblical  student,  such  as  commentaries,  &c.,  he  had  attained  a 
good  degree  of  proficiency  in  the  Bible;  and  although  somewhat 
eccentric,  as  the  writer  thought,  yet  in  the  main  he  was  sound 
in  his  views  of  Bible  truths  and  Christian  duty,  being  afirmand 
unwavering  Baptist,  and  denouncing  every  innovation  of  what 
he  believed  to  be  Apostolic  precedent  and  usage,  or  new  Testa- 
ment rule."* 

After  having  been  in  a  state  of  failing  health  for  some  time  he 
died  of  pneumonia,  at  his  house  in  Truxton,  on  Sunday,  Febru- 
ary 25,  1877.  Eld.  J.  H.  Tuttle  preached  the  funeral  sermon 
from  the  words,  "Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant;"  after 
which  he  was  buried  by  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

William  Davis  Grant, — one  of  the  constituents  of  the  Bear 
Creek  Association,  is  of  Scotch  ancestry  and  was  born  in  Ohio, 
July  10, 1812.  With  the  family  he  moved  to  Ealls  County,  Mis- 
*  Eld.  J.  H.  Tuttle  of  Hawk  Point,  Mo.  ~~~ 


684 


BEAR    CREEK    ASSOCIATION. 


souri,  in  1820.  Here  and  in  Pike  County  he  grew  up  and  spent 
many  years.  When  young  he  learned  the  tanners'  trade,  and 
while  thus  employed  he  hired  a  man  to  give  him  lessons  in  his 
spelling-book.  Subsequently  he  went  to  school  occasionally. 
While  an  apprentice  he  was  surrounded  with  wicked  associates, 
and  grew  up  a  reckless  young  man. 

In  the  fall  of  1832  he  professed  conversion  and  joined  the 
Methodists,  not  long  after  which  he  was  appointed  class-leader, 
then  a  licensed  exhorter  and  traveled  awhile  with  Eld.  Jesse 
Sitton.  He  became  a  close  student  of  the  Bible,  was  convinced 
of  the  correctness  of  Baptist  principles,  and  united  with  the  Bap- 
tist Church  at  Noix  Creek  in  1843.  He  was  at  once  licensed, 
and  two  years  after  ordained  by  the  same  church.  Wm.  Hurley, 
A.  D.  Landrum  and  J.  Bower  composing  the  presbytery. 

His  is  another  case  of  "farmer  pfeachers,"  never  perhaps  in 
his  life  having  received  a  salary.  He  raised  a  large  family,  and 
studied  his  sermons  while  holding  the  plow  handle.  To  many  of 
God's  poor  has  he  broken  the  Bread  of  Life.  His  name  is  a  fa- 
miliar word  in  many  households  in  the  counties  of  Pike,  Lincoln, 
St.  Charles,  Warren  and  Montgomery.  In  twelve  to  fourteen 
churches  he  has  filled  the  pastoral  office,  of  which  we  may  men- 
tion New  Salem,  Sulphur  Lick,  Cottonwood,  Bethlehem,  Mt.  Prai- 
rie, Mt.  Hope,  Zion,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Wellsville  and  Walnut  Grove. 
In  doctrine  he  is  calvinistic,  and  has  always  been  regarded  a  bet- 
ter preacher  by  his  hearers  than  by  himself.  Though  about  70 
years  old,  ho  still  travels  and  preaches  at  several  points. 


CHAPTER  II. 


BETHEL  (NOW  CALLED  SOUTHWEST  BETHEL)  ASSOCI- 
ATION. 

The. First  Meeting — List  of  Churches — Ministers — ^IVIission  Spirit — Plan  of  Work — 
Associational  Powers — Cheap  ISIissions — Eemarkable  Action — Baptists  not  a  Law 
Making  People,  as  Such — Change  of  Kame. 

rr^HE  following  six  churches,  viz:  New  Eamey,  Prospect, 
-L  Shady  Grove,  Buck  Prairie,  Mount  Zion,  and  Rock  Spring, 
having  been  dismissed  from  Spring  River  Association  for  the 
purpose,  met  in  convention  at  Shady  Grove  Church  on  the  sec- 
ond Saturday  in  November,  1853,  adopted  a  constitution  and 
confession  of  faith,  and  were  thus  "organized  into  an  association 
to  be  known  by  the  name  of  'Bethel  Association  of  United  Bap- 
tists.'" The  fourteenth  article  of  the  constitution  read  thus: 
''Two  thirds  of  the  association  concurring  therein,  may  with- 
draw from  any  church  in  the  union  that  is  heterodox  in  princi- 
ple or  disorderly  in  practice  ;  but  no  church  or  member  shall  be 
questioned  for  believing  in  or  promulgating  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, or  a  general  provision  in  Christ  for  all  men,  that  is,  Christ 
tasted  death  for  every  man." 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  at  Mount  Zion  Church,  Greene 
County,  commencing  October  6,  1854.  Swan  Creek,  Panther 
Creek  and  Antioch,  new  churches,  were  received  into  member- 
ship, making  eight  churches,  with  311  members — New  Ramey 
Church  not  having  been  present  at  this  session.  The  ministers 
were,  E.  Wray,  E.  Niece,  B.  Walker,  B.  Buckner,  J.  Davidson 
and  A.  Stapp. 

The  association  agreed  to  make  an  effort  for  the  spread  of 
the  gospel,  and  to  this  end  requested  the  co-operation  of  the 
churches,  solicited  the  pastors  to  preach  on  missions,  and  the 
deacons  to  make  collections  for  the  same  and  send  up  to  the  next 
meeting  of  the  body. 

Correspondence  was  solicited  with  the  General  Association, 
and  Brother  C.  D.  Bray  was  requested  to  write  a  petitionary  let- 
ter, and  the  ti'easurer  was  authorized  to  furnish  him  with  $10  to 
forward  by  mail  to  the  General  Association. 


■586       BETHEL    (now    CALLED    SOUTHWEST    BETHEL)    ASSOCIATION. 

The  churches  at  this  date  were  situated  in  Lawrence,  G-reene, 
Stone  and  Taney  Counties. 

The  messengers  that  composed  the  second  session  of  Bethel 
Association  met  at  Chalybeate  (formerly  Rock)  Spring  Church, 
Lawrence  Count}',  October  12, 1855,  Eld.  B.  Buckner  was  mod- 
erator, and  C.  D.  Bray  clerk.  Bethel  and  Hopewell,  newly 
constituted  churches,  were  admitted.  Eld.  E.  Niece  was  elec- 
ted by  private  ballot  to  ride  in  the  bounds  of  the  association, 
and  was  instructed  to  visit  the  churches,  take  up  collections,  and 
preach  to  the  destitute;  James  M.  Moore,  Jesse  A.  Marley  and 
Charles  Byrd  being  appointed  a  committee  to  regulate  his  salary 
and  call  on  the  treasurer  for  money  to  pay  the  same.  The  or- 
ganization of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  Southern  Missouri  was 
approved,  and  the  clerk  was  instructed  to  open  correspondence 
with  the  secretary  of  that  body  with  a  view  of  becoming  auxiliary 
to  the  same.  Churches,  10;  baptisms,  57  ;  members,  399;  ad- 
ditional ministers,  J.  T.  Walker  and  J.  H.  Tatum. 

At  the  next  session  (1856)  held  at  Prospect  Church,  Taney  Coun- 
ty, the  association  declined  becoming  auxiliary  to  the  Southern 
Missouri  Convention,  and  requested  the  churches  to  say  in  their 
next  letters  as  to  whether  they  will  act  with  said  Convention,  or 
with  the  General  Association,  or  with  either.  This  action  furnishes 
another  demonstration  of  the  great  want  of  information  as  to 
the  prerogatives  of  an  association.  For  a  discussion  of  this  sub- 
ject we  refer  the  reader  to  The  Fishing  Eiver  Association. 

The  missionary.  Eld.  E.  Xiece,  reported  55  days' labor;  41 
sermons;  21  baptisms;  $32,60  received  from  the  treasurer,  and 
$2  from  the  association,  leaving  a  balance  due  of  S5.40  ;  showing 
that  his  salary  was  only  about  $21  per  month.  Eld.  B.  McCord 
Roberts  was  welcomed  as  a  messenger  from  Union  Association. 
Eld.  Jacob  Good  was  elected  missionary,  and  the  funds  placed  in 
the  hands  of  an  executive  committee,  consisting  of  C.  D.  Bray, 
Benj.  Marley,  J.  M.  Moore,  Thos.W.  Ruffin  and  Alfred  Davidson. 

In  1857  the  session  was  held  at  Buck  Prairie,  Lawrence  Coun- 
ty. The  executive  board  reported  122  days  of  labor  by  the 
missionary;  baptisms,  16;  churches  constituted,  3;  and  a  bal- 
ance due  him  of  $32.85.  They  ignored  the  ordinar}-  plan  of 
mission  work  and  requested  all  the  ministers  in  the  bounds  of 
the  association  to  preach  to  the  destitute  as  much  as  they  might 
see  fit  to  do  ;  take  collections  for  missionary  purposes,  &c.  The 
following  new  churches  were  received  this  session:  Pleasant 
Grove,  Pleasant  Valley,  Liberty  and  Mt.  Sinai. 


BETHEL   (now    CALLED    SOUTHWEST    BETHEL)    ASSOCIATION.      587 

In  1858  the  association  met  at  New  Ramey.  One  new  church, 
viz  :  Kenton,  was  received  into  fellowship.  Under  the  plan  of 
missions  adopted  last  year,  six  ministers  labored  185  days  in 
destitute  places,  for  which  they  received  $26.55,  which  was  less 
than  15  cts.  a  day.  In  short,  these  ministers  were  bearing  the 
burden  of  the  work  and  the  church  members  were  living  at  their 
ease — at  least  so  far  as  missions  were  concerned. 

In  1860  messengers  from  the  churches  met  in  the  seventh  anni- 
versary at  New  Hope,  "Webster  County.  The  number  of  churches 
was  increased  by  the  addition  of  9  new  ones  to  the  list,  viz.: 
Finley  Creek,  Harmony  No.  2,  Stewart's  Creek,  Harmony  No.  1, 
Galena,  Beaver  Creek,  Pleasant  G-arden,  Pond  Creek  and  Pleas- 
ant Hope.  Baptisms,  200;  members,  1,128.  Among  others  we 
notice  the  following  additions  to  the  list  of  pastors:  J.  K.  Lacy, 
"Wilson  Seals,  L.  A.  Smith,  E.  Clevenger,  H.  W.  Herndon  and 
E.  W.  Crawford. 

Following  the  records  we  find  no  meetings  of  the  association 
during  the  war  period,  until  the  year  1864,  when  13  messengers 
met  at  Mount  Zion  Church,  Christian  County,  in  September,  and 
held  what  the  minutes  called  a  "Convention  of  the  United  Bap- 
tists." The  meeting  lasted  two  days.  The  following  remarkable 
language  was  placed  on  record  in  the  proceedings  of  the  second 
day: 

"We  instruct  the  churches  of  Bethel  Association  to  exclude  all 
disloj'al  members,  and  we  will  not  hold  churches  in  fellowship 
who  will  not  comply  with  this  advice." 

This  advice  seems  to  be  about  equivalent  to  law,  and  never, 
since  the  world  began,  were  Baptist  associations  regarded  as  law 
making  bodies. 

Eld.  E.  Niece  was  elected  moderator  of  this  meeting,  H.  C. 
Nash  clerk,  and  Eld  E.  "Wray  treasurer. 

In  1865  the  membership  of  the  churches  was  greatly  scattered 
during  the  war.  Not  a  few  of  the  churches  became  entirely  ex- 
tinct, and  others  lost  so  much  of  numerical  strength  that  at  the 
session  of  1865  only  8  churches  were  repi'esented,  who  reported 
a  membership  of  431,  against  over  1,100  in  1860.  Correspond- 
ence was  continued  with  the  General  Association. 

In  1866  the  meeting  was  held  with  Buck  Prairie,  Lawrence 
County,  when  7  churches  were  added  to  the  list  of  last  year,  and 
155  accessions  by  baptism  were  reported.  Correspondence  was 
opened  with  the  Baptist  State  Convention. 

The  association  met  at  Bethel,  Christian  County,  in  1867,  and 


588,    BETHEL    (now    CALLED    SOUTHWEST    BETHEL)    ASSOCIATION. 

received  into  fellowship  five  new  churches.  The  past  was  a  year 
of  wonderful  ingathering.  Revivals  spread  over  nearly  the  en- 
tire bounds  of  the  association  and  resulted  in  459  conversions  and 
baptisms.  The  total  membership  of  the  21  churches  was  1,240. 
An  effort  was  made  to  restore  the  ancient  order  of  things  and  the 
ministers  were  requested  to  preach  a  gospel  sermon  on  the  sub- 
ject of  missions,  and  the  churches  advised  to  send  up  contribu- 
tions to  the  next  meeting. 

In  1868  six  new  churches  reported  and  were  enrolled  at  the 
session  of  1868,  held  at  Prosperity  Church.  Their  names  were 
Union  Hill,  Timber  Grove,  Pleasant  Grove,  Mount  Olive,  Post 
Oak  Grove  and  First  Church,  Marionville,  all  of  which  were 
small.  These,  together  with  332  baptisms  increased  the  reported 
membership  to  1,388. 

^^Resolved,  That  we  hail  with  feelings  of  joy  the  news  that  the 
Baptists  of  Missouri  are  now  united,  and  acting  in  concert  in  the 
building  up  of  Christ's  kingdom." 

There  being  two  other  Bethel  Associations  in  the  state,  at  the 
session  in  1869  the  association  changed  its  name  to  read  "South- 
west Bethel  Association."  The  meeting  was  held  at  Hopewell, 
Greene  County. 

In  1870  eight  churches  made  application  and  were  dismissed 
to  form  an  association  west  of  James  Eiver. 

In  1875  this  association  was  composed  of  18  churches,  located 
mostly  in  Taney  and  Christian  Counties,  with  one  each  in  Greene, 
and  Douglass  Counties;  membership,  691. 


CHAPTER  m. 


BOUEBOIS  AND  SMITH  VALLEY  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Formation  of  Bourbois — Missionary — Kefuses  Admission  to  Excluded  Churches — 
"Old  Mount  Pleasant"  Church — SiMITh  Valley  Associatiox — Rejects  "Alien" 
Immersion — Friendship  and  Other  Churches. 

BOUEBOIS  Association  was  formed  in  1851.  We  state  this 
as  a  fact  upon  the  authority  of  the  title  page  of  the  minutes 
of  the  second  annual  meeting,  which  was  held  at  Mount  Pleasant 
Church,  Gasconade  County,  commencing  September  23,  1853. 
The  association  was  then  composed  of  6  churches,  located  in 
Gasconade  and  Maries  Counties,  viz. :  Mt.  Pleasant,  45  j  Hope- 
well, 7;  Spring  Creek,  28;  Oak  Forest,  12;  Beaver  Creek,  9; 
Third  Creek,  4;  total,  105.  The  first  and  third  articles  of  the 
constitution  are  as  follows,  and  determine  its  character  as  a  Bap- 
tist institution  : 

'^First.  This  association  shall  be  composed  of  ministers  in  our 
bounds,  and  of  such  members  as  the  churches  may  send,  by  pre- 
senting a  letter  certifying  their  legality.  "• 

'^  Third.  Any  church  may  become  a  member  of  this  association, 
provided  they  are  sound  in  the  faith  and  orderly  in  practice, 
who  will  not  oppose  those  that  may  wish  to  engage  in  the  benev- 
olent institutions  of  the  day."  (^Minutes  Bourbois  Association,  1853, 
p.  7.) 

The  ministers  of  the  association  at  this  time  were  E.  S.  D. 
Caldwell  (who  was  the  moderator),  J.  Holeman,  J.  Miller,  J.  C. 
Dillon  and  L.  Lacy. 

Our  next  information  concerning  this  body  is  for  the  year  1865, 
when  it  met  on  its  thirteenth  anniversary  at  the  Mt.  Zion  meet- 
ing house,  Osage  County,  on  the  8th  day  of  September.  There 
were  then  8  churches,  one  of  which  (Brush  Creek,  Crawford  Coun- 
ty) was  received  into  the  union  this  session.  The  entire  mem- 
bership was  now  249.  Two  churches  only — Mt.  Pleasant  and 
Lane's  Prairie — reported  baptisms  —  the  former  2  and  the  lat- 
ter 6. 

By  resolution,  *'  Feet-Washing  was  recommended  among  the 
churches," 


590  BOURBOIS   AND    SMITH    VALLEY    ASSOCIATIONS. 

During  the  fifteenth  anniversary,  held  at  Mt.  Pleasant  church, 
Gasconade  County,  September,  1867,  the  name  "Bourbois  United 
Baptist  Association"  was  adopted.  Correspondence  was  held 
with  Osage  Eiver,  Union,  Franklin  and  Gasconade  Eiver  Asso- 
ciations. Sabbath-schools  were  recommended  ;  so  were  temper- 
ance and  home  missions.  At  a  former  session  of  this  body  a 
resolution  was  adopted,  declaring  in  unequivocal  terms,  that  no 
church  would  be  recognized  by  the  association  "which  did  not 
utter  its  solemn  protest  against  intemperance."  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, Friendship  and  Willow  Spring  Churches  had  held  meetings 
and  enjoyed  glorious  revivals  during  the  year,  the  new  converts 
aggregating  94.  The  number  of  churches  was  now  10,  with 
369  communicants. 

In  1868,  Corinth  Church,  Phelps  County,  was  the  place  of 
meeting.  The  association  took  hold  of  the  missionary  work  with 
a  good  degree  of  earnestness  and  zeal.  By  individual  contribu- 
tions $131.75  were  raised  for  missionary  purposes.  The  associ- 
ation also  became  "  auxiliary  to  the  General  Association  of 
Missouri,"  and  Elds.  Briggs,  Carr  and  Shanks,  and  Brethren 
Beekham,  Blackwell  and  Gorman  were  appointed  messengers  to 
its  next  session.  The  next  most  important  event  that  occurred 
at  this  meeting  is  given  in  the  following  record  : 

"Liberty,  Mud  Spring  and  New  Salem  Churches  presented  a 
petition  for  admission  j  whereupon  the  association  appointed  a 
committee  to  investigate  the  matter,  and  see  if  said  churches, 
which  were  excluded  from  Union  Association,  be  in  order  for 
reception  into  this  association.  Committee,  H.  Beekham,  W. 
Southard,  J.  Blackwell,  G.  "W.  Sewell  and  James  Deatherage." 
After  a  full  investigation  of  the  case  the  following  was  submit- 
ted : 

"Your  committee  beg  leave  to  report  that,  after  a  full  and  free 
investigation  of  the  difficulties  existing  between  the  Mud  Spring, 
New  Salem  and  Liberty  Churches,  and  the  Union  Association, 
we  come  to  the  unanimous  conclusion  that  said  churches  should 
not,  under  existing  circumstances,  be  received  into  this  body. 
While  we  extend  to  them  our  Christian  sympathy,  we  recom- 
mend to  them  that  they  seek  for  reconciliation  with  the  Union 
Association.  William  Southard,  Chairman." 

The  report  was  adopted  unanimously. 

Eld.  W.  M.  Briggs  was  appointed  as  the  joint  missionary  of  this 
and  the  General  Association. 

In  1870  the  ordained  ministers  consisted  of  T.  E.  Carr,  G.  Stur- 


BOURBOIS    AND    SMITH   VALLEY   ASSOCIATIONS.  591 

divant,  Wm.  M.  Briggs,  Peter  Brown,  J.  S.  Frost,  G-reenbury 
Lee,  A.  E.  Dye,  E.  Moss,  H.  F.  Odura  and  Joseph  Shanks.  This 
year  the  meeting  was  held  at  Mt.  Pleasant  Church;  and  the  new 
churches  at  Dry  Creek,  Zion  Hill,  Concord,  Mt.  Calvary  and 
Jake's  Prairie  were  admitted  into  the  association,  now  number- 
ing 14  churches  and  590  members.  Baptisms  during  the  year, 
158,  which  indicates  an  extended  revival  spirit. 

By  the  session  of  1873,  which  was  held  with  Mt.  Calvary 
Church,  the  association  had  grown  to  20  churches,  with  an  ag- 
gregate membership  of  867,  and  11  ordained  ministers  and  one 
licentiate.  The  associational  territory  embraced  the  counties  of 
Maries  and  Phelps,  and  parts  of  Osage,  Gasconade  and  Craw- 
ford. M.  B.  Holman,  T,  Smith  and  T.  H.  Duncan  had  been  ad- 
ded to  the  list  of  ministers. 

Mt.  Pleasant  Church — is  one  of  the  pioneer  institutions  of 
Gasconade  County,  and  of  Bourbois  Association,  it  having  origi- 
nated with  8  baptized  believers,  September  16, 1844.  Its  location 
is  in  the  extreme  south  end  of  the  county,  forty-five  miles  from 
Herman,  the  county  seat.  The  first  pastor  was  R.  S.  D.  Cald- 
well, who  continued  with  the  church  for  some  years  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Benj.  Leach.  In  1870  the  church  had  no  house  of  wor- 
ship. In  1873  it  had  77  communicants,  and  W.  O.  Gibson  was 
pastor. 

The  rest  of  the  churches  now  on  the  list  of  this  association 
have  all  originated  since  the  war,  some  of  which  we  give  as  fol- 
lows :  Concord  in  1869  ;  Dry  Creek  in  1870 ;  Mt.  Calvary  in  1870  ; 
Mt.  Olive  in  1868;  Willow  Spring  in  1866;  Zion  Hill  in  1869 ; 
and  Antioch  in  1867. 

SMITH  VALLEY  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Smith  Valley  Association,  a  small  Baptist  community, 
whose  territory  is  adjacent  to  that  of  the  Bourbois  fraternity, 
and  all  of  whose  churches  are  situated  in  Pulaski  County,  save 
one  in  Phelps,  was  organized  in  the  fall  of  1870,  with  churches 
formerly  belonging  to  the  Gasconade  River  Association. 

From  the  minutes  of  the  fourth  anniversary,  held  September 
10,  1874,  at  Mt.  Zion  Church,  Pulaski  County,  we  cull  the  sub- 
joined facts  and  statistics : 

Churches. — Antioch,  19;  Berean,  63;  Bethlehem,  10;  Friend- 
ship, 125;  Hopewell,  44;  Idumea,  21 ;  Little  Flock,  20;  Mace- 
donia, 34;  Mill  Creek,  16;  Freedom,  26  ;  Mt.  Zion,  30;  Pleas- 
ant Grove,  38;  Prosperity,  30  ;  Robideaux,  26 ;  total  members, 
502 ;  baptisms,  70. 


692  B0URB0I8   AND   SMITH    VALLEY   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Ministers. — W.  C.  Wheeler,  Wm.  Armstrong,  M.  M.  King,  A. 
Hendrix,  J.  M.  Hibbs,  T.  J.  Zumwalt,  S.  M.  Page,  C.  A.  Wilson, 
T.  E.  Lowry,  M.  C.  Dodd,  T.  Jones,  A.  J.  Fuson  and  G.  P.  Fu- 
son,  all  of  whom  save  the  two  last  named  are  in  Pulaski  County. 

The  sentiments  of  this  association,  on  the  subjects  involved, 
may  be  gathered  from  the  following,  adopted  at  the  session  of 
1874: 

"  Whereas,  There  are  some  among  the  Baptist  brotherhood  who 
are  inclined  to  hold  the  ordinances  of  the  church  of  Christ  with 
a  loose  hand,  having  a  tendency  to  produce  strife,  heresies  and 
divisions  in  our  churches,  and  in  order  to  guard  against  this  evil ; 
therefore, 

'^Besolved,  That  we,  as  churches  composing  this  association,  here- 
after will  accept  nor  receive  no  baptism  as  scripturally  valid, 
but  that  administered  by  the  hands  of  a  regularly  ordained  Bap- 
tist minister,  of  the  same  gospel  faith  and  order  with  us;  and 
that  we  will  hereafter  fellowship  no  minister,  church  or  associa- 
tion, who  advocates  or  tolerates  mixed  communion,  directly  or 
indirectly;  believing  it  to  be  contrary  to  sound  gospel  faith  and 
order,  and  injurious  to  the  true  unity  of  the  church  of  Christ. 

^^Resolced,  That  we  are  in  sympathy  with  the  home  and  the 
foreign  missionary  societies. 

"That  we  will  give  our  influence  and  aid  to  the  Baptist  General 
Association  of  Missouri. 

"That  we  recommend  our  churches  to  organize  and  sustain 
Sunday-schools  in  their  midst,  and,  so  far  as  practicable,  make 
them  Baptist  schools. 

"That  we  dispense  with  the  titles,  'Separate,'  'United'  and 
'Missionary  ;'  and  agree  to  be  known  only  as  the  Baptist  Church 
of  Christ." 

The  Smith  Valley  Association  has  made  no  progress  in  the  way 
of  mulliplj'ing  new  churches,  but  has,  for  the  most  part,/sus- 
taincd  the  itinerant  system;  mainly,  however,  with  the  view  of 
enlarging  and  developing  the  original  churches,  rather  than  the 
extension  of  her  territorial  borders.  In  1879  she  numbered  358 
members,  holding  fellowship  in  11  churches,  10  of  which  are  in 
Pulaski  County. 

Friendship. — This  church  was  organized  in  1858  of  8  constitu- 
ent members.  It  is  situated  in  Pulaski  County,  twelve  miles 
southwest  of  Waynesville,  the  county  seat.  Wm.  Briggs  was 
their  minister  until  the  war.  In  1869  the  church  completed  a 
house  of  worship,  built  of  hewed  logs,  20x24  foet,  which  was 


BOURBOIS    AND    SMITH    VALLEY    ASSOCIATIONS.  593 

valued  at  $150.  In  1870  this  body  numbered  86  members,  but 
had  decreased  to  45  in  1879. 

Mt.  Zion  Church — was  gathered  by  M.  M.  King,  its  formal 
organization  occurring  October  27, 1867,  in  the  Cook  Settlement, 
Pulaski  County,  twelve  miles  south  of  Waynesville.  It  com- 
menced with  6  members,  and  in  1882  had  25,  with  M.  M.  King 
as  pastor. 

EoBiDBAUX  Church — bears  date  June  17,  1868,  having  begun 
with  7  members.  Its  location  was  in  Pulaski  County,  some  six- 
teen miles  southeast  from  the  county  seat.  For  a  few  years  it 
worshiped  in  an  old  log-cabin,  16  feet  square,  which  was  valued 
at  $20,  and  then  in  1875  disbanded. 


38 


CHAPTER  IV, 


CEIS'TEAL  MISSOUPJ  AND    CONCOED   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Central  Missouri  from  Bethel — Feet- Washing — How  a  Church  was  Tried — The  Won- 
derful Revival — Another  New  Association — Numerical  Strength . 

THE  Central  Missouri  Association  is  an  offshoot  of  Bethel, 
the  oldest  associational  fraternity  in  the  state.  It  was  or- 
ganized in  the  fall  of  1859  or  summer  of  1860.  At  the  session  of 
the  Bethel  Association  in  1859  "the  following  churches  were  dis- 
missed to  form  a  new  association  in  Iron  County,  viz  :  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Big  Creek,  Pleasant  Grove,  White  Oak  Grove,  Sugar  Tree 
Grove,  Mt.  Gilead,  Mt.  Zion  and  Locust  Grove;  and  Elds.  Wil- 
liam Polk,  Harry  Young  and  James  Eitter  volunteered  to  meet 
said  churches  and  aid  them  in  organizing  as  an  association." 
{Minutes  of  the  Bethel  Association,  1859.)  These  were  the  churches 
that  formed  the  Central  Missouri  Association,  but  as  to  the  exact 
time  we  have  been  unable  to  obtain  information. 

The  articles  of  faith  adopted  by  the  new  association  recognized 
*'  Feet-washing  as  set  forth  in  St.  John,  chapter  13,  to  be  one  of 
the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  which  ought  to  be  observed  by  all 
Christians  as  our  Lord  and  Savior  delivered  it  to  the  disciples, 
and  ought  to  be  practiced  in  connection  with  the  Supper  by  all 
baptized  believers."  The  third  article  of  the  constitution  reads 
thus:  "The  members  thus  chosen  and  convened,  to  be  denom- 
inated the  Central  Missouri  Association  of  United  Baptists,  be- 
ing composed  of  sundry  churches  lying  and  being  in  South  Mis- 
souri, who  are  to  have  no  power  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage, 
nor  are  they  to  have  ecclesiastical  power  over  the  churches,  nor  to 
infringe  on  any  of  the  internal  rights  of  the  churches  in  our  union  ; 
nevertheless  it  becomes  necessary  in  some  cases  to  have  a  uni- 
form rule  of  proceeding  ;  that  is,  in  case  where  an  offence  may 
be  committed  either  by  an  individual  church  or  an  individ- 
ual member  of  a  church,  which  offends  any  of  the  sister 
churches  in  the  union,  that  the  church  or  individual  so  offend- 
ing may  be  brought  to  trial,  and  their  case  determined  upon  by 
rules  prescribed  in  Matt.  18,  and  other  scriptures  concerning  dis- 
cipline for  the  bringing  to  trial  and  determining  upon  the  case 
of  an  iadividual  in  an  individual  church," 


CENTRAL  MISSOURI  AND    CONCORD   ASSOCIATIONS. 


596 


The  sixth  annual  meeting  in  1866  was  at  Mount  Zion,  Wash- 
ington County,  in  October.  Isaac  Lane  was  elected  moderator, 
and  David  Adams  clerk.  The  pastors  were  N.  Adams,  Isaac 
Lane,  Gr.  W.  Bay  and  P.  McCracken.  There  were  now  13 
churches,  5  of  which  sent  no  intelligence  this  year.  The  total 
membership  of  the  eight  that  sent  messengers  was  367. 

Pleasant  Grove  Church,  Iron  County,  was  the  place  of  meet- 
ing in  1867.  Seven  churches  were  dismissed  to  "  form  a  new  as- 
sociation in  southeast  Missouri  "  (see  Concord  Association).  This 
year  Bethlehem   Church    reported    82    baptisms,  and    all  the 


FEET- W ASHING ;  A  RARE  OBSERVANCE. 

churches  a  total  of  165  baptisms.  The  entire  13  churches  sent 
messengers  this  year,  showing  the  whole  number  of  communi- 
cants to  be  528. 

In  1874  the  association  numbered  9  churches,  5  ordained  min- 
isters, and  a  total  membership  of  283.  The  churches  were  then 
scattered  over  the  counties  of  Washington,  Iron,  Dent,  Reynolds 
and  Madison,  and  were  somewhat  intermixed  with  the  churches 
of  other  associations. 

CONCOKD  ASSOCIATION  {SOUTHEAST). 
It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Old  Concord  Association  of 


596  CENTRAL   MISSOURI   AND    CONCORD   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Missouri  was  formed  from  the  Mt.  Pleasant  in  1823,  its  churches 
being  situated  in  what  was  then  Cooper  County.  The  Concord 
Association  of  Iron  and  Eeynolds  Counties  is  a  daughter  of  the 
Central  Missouri  Association,  having  been  organized  by  a  con- 
vention of  messengers  from  4  churches,  aggregating  298  mem- 
bers, on  the  first  Saturday  in  December,  1867,  at  the  Big  Creek 
Church,  Iron  County.  The  churches  were  Big  Creek,  Bethle- 
hem, Mt.  Zion  and  Pilgrim's  Eest.  Isaac  Lane,  a  minister,  was 
moderator,  and  E.  C.  Smith  clerk.  The  name  adopted  was  "  The 
Concord  Association — lying  and  being  in  Southeast  Missouri." 
The  constitution  and  articles  of  faith  adopted  were  those  of  the 
Central  Missouri,  from  which  the  Concord  originated.  By  the 
third  article  of  the  constitution  they  were  declared  to  be  "United 
Baptists." 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  at  Pilgrim's  Eest  Church,  Iron 
County,  in  October,  1868,  when  New  Prospect,  Pleasant  Ex- 
change, Mt.  Gilead  and  Sugar  Tree  Grove  Churches  were  added 
to  the  list  of  the  preceding  year.  The  pastors  were  Isaac  Lane, 
E.  Seal  and  C.  Warren.  Isaac  Lane  was  re-elected  moderator, 
and  Thomas  M.  Dickson  was  chosen  clerk.  Correspondence  was 
opened  with  St.  Francois  and  Franklin  Associations. 

In  1869  the  meeting  was  held  at  Big  Creek  Church,  Iron  Coun- 
ty, commencing  October  2.  Highland  Church  was  admitted  into 
the  union.  Correspondence  with  Franklin  Association  was  drop- 
ped, "  because  her  constitution  and  articles  of  faith  were  found  to 
discord  with  the  constitution  and  articles  of  faith  of  the  Concord 
Association."  Having  compared  the  articles  of  faith  of  the  two 
associations,  we  find  this  diff'erence :  the  Concord  has  an  article 
declaring  "feet-washing"  to  be  an  "ordinance  of  the  gospel," 
and  Franklin  has  no  such  article.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that 
this  was  the  discrepancy  which  induced  the  Concord  to  refuse 
fraternal  greetings  with  the  Franklin  Association. 

The  third  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Bethlehem  Church,  Eey= 
nolds  County,  in  1870,  when  messengers  were  present  from  onh" 
6  churches.  Pilgrim's  Eest  and  Mt.  Zion  churches  were  excluded 
from  the  association  "for  violating  United  Baptist  practices." 

In  1871  Dening  Chapel,  Pleasant  Valley,  Locust  Grove,  White 
Oak  Grove,  Black  Oak  Grove  and  Friendship  Churches  were  re- 
ceived into  the  association  at  the  session  this  year,  held  at  Pleas- 
ant Exchange  Church,  Eeynolds  County.  Samuel  M.  Beard  was 
elected  moderator  and  W.  M.  Cotton  was  clerk. 

New  Prospect  Church,  Eeynolds  County,  entertained  the  asso- 


CENTRAL    MISSOURI   AND    CONCORD    ASSOCIATIONS.  597 

elation  in  1872,  when  the  officers  of  the  preceding  year  were  re- 
elected. The  churches  at  Blair's  Creek,  Union  and  Little  Vine 
petitioned  and  Avere  admitted  into  the  association.  The  follow- 
ing resolutions  were  adopted  at  this  meeting  : 

"1st.  That  the  association  withdraw  from  the  Mt.  Nebo  Church 
for  violating  'United  Baptist  faith.' 

"2d.  That  we  prefer  charges  against  Elder  A.  J.  Vance,  and 
upon  authority  of  the  evidence  in  the  case,  declare  his  creden- 
tials void  until  he  acquit  himself  of  the  charges." 

We  know  no  more  of  the  case  of  Eld.  Vance  than  is  contained 
in  the  foregoing  language,  but  we  must  say  this  much  relative  to 
it,  inasmuch  as  the  association  published  anything  concerning 
the  case,  justice  to  the  cause  and  to  the  accused  demanded  that 
the  particulars  be  given.  Every  one,  however  guiltj'  or  inno- 
cent, who  may  be  brought  under  church  discipline,  has  the  right 
to  demand  this.  When  the  civil  law  condemns  a  criminal  it 
makes  public  his  crime.     Ecclesiastical  law  should  not  do  less. 

From  the  table  of  1872  we  gather  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — Big  Creek,  75  ;  Pleasant  Exchange,  42  ;  Highland 
17;  New  Prospect,  58;  Bethlehem,  102;  Mt.  Gilead,  63;  Den 
ing  Chapel,  24;  Sugar  Tree  Grove,  15;  Pleasant  Valley,  23 
Locust  Grove,  37;  White  Oak  Grove,  41;  Black  Oak  Grove,  16 
Friendship,  19;  Blair's  Creek,  10;  Union,  19;  Little  Vine,  13 
total  membership,  574;  baptisms,  29;  contributions,  $26. 

Pastors.— R.  Seal,  S.  M.  Beard,  C.  Warren,  M.  W.  Cotton,  J.  C. 
Asher  and  J.  Crowley. 

In  1874  the  association  consisted  of  16  churches,  whose  mem- 
bership aggregated  584,  with  six  ordained  ministers.  The 
churches  are  located  in  Keynolds,  Iron  and  Shannon  Counties. 


CHAPTER  V. 


PEEEDOM  ASSOCIATION. 

Formation — Policy — War  Influences — Keorganization — Confusion — Kebellion — Pro- 
scription— Great  Destitution — Action  on  tlie  Liquor  Traffic — D.  K.  Murphy,  His 
Night  Adventure,  and  Coming  to  Missoiu-i — Geo.  Mitchell,  His  Education,  Work 
and  Death. 

'^    A    CCOEDINGr  to  previous  arrangement,  the  churches  that 

J-TA-.  compose  the  eastern  division  of  Union  Association,  by 
their  delegates,  met  in  convention  at  Zoar  Church,  Polk  County, 
Mo.,  on  Friday  before  the  third  Sunday  in  October,  1858.  The 
Convention  was  called  to  order  by  appointing  Eld.  E.  S.  Eaton 
chairman,  and  J.  M,  Spillman  secretary.  Letters  from  the  dif- 
ferent churches  called  for,  read,  &c.  On  motion,  the  convention 
resolved  itself  into  an  association,  and  adopted  the  following 
constitution,  articles  of  faith,"  &c.     {Minutes  of  1858,  p.  1.) 

The  name  adopted  was  The  Freedom  Association  of  United 
Baptists.  The  churches  numbered  in  all  26,  located  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Polk,  Webster,  Dallas,  Laclede,  Hickory  and  Greene,  and 
had  an  aggregate  membership  of  1,316. 

Minis1ers.—:i .  T.  Wheeler,  J.  Eandolph,  J.  E.  Callaway,  H.  II. 
Atchley,  G-.  B.  Mitchell,  I.  Vernon,  Isaac  Ingram,  D.  E.  Murphy, 
T.  Pitts,  W.  F.  Spillman,  J.  Burns,  J.  H.  Wammack  and  E.  S. 
Eaton. 

The  association  adopted  an  aggressive  policy,  and  put  Elds.  W. 
P.  Spillman  and  Gr.  B.  Mitchell  into  the  field  as  itinerants,  the 
former  for  one  year,  at  a  salary  of  $300,  the  latter  for  three 
months  at  a  salary  of  $85.  Correspondence  was  opened  with 
Union,  Cedar  and  Zion  Associations. 

The  minutes  of  the  session  of  1860,  held  at  Cedar  Bluff,  Greene 
County,  show  an  increase  of  seven  churches  over  the  preceding 
report.  The  213  reported  baptisms  indicate  a  good  degree  of 
prosperity  in  this  direction.  The  numerical  strength  had  now 
reached  1,730.  Eld.  Isaac  Ingram,  as  missionary  by  api^ointment 
of  the  executive  board,  reported  11  months'  labor,  87  baptisms, 
2  new  churches,  and  $52  collected  on  the  field.  Elds.  D.  E.  Mur- 
phy and  John  W.  Williams,  as  volunteer  missionaries,  reported 


FREEDOM    ASSOCIATION.  590 

78  baptisms,  1  new  church,  and  that  they  had  collected  $434  for 
their  support.  These  figures  certainly  indicate  a  degree  of  ac- 
tivity in  old  Freedom  worthy  of  imitation. 

Before  the  time  for  holding  the  next  annual  meeting,  the  civil 
war  had  broken  out  and  spiritual  dearth  spread  over  the  land. 
A  few  churches  met  in  1862,  but  very  little  was  accomplished. 
ISTo  more  meetings  of  the  association  were  held  until  the  autumn 
of  1865. 

"To  Libert}^  Church  and  to  her  jDastor,  Eld.  J.  P.  Aikin,  be- 
long the  honor  as  the  prime  movers  in  the  revival  of  Freedom 
Association.  In  pursuance  of  a  call  of  Liberty  Church,  a  few 
brethren  met  in  convention,  with  Eld.  J.  Mapcs  as  moderator, 
and  L.  J.  Tatum  as  clerk.  The  purposes  of  the  meeting  were 
two  :  1st.  To  reorganize  the  association  ;  2d.  To  adopt  some  plan 
of  co-operation  between  the  two  j)arties,  as  political  differences 
had  caused  much  alienation  of  feeling.  The  convention  made  an 
appointment  for  an  associational  meeting  at  Cedar  Bluff,  Greene 
County."     (3fS.  of  L.  A.  Smith.) 

The  minutes  of  this  session  are  before  us.  It  was  held  in  Oct- 
ober, 1865.  Eight  churches  sent  messengers.  J.  P.  Thomas  was 
moderator,  and  L.  J.  Tatum  clerk ;  $29.15  were  contributed  to 
defray  expenses,  and  the  clerk  was  requested  to  publish  the  con- 
stitution and  articles  of  faith  in  the  minutes,  which  he  did. 

"  The  meeting  was  only  a  partial  success.  From  this  time  on, 
for  a  number  of  years,  the  energies  of  Freedom  Association  were 
greatly  crippled  by  much  wrangling  and  consequent  confusion." 
{MS.  ofL.  A.  Smith.) 

The  session  adjourned  to  meet  in  August,  1866,  at  Brighton 
Church,  Polk  County.  No  meeting  seems  to  have  been  held  at 
that  time.  In  September,  1866,  however,  9  churches  sent  mes- 
sengers, and  a  meeting  was  held  at  Ilumansville,  Polk  County. 
Only  4  of  the  9  churches  were  represented  in  the  meeting  the 
previous  year,  and  no  reference  is  made  to  said  meeting  in  the 
records  of  1866. 

The  spirit  of  proscription  was  prominent  in  the  majority.  An 
amended  confession  of  faith  was  adopted,  the  2d  article  of  which 
read  thus : 

"We  believe  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
are  the  written  word  of  God,  and  the  only  (true)  rule  of  faith  and 
practice  ;  and  that  they  inculcate  strict  loyalty  to  civil  govern- 
ment, and  that  we  will  not  fellowship  those  that  have  been  in 
rebellion  against  the  government  of  the  United  States,  without 


600  FREEDOM    ASSOCIATTON. 

evidence  of  gospel  repentance."  {Minutes  Freedom  Association, 
1866,  p.  5.) 

Great  was  the  destitution  and  many  were  the  waste  places  in 
the  borders  of  the  association  at  this  date.  Some  conception 
may  be  formed  of  the  vast  desolation  from  the  following  report 
of  the  committee  on  destitution  : 

"  In  1860  there  were  in  our  district  over  30  churches,  general- 
ly supplied  with  ministers.  "We  have  now  about  17  churches  in 
process  of  reconstruction,  partially  supplied,  in  feeble  condition, 
destitute  of  houses,  and  but  five  resident  preachers;  no  Sab- 
bath-schools or  Bible  classes."  {Minutes  Freedom  Association,  1866, 
p.  4.) 

The  minutes  of  1866  give  the  following  summary: 

Churches. — Bolivar,  Brighton,  Senter  (at  Humansville),  Liber- 
ty, Elkton,  Enon,  G-reen  Mountain,  Salem  and  Freedom.  The 
aggregate  membership  was  429. 

Ministers. — D.  E.  Murphy,  H.  J.  Mapes,  L.  J.  Tatum  and  J.  P. 
Aikin. 

Only  ^9.15  were  contributed  to  defray  expenses. 

Four  new  churches  were  added  to  the  association  in  1867,  when 
the  meeting  was  held  at  Freedom,  Polk  County,  and  H.  J.  Mapes 
and  James  P.  Aiken  were  appointed  itinerants  to  ride  and  preach 
in  the  bounds  of  the  association. 

In  1868  the  session  was  held  at  Enon,  Polk  County ;  in  1869 
at  Center,  Polk  County;  in  1870  at  Half  Way,  Polk  County;  in 
1871  at  First  Baptist  Church,  Buffalo,  Dallas  County;  in  1872  at 
Union  Grove,  Polk  County;  in  1873  at  Oak  Grove,  Polk  Count}-;  in 
1874  at  Mt,  View,  Polk  County;  in  1875  at  Bolivar;  in  1877  at 
Mt.  Olive,  Dallas  County;  in  1878  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Polk  Coun- 
ty ;  and  at  Concord,  Polk  County,  in  1879. 

As  it  will  be  both  uninteresting  and  unprofitable  to  follow  the 
routine  of  business  in  the  successive  sessions  of  the  body,  we 
shall  now  note  only  such  features  of  its  history  as  will  be  of  gen- 
eral interest.  New  churches  were  admitted  as  follows :  Enon, 
Dallas,  Union  and  Union  Grove  in  1878  ;  Oak  Grove,  Friendship, 
Half  Way  and  Buftalo  in  1869;  and  in  1870,  Macedonia  and 
Mission  Chapel. 

In  1868  the  second  article  of  the  confession  of  faith,  relating 
to  rebellion,  was  stricken  out  and  the  following  adopted  as  a 
substitute :  "  That  magistrates  are  to  be  prayed  for,  conscientious- 
ly honored  and  obeyed,  except  in  things  opposed  to  the  will  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 


i^REEDOM   ASSOCIATION,  601 

From  1866  to  1870  the  list  of  ministers  was  increased  by  the 
following:  James  Schofield,  Geo.  W.  Mitchell,  J.  Baker,  H.  C. 
Ayers,  G.  Suiter,  T.  Buckner,  J.  K.  Knoble,  G.  W.  Dooley,  T. 
Mathew  and  M.  K.  Pitts.  In  1870  the  total  number  of  churches 
Was  20,  and  the  aggregate  membership  774, 

For  the  last  ten  years  the  Freedom  Association  has  enjoyed 
peace  and  harmony  and  has  grown  in  efficiency.  In  fact,  from 
the  beginning  there  was  an  aggressive  element  in  the  churches. 
During  most  or  all  of  this  period  she  has  by  the  most  earnest 
appeals  sought  the  promotion  of  the  Baptist  Sunday-school  in- 
terest. 

At  one  time  the  dram-shop  question  greatly  agitated  the  peo- 
ple of  Polk  and  adjoining  Counties.  In  1874  the  association 
adopted  resolutions  condemning  in  the  severest  terms  the  liquor 
traffic,  as  follows : 

"Resolved,  That  this  association  lift  up  her  hand  against  the 
practice  of  selling  intoxicating  spirits  as  a  beverage,  and  use  all 
her  power  to  put  down  the  same,  and  that  we,  as  Baptists,  are 
positively  and  emphatically  against  the  granting  of  dram-shop 
licences  under  any  circumstances  whatever  ;  and  that  the  clerks 
of  the  several  churches  in  this  association  are  requested  to  read 
the  above  resolutions  to  their  respective  churches."  {Minutes Free- 
dom Association,  1874,  p.  2.) 

Such  was  the  extent  of  dram-drinking,  and  such  its  manifest 
hurtful  influence,  that  the  association  again  lifted  up  its  voice  on 
the  subject.  In  1877  the  following  action  was  taken  relative  to 
this  practice: 

"Whereas,  There  is  a  tendency  among  some  of  our  good  people 
to  countenance  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  and  advocate  a 
moderate  use  of  the  same;  and,  whereas,  all  the  drunkards  of  the 
land  come  from  the  ranks  of  the  moderate  dram-drinkers;  and, 
whereas,  it  is  our  opinion  that  the  moderate  dram-drinker  is  lead- 
ing many  of  the  most  prominent  young  men  of  our  country  into 
the  haunts  of  drunkenness,  degradation  and  ruin;  we  therefore 
recommend  : 

"  1st.  That  each  of  our  church  members  be  admonished  to 
abstain  from  the  use  and  discourage  the  sale  of  intoxicating 
liquors,  except  strictly  for  medical  use,  and  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  their  family  physician. 

"2d.  That  each  of  our  ministers  be  requested  to  preach  at 
least  once  a  year  to  their  churches  on  the  subject  of  intemper- 
ance."   {Minutes  Freedom  Association,  1877,  p.  2.) 


602  FREEDOM    ASSOCIATION 

Having  from  time  to  time  given  off  churches  to  unite  with  and 
build  up  other  associations,  the  Freedom  had  not  in  1880  as 
many  churches  as  in  1870.  Her  strength  then  may  be  seen  in 
the  following  summary :  churches,  17 ;  ministers,  22  ;  total  mem- 
bership, 1,464.  A  large  majority  of  its  churches  being  in  Polk 
County,  the  propriety  of  changing  its  name  to  that  of  "  Polk 
County  Association  "  Avas  submitted  to  the  churches  at  its  meet- 
ing in  1879. 

In  her  bounds,  at  Bolivar,  is  located  the  Southwest  Baptist 
College,  a  young  and  growing  institution  of  learning  with  J.  E. 
Maupin  at  its  head,  an  account  of  which  will  appear  in  another 
place. 

D.  E.  Murphy, — for  thirty -five  years  one  of  the  most  useful 
and  laborious  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  southwest  Missouri,  was 
a  native  of  the  state  of  Tennessee,  and  was  born  in  Jefferson 
County,  November  24,  1802.  His  father,  William  Murphy,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  revolutionary  Avar,  and  nephew  of  the  "Murphj^ 
Boys,"  Joseph  and  William,  who  attained  such  great  notoriety 
as  ministers  in  the  struggles  of  the  early  Virginia  Baptists. 

In  early  life  D.  E.  Murphy  was  surrounded  by  wicked  associ- 
ates and  customs,  such  as  drinking,  dancing  and  card-playing,  in 
which  he  became  for  a  time  a  willing  participant,  but  under  the 
power  of  divine  truth  he  M^as  converted  in  his  twentieth  year 
and  united  with  the  Mill  Spring  Church,  September  3,  1832. 
While  under  conviction,  he  says  of  himself:  "I  retired  to  the 
lonely  grove  between  sunset  and  dark,  and  while  prostrate  on 
my  guilty  breast,  pleading  with  the  Lord  for  the  salvation  of 
my  soul,  I  saw  that  my  condemnation  was  just,  and  thought  sure- 
ly hell  was  my  doom.  I  resolved  to  resign  myself  to  the  will  of 
God  without  reserve.  This  done,  'ere  I  was  aware,  I  felt  some- 
thing with  the  speed  of  lightning,  as  it  were,  flash  over  me;  my 
feelings  were  strange  indeed — all  was  peace — and  while  I  mused 
the  fire  of  God's  eternal  love  kindled  within  me,  and  I  leaped 
from  the  earth,  joyful  and  happy."  (Autobiography  of  D.  R.  Mur- 
phy, page  2.) 

In  1834  he  was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry,  and  spent  five 
years  preaching  in  his  native  state.  Having  heard  of  the  vast 
destitution  in  the  great  Southwest,  he  removed  to  Polk  County, 
Missouri,  in  1839.  At  that  time  the  people  of  this  section  of  the 
country  lived  mostly  in  small  log-cabins  Mnth  puncheon  floors,  a 
door  in  one  side,  and  a  wooden  chimney.  In  many  places  it  was 
a  distance  of  from  five  to  ten  miles  between  residences.     Under 


FREEDOM   ASSOCIATION.  t>03 

these  circumstances  Eld.  Murphy  commenced  his  labors  to  help 
build  up  the  Baptist  interest  in  Missouri.  He  traveled  many 
lonely  hours  by  day  and  by  night.  On  one  occasion  he  came 
near  losing  his  life.  In  attempting  to  cross  a  prairie  one  cold, 
cloudy  winter  night,  he  lost  his  way  and  wandered  for  hours, 
suifering  intensely, — in  fact  came  near  freezing  to  death.  At 
length,  almost  ready  to  give  up,  he  concluded  to  try  hallooing  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  which  aroused  some  dogs  in  the  distance. 
He  ran  as  fast  as  he  could,  guided  by  the  barking  of  the  dogs, 
his  horse  trotting  after  him,  finally  reached  the  house  and  was 
cared  for  by  strangers. 

Mr.  Murphy  was  active  in  building  up  the  waste  places  in  the 
field  of  his  voluntary  missionary  labors.  The  first  church  that 
he  gathered  was  Enon,  Polk  County,  organized  with  6  members, 
April  19,  1840,  which  proved  to  be  a  fruitful  vine.  The  next 
church  he  organized  was  Mount  Zion,  in  the  same  county,  on  the 
29th  of  the  following  August.  In  the  first  eighteen  years  of  its 
existence  this  church  received  by  baptism  204  members,  and  or- 
dained 6  ministers.  Coon  Creek  Church,  St.  Clair  County,  was 
the  next  in  order,  which  was  formed  in  July,  1841.  But  it  is  im- 
possible to  go  into  particulars.  In  all,  Mr.  Murphy  aided  in  the 
organization  of  between  25  and  30  churches  in  th©  bounds  of 
Freedom  and  adjoining  associations,  and  baptized  during  his 
ministry  in  the  state  some  3,000  persons.  For  thirty-five  years 
he  was  one  of  the  standard-bearers  in  the  Baptist  pulpit  in  the 
Southwestern  part  of  the  state.  In  an  early  day,  when  he  was  in 
his  prime,  proti'acted  meetings,  which  very  generally  took  the 
form  of  camp-meetings,  were  common  in  his  field  of  labor,  and 
his  efforts  were  in  demand  in  these  meetings,  and  generally  be- 
came very  successful.  Commencing  with  1840,  no  man  did  more 
in  his  day  to  build  up  the  Baptist  cause  in  that  great  Southwest- 
ern field  than  Eld.  D.  E.  Murphy. 

Mr.  Murphy's  first  marriage  was  with  Miss  Lucy  L.  Carter  in 
1822,  who  bore  him  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  The  last  seven 
years  of  her  life  she  was  a  cripple,  unable  to  walk.  During  the 
most  of  this  period  Eld.  Murphy  continued  his  ministerial  work 
as  before,  for  five  years  of  the  time  carrying  his  invalid  wife  in 
his  arms  to  and  from  the  carriage,  while  traveling  over  a  large 
extent  of  country  preaching  the  gospel.  Thus  were  his  labors 
continued  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances ;  but  he  counted 
not  his  life  dear  unto  himself,  considering  Him  faithful  who  had 
promised. 


fi04  FREEDOM    ASSOCIATION. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  sketch  Mr.  Murphy  was  denominated  ft 
voluntary  missionary.  Such  was  he  when  he  came  to  Missouri. 
He  was,  however,  a  colporteur  of  the  American  Baptist  Publica- 
tion Society  from  1852  to  1855,  and  for  short  periods  of  time  act- 
ed as  missionary  of  his  district  association;  all  the  while  receiv- 
ing only  a  small  salary.  The  woman's  missionary  society  at 
Cambridge,  Mass.;  the  Dorcas  society  at  Worcester;  Dr.  D. 
Jayne,  and  others  at  the  East  interested  in  the  evangelism  of  the 
West,  contributed  to  his  support.  We  have  before  us  a  summary 
of  receipts  by  him  from  1840  to  1858,  which  shows  an  average  of 
S181  a  year,  and  during  one  year  of  the  time  he  paid  over  $200 
for  doctors'  bills. 

Mr.  Murphy  was  a  man  of  more  than  average  native  talent, 
generous,  of  warm  impulses,  full  of  zeal,  and  thoroughly  devoted 
to  the  building  up  of  the  Baptist  denomination. 

His  second  wife,  Mrs.  L.  A.  Allen  of  Cedar  County,  Missouri, 
whom  he  married  in  1853,  survived  him  and  in  1876  was  living 
at  the  homestead  at  or  near  Humansville.  She  furnished  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  his  death,  which  occurred  at  his  home  August 
28,  1875. 

"  My  husband's  death  was  a  most  triumphant  one.  He  suffer- 
ed intensely  for  four  months,  but  was  patient  and  meek.  Eight 
physicians  were  called  to  his  bedside,  but  his  case  baffled  the 
skill  of  all  of  them.     The  last  song  we  sung  was, 

'  I  am  going  home  to  die  uo  more,' 
when  he  reached  forth  his  lean,  trembling  hand,  bid  adieu  to  all 
who  were  present,  and  praised  God  for  redeeming  love."     Thus 
he  died  in  the  73d  year  of  his  age,  an  ear  of  corn  fully  ripe. 

George  Mitchell.* — The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in 
Yorkshire,  England,  September  6,  1820,  and  was  educated  at 
Horton  Baptist  Theological  College,  having  entered  this  insti- 
tution at  the  age  of  22.  He  afterwards  spent  one  year  at  Edin- 
burgh as  a  preparation  for  the  foreign  field,  but  on  his  return  to 
England  was  installed  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Hors- 
forth,  July,  1847.  The  young  pastor  entered  upon  his  charge 
with  all  the  earnestness  of  his  great  heart. 

In  the  following  October  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  Armitage,  daughter  of  Mr.  Samuel  Armitage  of  Bradford. 

At  Horsforth,  Eld.  Mitchell  labored  for  five  years,  when  he 
received  a  unanimous   call  from  the  church  at  Irwell  Terrace 

*  From  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life,  hy  J.  U.  M.,  iu  Mimites  Freedom  Assodation, 
1879 ;  also  a  MS.  bv  huneelf. 


FREEDOM    ASSOCIATION.  605 

Chapel,  Bacup.  After  continuing  here  for  three  years  he  deter- 
mined to  quit  his  native  land  and  sail  for  the  new  world. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1855,  he  left  Liverpool,  and  after  a  pleas- 
ant voyage  of  thirty-three  days  he  landed  with  his  family  in 
Philadelphia.  Immediately  ujion  his  arrival  in  America,  he  was 
settled  as  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Beverly,  Kew 
Jersey.  He  continued  three  years  at  Beverly,  when  he  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Fourth  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis, 
Mo.  (the  church  of  which  Eld.  J.  V.  vSchoficld  is  now  pastor). 
When  this  church  called  him  there  were  but  thirty  members.  In 
less  than  two  years  the  membership  increased  fourfold,  number- 
ing one  hundred  and  twenty  souls.  A  beautiful  house  of  wor- 
ship was  erected.  On  the  1st  of  May,  1859,  he  preached  the  dedi- 
catory sermon  of  the  Fourth  Baptist  Church. 

In  the  spring  of  1860  he  came  to  Miller  County,  Mo.,  by  direc- 
tion of  the  Home  Mission  Board.  He  was  sent  not  only  to  in- 
struct the  people,  but  also  to  teach  such  of  the  ministry  as  might 
desire  his  instructions. 

Soon  the  civil  war  broke  out  and  blighted  all  his  prospects. 
December  2,  1860,  the  church  at  Lebanon,  Mo.,  extended  to  him 
a  call,  which  he  accejsted,  and  removed  his  family  thither.  But 
little  could  be  accomplishod  when  the  domestic  retreat  was  vio- 
lated, and  when  even  the  house  of  God  was  no  longer  a  sanctu- 
ary. Having  previously  studied  medicine  he  went  to  the  suffer- 
ing and  dying,  ever  carrying  the  blessed  gospel  of  the  Son  of 
God.  Toward  the  close  of  the  war  he  went  to  Jefferson  City  to 
take  charge  of  the  hospital  there.  "When  the  war  closed  he  re- 
turned to  Southwest  Missouri,  and  began  a  great  work  in  re-or- 
ganizing the  churches,  especially  in  the  towns.  In  t"his  respect 
his  labors  were  greatly  blessed.  He  was  pastor  of  several  dif- 
ferent churches. 

In  January,  1874,  he  resigned  the  pastorate  of  the  church  at 
Bolivar  and  went  to  California.  In  July  of  the  same  year  he 
went  to  Hiawatha,  Kansas.  He  preached  for  the  church  at  this 
place  for  about  two  years.  His  labors  seem  to  have  been  great- 
ly blessed.  The  house  was  repaired,  a  large  increase  was  made 
and  a  general  interest  in  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom 
showed  itself.  This,  I  believe,  was  about  his  last  pastorate.  He 
was  afterward  called  to  the  Carrollton  Church,  but  on  account 
of  a  stroke  of  paralysis  could  not  accept. 

He  has  written  in  his  diary  of  1876 :  "  This  year  has  been  a 
year  of  severe  trial  to  me.     Paralysis  has  severely  threatened 


60G  FREEDOM    ASSOCIATION 

me,  and  with  that  a  severe  pain  in  my  left  lung.  It  is  with  great 
difficulty  that  I  read  a  chapter,  pray  or  preach.  If  the  Lord  has 
designed  to  remove  me  by  this  sickness,  the  Lord's  will  be 
done." 

He  died  May  27,  1879,  at  4  o'clock,  P.  M.  His  departure  was 
calm  and  serene.  He  has  gone  ;  but  yet  he  liveth.  His  works 
do  follow  him. 


CHAPTER  TI. 


JEFFEESON  COUNTY  ASSOCIATION. 

Origin  and  Name — Sabbatli  Observance  and  Sabbath-schools — Bethlehem  and  Calvey 
Churches — David  Stites — Lebanon,  Swashing  and  Other  Churches. 

MESSENGEES  from  six  churches,  viz.:  Bethlehem,  Swash- 
ing, Mt.  Zion,  Calvey,  Sandy  and  Little  Meramec  met  at 
Bethlehem  Church,  Jeiferson  County,  October  8, 1853,  and  organ- 
ized the  Jeiferson  County  United  Baptist  Association.  Elder 
James  Williams  was  moderator  of  the  meeting,  and  Augustus 
Wiley,  clerk.  The  following  were  the  ministers,  so  far  as  can 
be  now  ascertained  :  James  Williams, Washington  Stephens, Wm. 
McKay,  J.  C.  Hudspeth,  Sullivan  Frazier  and  Wm.  H.  Hensley. 

In  1856  the  association  met  September  12,  with  the  Swashing 
Church.  The  annual  sermon  was  preached  by  Jacob  Hudspeth. 
The  attendance  was  large.  The  members  from  the  different 
churches  came  up  to  the  work  in  the  true  spirit  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion. After  receiving  three  new  churches,  the  association  pass- 
ed many  valuable  resolutions  relative  to  mission  work,  temper- 
ance, Sunday-schools,  &c.,  &c.,  all  of  which  seemed  to  be  con- 
ducted in  the  greatest  harmony.  Eld.  H.  B.  Graves,  agent  of  the 
Baptist  Convention  of  Southern  Missouri,  attended  this  meet- 
ing, participated  in  the  deliberations,  and  received  825  in  cash 
besides  some  pledges  for  the  objects  of  his  mission.  On  Sunday 
the  audience  was  very  large,  and  gave  polite  attention  to  the 
preaching  of  the  word.  After  preaching  a  collection  was  made 
to  raise  money  to  sustain  ministers  who  would  consent  to  protract 
the  meeting,  amounting  to  S25.  The  meeting  was  continued  until 
the  following  Friday  evening.  A  revival  ensued,  which  was  fruit- 
ful in  eight  professions  and  five  baptisms.  The  association  con- 
tinued to  grow,  though  not  rapidly. 

The  sixteenth  anniversary  was  held  at  Mount  Zion  Church, 
commencing  October  8,  1869.  Eld  W.  Stephens  preached  the 
opening  sermon,  and  was  afterwards  elected  moderator.  The 
original  6  churches  had  grown  to  17,  the  following  having  been 
added  since  1873  :  Pilgrim's  Eest,  Indian  Creek,  Eock  Spring, 
Shiloh,  Big  Springs,  Lebanon,  New  Harmony,  Cedar  Hill,  Hope- 


608  JEFFERSON    COUNTY   ASSOCIATION. 

well,  First  Church,  Sulphur  Springs  and  Temperance  Mission. 
The  total  membership  of  the  13  churches  that  sent  statistics  to 
this  meeting  was  791.  Eld.  Washington  Stephens  was  appointed 
a  messenger  to  the  General  Association,  to  meet  in  St.  Louis,  and 
an  appropriation  made  to  defray  his  expenses. 

The  ^'committee  on  Sabbath-schools  and  the  observance  of  the 
Sabbath"  made  the  subjoined  report: 

"Whereas,  It  is  the  duty  of  all  Christians  to  'remember  the 
Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy; ' 

"Resolved,  That  we  refrain  from  visiting  and  chatting  upon 
worldly  topics  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  by  going  to  the  house  of 
Grod  and  taking  our  children  with  us,  to  receive  or  give  in- 
struction from  his  holy  word,  we  will  endeavor  to  '  remember  the 
Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy.' 

"Resolved,  That  this  association  jDroceed  to  organize  a  Sab- 
bath-school convention." 

In  accordance  with  this  last  resolution,  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day  (October  9)  a  constitution  was  adopted,  and  the  "Jef- 
ferson County  Sunday-school  Convention,"  auxiliary  to  the 
Missouri  Baptist  Sunday-school  Convention,  was  organized,  and 
a  full  corps  of  officers  chosen. 

Eld.  W.  Stephens  was  elected  as  missionary,  the  churches  were 
requested  to  contribute  to  this  object,  and  $80  were  pledged  by 
members  on  the  floor  for  the  same. 

In  1870  when  the  session  was  held  at  Sandy  Church,  two  new 
churches,  viz  :  Oakland  and  First  Victoria  ;  also  Shiloh  Church 
from  Franklin  Association,  were  admitted  into  the  union,  and 
their  messengers  received  the  right  hand  of  fellowship. 

The  association  met  with  the  Swashing  Church,  October  6, 
1871,  in  its  eighteenth  anniversary.  Mt.  Zion  and  Valle  Mines 
Churches  were  added  this  year  to  the  list.  The  executive  board 
reported  §141  as  the  amount  of  money  collected  and  expended 
for  itinerant  work  during  the  year,  and  $116,30  paid  for  mission- 
ary work  done  during  a  preceding  year.  Eld.  S.  Frazier  had 
spent  144  days  in  the  field,  received  93  into  the  churches  and 
traveled  2,117  miles.  This  association  perpetuates  the  custom 
of  publishing  circular  letters.  The  one  this  year,  on  Luke  24  j 
47,  and  the  one  the  year  preceding  (in  1870),  on  "The  Design  of 
Baptism,"  were  both  written  by  Eld.  W.  Stephens,  the  modera^ 
tor  of  the  body. 

The  minutes  of  1879  are  put  up  in  a  neatly  printed  pamphlet 
of  14  pages,  and  3how  a  good  state  of  things  in  the  churches. 


JEFFERSON    COUNTY    ASSOCIATION.  600 

160  baptisms  were  reported  and  22  churches  are  on  the  list,  in 
which  the  aggregate  membership  is  1,380.  The  circular  letter 
was  on  the  communion  question,  written  by  Eld.  J.  H.  Blaylock, 
and  contains  a  thoroughly  scriptural  argument  on  the  subject. 
The  scope  of  the  business  is  very  well  indicated  bj^  the  subjects 
on  which  committees  were  expected  to  report,  viz. :  "  Temper- 
ance;" ''Duty  of  Christian  Parents  to  Children;"  "Sabbath- 
schools;"  ''Organization  of  Churches;"  "Duties  of  Churches 
to  Pastors;"  "Church  Discipline;"  "Prayer;"  "Who  has  a 
right  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  to  administer  the  ordinances;  " 
"Bible  Eeading;"  "Missionary  Operations." 

In  1881  the  meeting  was  held  with  Little  Meramec  Chuich, 
when  20  churches  were  on  the  roll.  Tw6  churches,  Pisgah  and 
Temperance  Mission,  had  enjoyed  revivals,  the  former  adding 
14  and  the  latter  10  converts  to  its  membership. 

Bethlehem  Baptist  Church. — The  old  pioneers,  Lewis  and 
James  Williams,  were  among  the  early  standard-bearers  in  Jef- 
ferson County.  They  preached  the  gospel  through  that  section 
of  the  state  in  quite  early  times,  and  both  are  claimed  as  the 
founders  of  the  Bethlehem  Church,  in  1829,  some  eight  miles 
northwest  of  Hillsboro,  the  county  seat  of  Jefferson  County.  No 
records  were  kept  until  1833.  James  "Williams  was  their  minis- 
ter for  the  first  twenty  j^ears.  Uj)  to  1845  the  church  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Franklin  Association,  when  it  was  dismissed,  but  for 
what  purpose  the  records  do  not  say.  One  writer  says  that  the 
church  was  reorganized  in  1840,  and  that  60  members  were  in  it. 
A  log  house  was  first  built  in  1843,  about  20x24  feet.  The  church 
rebuilt  in  1863  a  frame,  26x40,  at  a  cost  of  S500.  Bethlehem  was 
one  of  the  constituents  of  Jefferson  County  Association;  has  long 
been  a  great  light,  and  numbered,  in  1881,  91  members,  the  third 
largest  in  the  association. 

Calvey  Church, — Franklin  County,  was  first  organized  by 
Lewis  Williams  in  1829,  with  5  members.  Williams  served  the 
church  as  pastor  for  three  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  David 
Stites;  he  by  James  Williams;  he  by  J.  M.  McCourtney ;  he  by 
Henry  Lollar;  and  he  by  Wm.  J.  Cunningham  in  1847.  The 
church  is  located  near  the  line  of  Jefferson  County,  eighteen  miles 
southeasterly  from  Union,  county  seat  of  Franklin  County, 
where  in  1854  it  erected  a  small  frame  house  of  worship  at  a 
cost  of  S300.  This  church  was  also  in  the  organization  of  Jef- 
erson  County  Association. 

David  Stites, — a  cotemporary  of  Lewis  and  James  William; . 
39 


610  JEFFERSON    COUNTY    ASSOCIATION. 

was  born  in  Pittsj^lvania  County,  Virginia,  and  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  war  of  1812,  having  moved  some  time  before  to  Smith 
County,  Tennessee.  He  came  early  to  Missouri,  first  settled  in 
St.  Louis  County,  where  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Murphy,  and 
subsequently  removed  to  Franklin  County,  wherey  noor.  r.fter, 
with  a  very  limited  education,  he  commenced  exhorting  and 
praying  in  public.  His  wife  taught  him  to  read,  after  which 
he  commenced  to  jireach  the  gospel  to  the  pioneer  settlers.  His 
hours  for  study,  while  learning  to  read,  and  afterwards  when 
preparing  his  sermons,  were  in  the  evening  after  the  toils  of  the 
day  had  closed,  by  a  light  made  from  bundles  of  dry  sticks  in 
the  fire-place.  In  those  days  not  more  than  one  man  in  a  hun- 
dred could  afford  a  log-chain;  their  traces  were  raw-hide  tugs 
and  clevises  of  the  same  material.  Their  farming  implements 
were  shovel  and  bar-shire  plows  with  "v/ooden  rods;  their  axes 
were  home-made,  and  their  wagons  were  sleds,  on  which  they 
hauled  their  wood  and  gathered  in  their  corn  and  pumpkins. 

Eld.  Stites  usually  had  the  care  of  four  churches  while  he  con- 
tinued to  labor  hard  on  his  farm  for  a  living.  To  most  of  his 
churches  it  was  needful  for  him  to  start  on  Friday,  from  which 
he  would  reach  home  on  Monday.  Underthe  exposure  and  hard- 
ships of  a  frontier  life,  his  wife,  in  1835,  was  seized  with  that 
dread  disease,  consumption,  from  which  she  died  January  6, 
1837,  leaving  a  family  of  eleven  children,  ranging  from  two  days 
old  up  to  16  3^ears.  After  this  Eld.  Stites  distributed  his  child- 
ren amongst  his  relations,  and  gave  his  whole  time  to  itinerant 
work,  traveling  from  Franklin  County  southward  as  far  as  the 
Arkansas  state  line.  During  his  wife's  protracted  illness  he  got 
in  debt,  and  was  sued  for  $20.  Money  was  hard  to  get.  He  went 
a  distance  of  twenty  miles  from  home,  and  for  a  friend  of  his, 
split  2,000  rails  for  $10,  sold  his  trusty  rifle  for  $10  more  and 
paid  the  debt,  after  which  two  of  his  boys  worked  out  the  costs. 

In  1839  he  again  married,  and  was  solicited  to  preach  for  four 
churches  in  Gasconade  County,  at  a  salary  of  $1,200,  but  refused 
on  account  of  the  people  in  his  old  field  of  labor,  who  were  poor 
and  unable  to  support  a  minister. 

From  about  the  3'ear  1847  he  spent  the  residue  of  his  life  in 
Gfentry  Comity,  Missouri,  occasionally  returning  to  his  old  neigh- 
borhood, where,  to  the  gratification  of  the  friends  of  his  early 
life,  he  would  hold  protracted  meetings,  which  were  often  attend- 
ed with  good  results.  His  death  occurred  subsequent  to  the 
year  1858.     No  dates  or  circumstances  are  given, 


JEFFERSON    COUNTY    ASSOCIATION.  611 

Lebanon, — now  the  largest  church  in  the  Jefferson  County  As- 
sociation, was  formed  in  the  fall  of  1833  of  7  members,  by  James 
Cundiff  and  Walter  W.  Tucker,  Its  location  is  in  Ste.  Gene- 
vieve County,  eighteen  miles  north  from  the  county  seat,  Ste. 
Genevieve.  Their  first  minister  was  J.  C.  Eenfro  who  continued 
to  break  to  them  the  bread  of  life  for  several  years.  After  the 
custom  of  that  early  day  the  church  worshiped  in  what  might 
be  called  a  log-cabin  for  twentj'-five  years,  having  built  such  the 
year  after  the  organization  was  effected.  Thi^  was  replaced  by 
a  frame,  30x40  feet,  in  1859.  In  1882  the  church  had  140  mem- 
bers. 

Swashing  CHURCH-^bears  date  July  17,  1843,  having  been  or- 
ganized by  James  Williams  and  W.  Stephens.  Six  members 
signed  the  covenant  and  chose  Eld.  W.  Stephens  as  pastor.  He 
was  succeeded  by  S.  F.  Benfro,  W.  J.  Weaver,  Sullivan  Frazier, 
James  Williams  and  Wni.  McKay.  The  location  of  the  church  is 
nine  or  ten  miles  southeasterly  from  Hillsboro,  the  county  seat, 
and  two  miles  from  De  Soto,  where  in  1868  it  built  a  frame  house 
worth  $1,000.  This  was  one  of  the  original  six  churches  of  the 
Jefferson  County  Association.  It  had  86  members  in  1882,  and 
kept  up  a  part  of  the  j^ear  a  Baptist  Sunday-school. 

PilgrIxM's  Eest. — This  church  was  founded  by  Jacob  Hudspeth, 
November  11,  1854,  of  7  members,  on  Dry  Creek,  in  Jefferson 
County.  William  McKay  became  their  minister.  The  church 
worships  in  a  neat  frame  building,  valued  at  $800,  erected  in  1857. 
For  three  years  during  the  war  no  meetings  for  business  were 
held,  but  as  soon  as  the  boom  of  the  cannon  had  died  away  the 
members  resumed  their  places  and  the  ambassador's  voice  was 
heard  as  before. 

Hopewell. — The  founder  of  this  church  was  Eld.  W.  Stephens, 
September  24,  1855,  with  7  constituent  members.  It  is  located  in 
Washington  County,  twelve  miles  northeast  of  Potosi.  The  first 
pastor  was  Wm.  McKay  for  two  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  S. 
Frazier  for  many  years.  The  church  in  1879  was  without  a  pas- 
tor, and  numbered  only  24  members.  Their  house  of  worship,  a 
frame,  24x40  feet,  was  built  in  1871  and  cost  $1,000. 

Cedar  Hill  Church, — was  formed  by  W.  Stephens,  April  18, 
1856,  with  7  members,  and  in  1882  had  52  members.  It  is  in  Jef- 
ferson County,  14  miles  northwest  of  the  county  seat.  Eld.  W. 
Stephens  was  the  first  minister. 

Indian  Creek  Church, — Franklin  County,  twenty  miles  east  of 
south  from  Union   was  organized  March  15,  1858.     The  records 


612  JEFFERSON    COUNTY    ASSOCIATION. 

do  not  give  the  names  of  the  constituents.  About  1860  the  church 
built  a  log  house  20  feet  square,  at  a  cost  of  $100,  which  was  the 
house  it  occupied  in  1871.  Thomas  Mothershead  first  ministered 
unto  them.  We  learn  that  from  its  organization  it  struggled  hard 
for  nearly  ten  years,  when  a  revival  was  enjoyed  by  it,  resulting 
in  much  good. 


CHAPTER  Til. 


NOETH  MISSOUEI   AXD   MT.  MOEIAH    ASSOCIATIONS. 

Organization  and  Brief  History  of  North  Missouri  Association — Of  Mt.  Moriah — Pre- 
liminary Meeting — Its  Olijoet — Circular  on  Communion — Summan,- — New  Salem, 
Gentryville,  and  Pleasant  Valley  Churches — Open  Communion  Trouble — Deacon 
K  D.  Black— B.F.  Kenncy— The  "Test  Oath"— Israel  Christie— J.  W.  Black- 
Israel  Christie,  Jr.— B.  Wheeler— Sam'l  Weir— F.  E.  Jewell— T.  M.  S.  Ivenney. 

"   A    CONVENTION,    composed  of  messengers    from   South 

-jLJL.  Big  Creek,  Maysville,  New  Salem,  Lost  Creek  and  Free- 
dom Churches,  met  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  Daviess  County, 
May  25,  1858,  the  object  whereof  being  to  consult  with  reference 
to  the  propriety  of  forming  a  new  Baptist  association."  (J/m- 
utes  of  the  Convention,  p.  1.)  After  a  full  discussion,  the  decision 
was  unanimous  in  favor  of  such  an  organization.  B.  F.  Kenney, 
J.  I).  Black  and  John  Osborn  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
draft  a  constitution,  and  the  convention  adjourned  to  meet  at 
the  same  place  the  following  July. 

"  July  9th,  1858. 

"  The  convention  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  at  New  Salem 
Church,  when  the  following  churches  were  present  by  messen- 
gers :  New  Salem,  South  Big  Creek  (now  Crab  Orchard),  Mt. 
Nebo  and  Gallatin,  and  completed  the  organization  of  the  asso- 
ciation by  adopting  a  constitution  and  articles  of  faith.  The  3d 
article  of  the  constitution  reads  thus: 

"This  association  shall  be  called  the  North  Missouri  Associa- 
tion of  United  Baptists,  and  it  shall  be  a  missionary  body,  but  it 
shall  exercise  no  ecclesiastical  authority  over  the  churches  com- 
posing it,  but  shall  act  only  as  an  advisory  council."     Also, 

"Art.  8th.  The  youngest  ordained  minister  shall  preach  the 
first  annual  introductory  sermon,  and  the  next  youngest  shall 
be  his  alternate,  and  so  on  in  succession,  until  each  ordained 
minister  shall  have  preached  one  introductory  sermon,  and  this 
shall  be  the  perpetual  order  of  this  body  in  the  preaching  of  in- 
troductory sermons." 

The  numerical  strength  of  the  churches  above  named  was : 
New  Salem,  60  j  S.  B.  Creek,  40;  Mt.  Nebo,  10;  Gallatin,  22; 
total,  132 ;  all  were  in  Daviess  County. 


614  NORTH    MISSOURI    AND    MOUNT    MORIAH    ASSOCIATIONS. 

Deacon  E.  D.  Black  was  the  moderator  of  the  convention,  and 
J.  H.  Tuttle  clerk. 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  at  South  Big  Creek  Church, 
Daviess  County,  October  1,  1858,  when  one  new  church,  King- 
ston, with  47  members,  was  added.  The  officers  of  the  prece- 
ding session  were  re-elected.  In  harmony  with  the  constitution, 
this  infant  fraternity  of  five  churches  contributed  this  year  for 
associational  and  missionary  purposes  the  sum  of  S85.25  ;  to 
which  was  added  $8.90,  a  public  collection  on  Sunday. 

Ministers.— B.  F.  Kenney,  J.  B.  Christie,  R.  C.  Hill  Benj. 
Wheeler,  J.  H.  Tuttle  and  J.  D.  Black. 

The  second  annual  meeting  was  held  with  the  church  at  Galla- 
tin, Daviess  County,  October,  1859.  "  The  last  meeting  of  the 
Xorth  Missouri  Association,"  says  our  correspondent,  B.  P.  Ken- 
ney, "was  held  at  South  Big  Creek  Church  in  1860,  Avith  the  ap- 
j)ointment  to  meet  in  1861  at  Kingston  Church,  but  the  thick- 
ening gloom  and  danger  of  the  war  prevented  the  session  being 
held.  The  clerk  of  the  association  went  South,  our  records  were 
all  lost,  and  the  association  ceased  to  exist."  (We  have  on  file 
the  printed  minutes  of  the  association  for  the  first  and  second 
meetings.) 

ilOUNT  MOKLiH  ASSOCIATION. 

This  body  occupies  the  same  territory  formerly  occupied  by 
the  North  Missouri,  with  considerably  enlarged  borders.  It 
originated  in  a  preliminary  meeting  held  for  consultation  at  the 
session  of  the  North  Liberty  Association  at  New  Salem  Church, 
Daviess  County,  in  August,  1869.  The  convention  which  com- 
pleted the  organization  of  the  association  was  held  at  Zoar 
Church,  the  first  Saturday  in  October  of  the  same  year.  Mes- 
sengers were  present  from  12  churches  (for  names,  see  table  at 
close  of  this  chapter)  mostly,  if  not  wholly  in  North  Liberty  As- 
sociation, and  located  in  Andrew,  Daviess,  Gentry  and  DeKalb 
Counties.  B,  F.  Kenney  was  elected  moderator  of  the  conven- 
tion, and  W.  W.  Stout  clerk.  The  name  adopted  was,  Mount 
Moriah  Association,  without  any  prefix,  although  the  constitution 
declared  that  the  association  would  "abide  bytheterms  of  union 
long  since  adopted  by  the  United  Baptists,  viz. :  '  The  preaching 
that  Christ  tasted  death  for  every  man  shall  be  no  bar  to  com- 
munion.' " 

The  objects  of  the  association,  as  set  forth  in  the  constitution, 
were,  "to  receive  statistical  and  other  information  annually 
from  the  churches;  to  give  advice  in  difficult  cases  when  solicit- 


North  Missouri  and  mt.  moriah  associations.  615 

ed ;  to  strengthen  the  bonds  of  union  ;  and  to  adopt  measures  to 
supply  the  destitute  in  her  own  bounds  with  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel;  and  to  promote  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom  in 
the  world." 

In  1870  the  association  adopted  the  old  London  Confession  of 
Faith.  Messengei's  were  appointed  to  the  Gentry,  North  Liber- 
ty, West  Fork  and  the  General  Association.  At  this  session  the 
title  "  United  Baptists"  was  restored  and  the  churches  were  re- 
quested to  so  designate  themselves  in  their  letters. 

At  the  third  anniversary,  held  at  Bethel  Church,  Andrew 
County,  in  1871,  "a  proposition  was  submitted  to  consolidate 
the  three  associations  of  Gentry,  Platte  Eiver  and  Mt.  Moriah; 
and  after  discussion  thesubjectwasreferredto  the  churches  to  re- 
port on  next  year.  The  Platte  Eiver  brethren,  however,  did  not 
await  the  final  action  of  the  association  ;  for  on  Saturday,  De- 
cember 30, 1871,  the  delegates  from  the  churches  in  St.  Joseph  and 
other  churches  met  at  Bethel  Church,  Andrew  County,  and  formed 
what  is  now  the  St.  Joseph  Association,  the  Mount  Moriah  Asso- 
ciation losing  one  church — Bethel — by  the  transaction."  (Sam'l 
Weir.) 

Eld.  B.  F.  Kenny  read  a  circular  letter  at  this  session  on  the 
subject  of  communion,  which  was  ordered  published  in  the  min- 
utes. 

The  association  has  held  regular  meetings  from  its  commence- 
ment to  the  present  time,  with  no  considerable  degree  of  enlarge- 
ment, adding  only  a  few  churches  to  the  original  list,  and  giving 
off  an  occasional  one  to  another  association  ;  but  at  no  time  has  the 
number  of  churches  reporting  at  any  given  meeting  exceeded 
thirteen,  with  a  total  numerical  strength  of  680.  Soon  after  the 
association  was  formed,  a  Sunday-school  Convention  was  organ- 
ized in  its  bounds,  and,  from  its  earliest  history,  the  associa- 
tion has  been  in  active  sympathy  with  domestic  missions  and  de- 
nominational education.  The  ministry  and  the  churches  have 
met  with  very  decided  opposition  to  the  spread  of  pure  gospel 
truth. 

"  The  association,"  says  our  correspondent.  Eld.  B.  F.  Ken- 
ne}",  "has  endeavored  to  do  the  best  it  could,  surrounded  as  it  is 
with  Campbellism,  Adventism  and  other  forms  of  heresy  and  in- 
fidelity, the  adherents  of  which  are  holding  occasional  discus- 
sions which  are  mere  burlesques  upon  religion,  excitingalikethe 
sneer  of  philosophy  and  the  scoff  of  infidels ;  doting  about  ques- 
tions to  no  profit,  but  to  the  subverting  of  the  hearer,  which  things 


GIG  NORTH    MISSOURI    AND    MT.    MORIAII    ASSOCIATIONS. 

we  desire  to  avoid,  knowing  that  they  increase  to  more  ungodli- 
ness."    (From  Eld.  B.  F.  Kenney's  MS.) 

We  herewith  give  a  summary  of  the  minutes  of  1879  : 

Churches. — Crab  Orchard,  54  ;  Freedom,  55  ;  G-entryville,  56 ; 
Hopewell,  29;  Kenney  Chapel,  53;  Liberty,  106;  Mt.  Nebo,  32; 
Mt.  Moriah,68;  New  Salem,  188;  Pleasant  Valley,  36;  total 
members,  677;  baptisms,  66;  receptions  by  letter,  27,  by  rela- 
tion, 4;  dismissed  by  letter,  30;  excluded,  11 ;  deaths,  7. 

Pastors. — John  Harmon,  B.  Wheeler,  S.  Weir,  Jno.  Ferguson,  F. 
E.  .Jewell,  Israel  Christie,  Arnold  Pfister,  D.  C.  Campbell,  B.  F. 
Kenney  and  T.  M.  S.  Kenney. 

The  churches  of  Mount  Moriah  are  mostly  if  not  wholly  in 
Daviess  and  Gentry  Counties. 

New  Salem  Church, — at  Victoria,  Daviess  County,  is  one  of 
the  pioneer  churches  of  this  section  of  Missouri,  having  been 
organized  by  Elds.  B.  F.  Smith  and  Franklin  Graves,  June  28, 
1846,  with  Wiley  Cope,  Keziah  Cope,  Thomas  M.  Sherrill,  Wm. 
and  Susan  Osborn,  Abner  and  Eliza  Osborn,  Elizabeth  Osborn, 
John  and  Rachel  Osborn,  Susan  E.  Sherrill  and  John  H.  Orr  — 
a  total  of  12  members  as  constituents.  The  church  united  with 
the  North  Liberty  Association  the  same  year.  From  its  organ- 
ization to  1855  the  successive  pastors  were  Franklin  Graves,  Luke 
Williams,  Jr.,  Jno,  Whitchurch,  Jonas  I).  Wilson,  David  Ander- 
son, and  F.  Graves  a  second  term.  In  October,  1855,  B.  F.  Ken- 
ney was  called  to  the  pastorate  and  so  continued  until  1871  or 
'72,  when,  on  account  of  failing  health,  his  nephew.  Eld.  T.  M.  S. 
Kenney,  was  called  to  his  assistance.  The  elder  Kenney  was 
continued  as  pastor  though  he  preached  but  little.  John  Osborn 
was  ordained  as  deacon  in  1848.     (From  MS.  of  J.  W.  Black.) 

Crab  Orchard  Church. — The  sketch  of  this  body  may  be  found 
in  the  history  of  West  Fork  Association. 

Gentryville, — in  Gentry  County,  was  organized  October  26, 
1850,  by  Mathias  Cline,  with  seven  constituent  members,  to  whom 
were  added  in  a  five  days'  meeting  held  immediately  after  or- 
ganizing, ten  others.  The  town  of  Gentryville  is  ten  miles  south 
from  Albany,  the  county  seat.  The  ministers  have  been  T.R. 
Ferguson,  B.  Wheeler,  David  Stites,  Israel  Christie,  E.  W.  Dun- 
agan  and  then  John  Ferguson.  In  1857  the  church  built  a  brick 
house  for  worship,  30x50  feet,  and  in  1870  remodeled  it  and  it 
is  worth  $2,000.  Prior  to  the  late  civil  war  this  was  a  strong 
church  of  80  members;  but  during  the  troublous  times  the 
membership  became  very  much  scattered.  Many  never  returned, 


NORTH   MISSOURI    AND    MT.    MORIAH    ASSOCIATIONS.  617 

some  died,  and  the  general  state  of  society  was  such  that  the 
church  did  not  hold  a  meeting  from  1861  to  1869.  Since  then, 
though  much  enfeebled,  they  have  been  gaining  ground  slowly, 
and  now  have  an  active  band  of  56  members.  In  February,  1859, 
this  church  set  apart  by  ordination  E.  W.  Dunagan  to  the  work 
of  the  gospel  ministry. 

Pleasant  Valley. — This  church  bears  date  February  1,  1868. 
It  was  founded  by  B.  F.  Kenney  and  B.  Wheeler,  on  a  constitu- 
ency of  six,  soon  after  which  others  joined.  They  chose  B. 
Wheeler  as  pastor,  who  continued  two  years,  being  succeeded 
by  F.  E.  Jewell.  *' At  this  time  the  membership  was  30,  very 
many  of  whom  were  of  the  Separate  Baptist  order.  About  this 
time  W.  Williamson  and  Eld.  Huraer  came  that  way  and  organi- 
zed a  church  in  the  same  house  with  Pleasant  Yalley.  These  men 
preached  apostacy  and  open  communion,  stj'ling  themselves  'Un- 
ion Baptists.'  A  large  part  of  the  membership  of  Pleasant  Val- 
ley Church  left  in  disorder  and  joined  Williamson's  Church  of 
Arminians  and  open  Communionists."  The  church  has  been 
small  numerically  ever  since.     (MS.  of  T.  E.  Kinkade.) 

Deacon  Eeuben  D.  Black. — This  devout  Christian  man  was 
born  in  Virginia  in  1803,  and  with  his  parents  emigrated  to  Ken- 
tucky in  1812,  thence  to  Boone  County,  Missouri,  in  1824.  He  pro- 
fessed religion,  united  with  the  Columbia  Baptist  Church  about 
1837,  and  was  baptized  by  P.  S.  Thomas.  The  same  year  he  was 
chosen  a  deacon.  In  1848  he  removed  to  Daviess  County,  Mis- 
souri, united  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  and  lived  a  very  ex- 
emplary and  useful  Christian  life,  being  highly  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him.  In  1877  he  moved  to  Cameron  and  for  several 
years  has  continued  his  visits  to  New  Salem  Church  whenever 
his  health  would  permit. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Kenney, — for  twenty-five  years  a  resident 
of  Missouri,  the  first  moderator  of  Mount  Moriah  Association, 
and  for  over  fifty  years  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  was  born  in 
Scott  County,  Kentucky,  January  5,  1805.  In  his  early  life  he 
was  rather  skeptical,  but  becoming  dissatisfied  with  this  theory 
he  for  a  time  inclined  much  toward  autinoraianism.  All  failed  him 
when  the  Spirit  of  God  got  hold  of  him  and  showed  him  his 
own  personal  guilt.  His  conversion  occurred  at  the  age  of  21 
years,  after  which  he  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  Great 
Crossings  Church  by  Silas  M.  Noel.  Very  soon-  after  he  com- 
menced to  exercise  his  gifts  and  was  licensed  to  preach.  In  1828 
he   married,   removed    to     Owen    County,    Ky.,  and    became   a 


fllS  NORTH    MISSOURI    AND    MT.    MORIAH    ASSOCIATIONS. 

member  of  New  Liberty  Church  by  which  he  was  ordained  in 
1829,  the  presbytery  being  composed  of  John  Scott,  Joseph 
Crouch  and  Cornelius  Duvall.  Eld.  Kenney  entered  at  once  up- 
on the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  served  as  pastor  of  the  follow- 
ing churches  in  Kentucky :  Xew  Liberty,  Greenup's  Fork,  Long 
Eidge,  Great  Crossings,  Long  Lick,  Buckrun,  Forks  ofElkhorn, 
Mt.  Carmel  and  North  Fork.  All  these  churches  were  in  the 
Franklin  Association.  He  was  also  co-pastor  with  the  venera- 
ble Abram  Cook,  of  Indian  Fork  Church,  Shelby  County. 

In  1855  (October)  he  removed  with  his  family,  settled  in 
Daviess  County,  Missouri,  and  became  pastor  of  New  Salem, 
Crab  Orchard  and  Gallatin  Churches.  He  is  now  (1879)  in  his 
75th  year  and  has  been  preaching  52  years  ;  has  baptized  about 
1,000  persons,  married  about  700  couple,  and  is  yet  able  to  render 
valuable  service  to  God's  dear  people,  though  not  to  assume  the 
active  duties  of  a  pastor.  Eld.  Kenney  is  one  of  our  most  pop- 
ular preachers,  both  for  his  age  and  for  his  depth  and  profundi- 
ty in  Scripture  interpretation.  Most  highly  respected  and  dear- 
ly beloved  by  the  people  among  and  for  whom  he  has  so  long 
labored.     (From  MS.  Sketch  by  Samuel  Weir.) 

Says  another  co-laborer  of  this  venerable  servant  of  Christ: 

*'A  Sabbath  with  New  Salem,  Daviess  County,  made  us  ac- 
quainted with  Brother  B.  F.  Kenney,  one  of  the  old  pioneers. 
He  came  from  Kentucky  to  this  state  many  years  since.  He  is  a 
man  of  amiable  disposition,  of  fair  talent  and  culture,  and  strong- 
ly entrenched  in  the  affection  of  his  friends.  During  the  trying 
times  of  the  TestOath  he  endured  the  trial,  refusing  to  subscribe 
on  conscientious  grounds.  He  was  twice  arrested,  and  would 
have  gone  to  prison;  but  to  avoid  bloodshed  he  gave  bond,  so 
great  was  the  excitement  of  the  people.  By  change  of  venue 
his  trial  was  removed  from  Gallatin,  Mo.,  to  St.  Joseph,  and  he 
was  released  from  bonds  when  the  law  was  declared  unconstitu- 
tional. Returning  home  by  rail  to  Cameron  with  a  light  and 
joyous  heart,  he  walked  home,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  without 
weariness.    (J.  Mcrriam,  in  Central  Baptist.) 

Since  the  completion  of  the  foregoing  sketch.  Eld.  B.  F.  Ken- 
ney has  passed  to  his  home  on  high.    Ho  died  as  he  had  lived. 

Israel  Christie. — This  good  man  was  for  many  years  a  pillar 
in  Zion  ;  eminently  pious,  and  a  zealous  and  staunch  member  of 
the  Baptist  denomination.  He  was  a  native  of  Franklin  County, 
Virginia ;  born  Sept,  25,  1793.  After  his  tenth  year,  he  spent 
upwards  of  forty  years  of  his  life  in  Kentucky.     When  about  16 


NOETH    MISSOURI   AND    MT,    MORTAII    ASSOCIATIONS.  019 

years  of  age  he  became  the  subject  of  God's  converting  grace  and 
was  baptized  by  that  well  known  and  faithful  man  of  God,  i^bram 
Cook,  having  united  with  Indian  Fork  Church,  Shelby  County. 
On  the  19th  of  December,  1815,  he  was  united  in  holy  wedlock  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Cook,  who  became  a  Christian  the  following  year. 
At  this  time  society  was  in  a  formative  state  in  young  Christie's 
neighborhood,  and  he  found  much  to  do  in  molding  the  thoughts 
of  his  frontier  neighbors.  The  elements  of  a  well  developed 
Christian  man  were  prominent  in  his  life,  and  he  impressed  a 
healthy  moral  sentiment  wherever  he  went.  In  1849  he  left  the 
scenes  of  his  earlier  attachments  and  moved  to  Buchanan  Coun- 
ty, Missouri,  where  he  spent  six  years  of  his  life  in  fellowship 
and  labor  in  the  New  Salem  Church;  moving  thence  he  made  his 
home  in  Daviess  County,  where  he  spent  the  residue  of  his  life. 

He  raised  a  large  family  of  children — 15  in  number — all  of 
whom  lived  to  become  heads  of  families,  and  Baptists.  At  the 
time  of  his  death,  his  posterity  numbered  not  fewer  than  four 
score.  Two  of  his  sons,  J.  B.  and  Israel,  are  valuable  and  highly 
esteemed  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  Mt.  Moriah  Association. 

Deacon  Christie  was  a  man  of  medium  stature,  dark  eyes,  and 
a  remarkabl}^  pleasant  countenance,  especially  when  animated  in 
conversation.  He  ''spoke  evil  of  no  man."  On  one  occasion  the 
writer  of  this  sketch,  in  the  presence  of  Deacon  Christie,  used  a 
harsh  expression  of  one  of  his  neighbors.  The  deacon  looked  at 
him  in  his  own  peculiar  manner,  and  said,  "  Suppose  we  talk 
about  something  else."  He  was  for  years  a  diligent  student  of 
the  Holy  Bible,  having  clear  and  well  defined  views  of  Scripture 
doctrine,  a  fact  that  often  led  even  the  ministry  to  him  for  coun- 
sel and  aid. 

Such  was  the  power  and  sweetness  of  his  influence  that  it 
seemed  almost  impossible  for  strife  and  discord  to  long  continue 
in  a  church  blessed  with  his  presence  and  membership. 

On  the  21st  of  January,  1878,  this  highly  esteemed  Christian 
man,  in  the  80th  year  of  his  natural  life,  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  and 
was  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Liberty  Church,  Gentry  County. 
About  three  5"ears  after  he  was  followed  by  the  companion  of 
his  youth  and  wife  of  his  old  age,  who  was  laid  by  the  side  of 
him  to  whom,  61  years  before,  she  had  given  her  heart  and  her 
hand. 

John  Wickliffe  Bxack. — The  subject  of  this  brief  notice  is  now 
a  member  of  the  Mount  Moriah  Association.  He  is  a  son  of  Dea- 
con Reuben  Black,  was  born  in  Boone  County,  Missouri,  Feb., 


620  NORTH    MISSOURI    AND    MT.    MORIAH    ASSOCIATIONS. 

1833,  born  again  in  IS-IS  and  baptized  at  Columbia  by  M.  M. 
Modisett.  The  same  year  he  moved  to  and  settled  in  Daviess 
County.  He  was  ordained  a  minister  by  the  New  Salem  Church, 
having  been  called  to  labor  as  a  missionary  in  Gentry  Associa- 
tion.  He  has  for  years  followed  the  profession  of  a  school  teach- 
er, still  dividing  his  time  between  this  employment  and  the  min- 
istry. He  is  welcomed  wherever  he  goes,  and  is  a  sound  gospel 
preacher.     (MS.  of  Samuel  Weir.) 

Israel  Christie,  Jr.,* — for  some  years  an  active  layman  in  the 
counties  of  Gentry  and  Daviess,  long  a  clerk  of  Mt.  Moriah  Associ- 
ation, and  also  pastor  of  churches  in  its  bounds,  was  born  Sep- 
tember .3,  1828,  in  Shelby  County,  Kentucky.  He  was  convert- 
ed, united  with  Indian  Fork  Church,  and  was  baptized  by  Eld. 
B.  F.  Kenney  in  1842.  In  January,  1849,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Basket,  and  in  September  of  that  year  emigrated  to 
Missouri,  and  became  a  member  of  Friendship  Church,  Gentry 
County.  He  and  others  obtained  letters  and  organized  Liberty 
Church,  August  26,  1854,  and  he  was  chosen  first  clerk.  He  aid- 
ed in  organizing  Freedom,  Hopewell,  Pleasant  Yalley  and  White 
Oak  Churches.  He  commenced  preaching  in  November,  1867, 
and  was  ordained  February,  1871.  Bro.  Christie  is  an  industri- 
ous and  self-made  man,  and  an  earnest  preacher.  He  has  labor- 
ed as  pastor  in  New  Castle,  Liberty,  Freedom,  Island  Branch  and 
Little  Flock  Churches.  In  1876  he  held  a  meeting  of  seventeen 
days  with  Island  Branch  Church,  and  baptized  47  converts. 

Benjamin  Wheeler — is  one  of  the  most  forcible  and  pointed 
speakers  in  the  Mt.  Moriah  Association.  He  is  a  Kentuckian, 
born  December  8, 1807,  and  was  converted  at  the  age  of  21  years. 
His  call  and  ordination  to  the  ministry  occurred  in  his  native 
state,  and  was  consummated  in  1848,  Elds.  Moses  Foley  and  Bur- 
dett  Kemper  composing  the  council.  His  removal  to  Missouri 
was  in  April,  1850,  and  his  settlement  in  Gentry  County  one  year 
after.  For  the  past  thirty  years  he  has  labored  assiduously  in  that 
section  of  the  state  (with  perhaps  a  short  interval  during  the 
war)  to  build  up  and  advance  the  Baptist  cause;  sometimes  in 
the  pastoral  office,  and  then  as  an  itinerant  missionar}' ;  and  his 
labors  have  been  very  much  blessed  in  the  salvation  of  sinners. 
He  is  now  a  faithful  and  worthj^  minister  in  the  association,  has 
acted  as  its  moderator,  is  well  versed  in  the  Scriptures  and  han- 
dles his  subject  as  a  "workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed." 
(From  the  MS.  of  Samuel  Weir.) 

*  MS.  of  Samuel  Web-. 


NORTH    MISSOURI    AND    MT.    MORI  AH    ASSOCIATIONS.  621 

Samuel  Weir — was  born  February  7,  1833,  at  Warren's  Point, 
county  of  South,  Province  of  Ulster,  Ireland, 

He  emigrated  to  America,  landing  at  Mobile,  Ala.,  Oct.,  1850, 
and  moved  to  Missouri  in  Sept.,  1855.  After  the  close  of  the  war 
he  and  his  brother  sailed  from  Baltimore,  in  May,  1867,  for  Bra- 
zil, and  returned  to  Daviess  County,  Mo.,  in  October  of  the  fol- 
lowing year.  His  conversion  occurred  at  a  meeting  held  by  the 
venerable  Kenney  and  Paul  McCollum,  and  he  was  baptized  on 
Easter  Sunday,  April,  1871,  in  the  clear  waters  of  South  Big 
Creek.  His  ordination  to  the  ministry  was  Sept.  30,  1874,  at  the 
call  of  Crab  Orchard  Church,  after  which  he  became  its  pastor. 
Here  he  continued  a  year,  then  resigned,  moved  his  membership 
to  Kenney's  Chapel,  Gallatin,  for  which  he  preached  occasionally 
for  two  years,  and  moved  his  membership  thence  to  Freedom 
Church,  DeKalb  County,  where  he  still  resides.  Bro.  Weir  has 
rendered  valuable  assistance  in  perfecting  the  sketches  of  Mt. 
Moriah  and  West  Fork  Associations. 

Fielding  Ewell  Jewell. — This  brother  is  now  an  old  man, 
having  been  born  in  1814,  in  Clark  County,  Kentucky.  At  about 
the  age  of  18  years  he  was  converted  and  united  with  the  church. 
He  came  to  Missouri  in  an  early  da}^,  but  did  not  commence 
preaching  until  1854.  He  was  ordained  by  a  council  called  for 
the  purpose  in  1868,  has  for  several  years  been  pastor  of  two 
churches,  Hopewell  and  Pleasant  Valley,  and  his  people  love 
him.    (From  MS.  of  Samuel  Weir.) 

T.  M.  S.  Kenney,  —  scarcely  yet  in  his  prime,  was  born  in 
Stamping  G-round,  Kentucky,  February  5,  1844.  He  emigrated  to 
Missouri  in  1856,  and  at  about  the  age  of  16  years  professed  re- 
ligion and  joined  the  Baptist  Church  in  Weston,  Platte  County, 
having  been  baptized  by  the  venerable  Dr.  Coffee.  From  the 
year  1864  he  spent  about  twelve  months  at  Evansville,  Ind.,  with 
G-eo.  H.  Chandler,  a  commission  merchant.  By  the  church  here 
— then  under  the  pastoral  supervision  of  Geo.  F.  Pentecost — he 
was  licensed  to  preach.  In  1865  he  returned  to  Missouri,  and 
was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  New  Salem  Church,  Daviess  Coun- 
ty, in  connection  with  the  long  standing  pastor,  the  late  Eld.  B. 
F.  Kenney.  By  this  church  he  was  ordained  in  March,  1872,  Elds. 
B.  F.  Kenney,  Elias  George,  Eobert  Livingston  and  B.  F.  Golds- 
by  composing  the  ordaining  council.  Feeling  that  God  has 
specially  called  him  to  that  work,  he  has  remained  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  state  ever  since,  all  the  while  gaining  ground  for  him- 
self and  for  the  Baptist  denomination. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


ST.  FEANCOIS  ASSOCIATION. 

Organization  of— The  Itinerant  System — The  Eevival — The  New  Colony — Feet- 
washing — Sketches  of  the  Churches — Biographical :  C.  T.  Graham — A.  Hughes 
— J.  Crowley — W.  W.  Settle — Piukney  Graham. 

TWELVE  churches  dismissed  for  the  purpose  from  Black 
Eiver  Association,  met  together  in  Madison  County  in  Oc- 
tober, 1850,  and  organized  the  "St.  Francois  Association  of  Uni- 
ted Baptists,  Devoted  to  Benevolent  Purposes."  The  meeting 
was  at  Castor  Church.  The  name  at  once  fixes  in  the  mind  the 
end  for  which  the  associationwas  formed.  Benevolent  purposes. 
Just  the  end  for  which,  indeed,  every  institution  of  the  kind 
should  be  formed — to  accomplish,  bv  combining  the  influence  of 
several  churches,  what  one  church  cannot  do  of  itself.  Associa- 
tions can  be  of  little  use  unless  they  work  to  this  end.  The 
churches  of  this  first  meeting  were  scattered  over  Wayne  and 
Madison  Counties,  and  possibly  a  few  in  Bollinger  County. 

We  have  access  to  most  of  the  printed  records  since  the  first 
meeting.  The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Little  Vine 
Church,  Madison  County,  commencing  September  27, 1851.  Zion 
Church,  Wayne  County,  and  Salem  Church,  Bollinger  County, 
were  admitted  to  membership.  The  table  gives  the  following  as 
the  ministers  at  this  time  :  C.  T.  Graham,  W.  W.  Settle,  J.  Dun- 
can, J.  B.  Wallis,  A.  Hughes,  R.  S.  Eaton  and  S.  M.  Eanhoff. 
The  association  proceeded  without  delay  to  provide  for  preach- 
ing among  the  destitute.  To  this  end  on  Monday  morning  she 
"set  apart  Eld.  Wm.W,  Settle  as  an  itinerant  preacher,  to  travel 
in  the  bounds  of  the  association,  and  ordered  that  he  keep  a 
schedule  of  his  travels,  the  labor  he  performs,  the  amount  of  con- 
tributions he  receives,  and  report  to  the  next  meeting  of  this  as- 
sociation." Correspondence  was  opened  with  Union^  Black 
River,  Cape  Girardeau  and  Franklin  Associations.  The  strong- 
est church,  numerically,  Avas  the  Sinking  Creek,  which  had  63 
members.     The  next  was  Cedar  Creek  with  53  members. 

At  the  second  annual  meeting,  held  at  Little  Vine  Church,  the 
association  divided  its  bounds  into  four  districts,  and  appointed 


ST.    FRANCOIS    ASSOCIATION.  623 

a  yearly  meeting  in  each  one,  requested  the  ministers  to  attend 
these  meetings,  and  also  recommended  that  each  church  send  up 
five  members,  including  the  deacon,  to  these  meetings. 

From  the  session  of  1857  a  messenger,  Eld,  Wm.  W.  Settle,  and 
a  contribution  of  $12,  were  sent  to  the  Baptist  Convention  of 
Southeast  Missouri.  On  Sunday  a  real  Pentecostal  season  was 
enjoyed.  Elds.  Graham,  Settle  and  Johnson  preached  in  "dem- 
onstration of  the  Spirit  and  of  power,"  the  people  were  greatly 
moved,  souls  cried  for  mercy,  a  number  were  converted,  and  thir- 
teen united  with  the  Mt.  Tabor  Church.  Such  scenes  were  com- 
mon in  that  day  in  the  St.  Francois  Association. 

From  1851  to  1858  the  ministerial  corps  was  enlarged  by  addi- 
tions as  follows:  L.  D.  Bennett,  A.  G.  Twidwell,  A.  E.  L. dead- 
er, A.  Land,  T.  Langly,  S.  Farr,  W.  H.  Maddox,  M.  A.  Taylor 
and  E.  J.  Bunyard. 

The  records  show  a  steady  increase  in  the  membership  of  the 
old  churches,  and  in  the  formation  of  new  ones  up  to  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  war,  when  there  were  20  churches.  ISTo  meetings 
were  held  in  1861  and  '62.  In  1863  10  churches  reported  and  a 
session  was  held  at  Big  Creek,  Madison  County.  These  churches 
had  received  the  small  number  of  22  by  baptism  during  the  three 
years  and  had  only  326  members  all  told. 

So  soon  as  the  blighting  influences  of  the  war  had  partially 
ceased,  the  association  began  to  enjoy  larger  prosperity  than  be- 
fore. Revivals  swept  over  the  field,  hundreds  were  converted 
and  baptized,  and  churches  multiplied  so  that  in  1874  they  num- 
bered 37,  with  over  1,400  members. 

For  convenience,  in  1876  a  colony  of  ten  or  more  churches 
went  out  and  formed  the  Wayne  County  Association,  which  left 
only  eighteen  churches  in  the  St.  Francois. 

The  association  is  now  a  permanent  institution,  promoting  in 
a  moderate  way  the  various  denominational  enterprises.  The 
minutes  of  1878  give  us  the  following  summary. 

Churches. — Antioch,  Big  Creek,  Castor,  Cane  Creek,  Cedar 
Creek,  Ebenezer,  Flatwoods,  First  Church  Fredericktown, 
First  Church  Smithville,  Hickory  Grove,  Little  "White  Water, 
Marble  Hill,  Mt.  Carmel,  Mt.  Pisgah,  Mt.  Zion,  New  Prospect, 
New  Salem,  Shady  Grove,  Sylvan,  Trace  Creek,  Twelve  Mile 
and  White  Water. 

Ministers.— Z .  C.  Hornby,  Wm.  London,  H.  F.  Tong,  L.  W. 
Eevelle,  A.  Twidwell,  F.  M.  Halbrook,  M.  Eobins,  V.  T.  Settle, 
B.  L.  Bowman,  J.  F.  Eudy  and  J.  C.  Hembree. 


624  ST.    FRANCOIS    ASSOCIATION. 

The  churches  are  located  mainly  in  the  counties  of  Madison 
and  Bollinger,  and  had  a  total  membership  of  1,200  in  1878.  At 
this  session  the  association  adopted  and  took  control  of  the  ed- 
ucational institution  at  Smithville,  a  sketch  of  which  will  be 
found  under  the  head  of  "Institutions  of  Learning." 

Home  missions  have  from  the  beginning  been  promoted,  but 
only  a  few  of  the  churches  do  anything  for  foreign  missions.  In 
the  last  seventeen  years  the  following  ministers  have  passed  to 
their  home  above:  C.  T.  G-raham,  L.  D.  Bennett,  T.  Langley, 
A.  Hughes,  Joseph  Crowley,  Samuel  Farr,  W.  W.  Settle  and 
Pinkney  Grraham. 

Some  years  ago  she  entertained  the  following  sentiments  on 
the  ordinances : 

^' Query. — At  what  hour  should  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per and  feet-washing  be  attended  to?" 

^'Answer. — Resolved,  Unanimously,  by  this  body,  that  in  our 
opinion,  any  hour  after  12  o'clock  noon  the  ordinances  may  be 
attended  to."     {Minutes  of  1868,  p.  4.) 

During  the  first  twenty  years  of  the  association,  1,354  converts 
were  baptized  and  became  members  of  her  churches.  This  is  do- 
ing well  in  the  way  of  recruiting.  What  is  now  needed  is  the 
drill.  Eecruiting  alone  cannot  make  an  eftective  army.  The 
same  is  true  of  our  churches.  The  membership  need,  in  a  ma- 
jority of  cases,  that  discipline  which  will  develop  them  into  ac- 
tive church  life.  In  1880  the  association  was  composed  of  19 
churches,  with  1,094  members. 

Big  Creek, — the  oldest  in  the  association,  was  organized  in  May, 
1835,  located  about  18  miles  south  of  Fredericktown.  Its  house 
of  worship  is  log,  built  in  1854,  and  is  24x30  feet.  Eld.  Henry 
McElmurry  was  pastor  for  the  first  four  years  and  was  succeeded 
by  C.  T.  Graham  for  the  next  tAventy-two  years.  In  1882  it  had  a 
total  membership  of  75,  with  Bro.  Wm.  London  as  pastor. 

Castor  Church. — This  body  is  next  in  date  to  Big  Creek.  It 
was  organized  by  Elds.  G-raham,  Settle  and  Eaton  in  July,  1845. 
This  is  now  (1880)  the  largest  church  in  the  association,  having 
130  members.  It  is  in  Madison  County,  fourteen  miles  south  of 
the  county  seat,  Fredericktown.  Its  first  house  of  worship,  built 
in  1847,  was  of  logs.  Its  next  was  a  frame  25x36  feet,  erected  in 
1859.     Eld.  H.  F.  Tong  is  the  bishop  of  this  old  community. 

Little  Yine  Church, — with  which  the  first  and  second  anni- 
versaries of  the  association  were  held,  was  organized  May  23, 
1846,  with  21  members.  It  went  into  Wayne  County  Association. 


ST.    FRANCOIS    ASSOCIATION.  625 

Marble  Hill. — This  was  once  called  Dallas,  if  our  MS.  is  cor- 
rect. It  was  organized  in  August,  1848,  in  Bollinger  County. 
H.  F.  Tong  was  pastor  in  1882,  the  church  numbering  75  mem- 
bers. 

Fredericktown. — The  first  church  here  of  which  we  have  any 
account  was  organized  by  Elds.  Wm.  W.  Settle  and  Silas  Liver- 
more  in  January,  1870.  The  church  met  in  a  hall  and  was  preach- 
ed to  by  Brother  Settle  until  his  death  in  1871,  when  it  scattered. 
In  June,  1872,  it  was  reorganized  with  13  members.  It  has  since 
had  many  hard  struggles,  but  has  reached  a  membership  of  31. 
Eld.  V.  T.  Settle,  an  earnest  man,  was  pastor  in  1882. 

This  association  has  been  blest  with  an  earnest  and  active  min- 
istry. They  were  a  consecrated  band.  In  this  respect  the  St. 
Francois  was  doubtless  favored  equally  with  any  association  in 
the  state.  We  place  these  worthies  in  this  list  in  the  order  in 
which  they  fell  in  the  conflict. 

Carter  Terrant  Graham.* — This  laborious  Baptist  preacher 
was  a  native  of  either  North  Carolina  or  Tennessee,  and  was  born 
September  6,  1800.  He  moved  to  Missouri,  settled  in  Madison 
County  as  early  as  1822,  and  married  Miss  Agnes  Henderson  of 
tnat  county  in  October,  1827.  His  conversion  occurred  when  he 
was  34  years  old,  when  he  united  with  St.  Francois  Church,  hav- 
ing been  baptized  by  Eld.  H.  McElmurry  in  Big  Creek,  not  far 
from  his  own  door,  and  only  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the 
family  graveyard,  where  his  body  was  deposited  after  his  death. 
He  was  one  of  the  constituent  members  of  Big  Creek  Church  in 
1835,  and  was  soon  afterwards  put  forward  into  the  ministry  by 
the  same  body,  became  its  pastor,  and  so  remained  until  his 
death.  Being  raised  on  the  frontier  he  had  very  little  education, 
but  was  surpassed  by  few  men  in  natural  endowments.  He  was 
uncompromising  in  his  ministry,  opposed  to  pulpit  aflSliation  and 
open  communion,  but  was  in  favOr  of  feet-washing  as  an  ordi- 
nance. Though  what  was  called  a  '^  farmer  preacher,"  his  min- 
istry was  quite  successful  in  forming  and  building  up  churches 
in  Madison  County,  where  there  were  few  when  he  commenced 
preaching.  He  was  cotemporary  with  Eld.  W.  W.  Settle.  They 
labored  much  together  in  this  field,  and  under  their  labors  the 
churches  *'  grew  and  multiplied."  Settle  spent  much  time  as  an 
itinerant,  Graham  spent  most  of  his  time  with  the  churches,  be- 
ing pastor  generally  of  four,  some  of  which  were  twenty-five 
miles  distant  from  home. 


*  By  Eld.  Pinkney  Graham. 
40 


626  ST.    FRANCOIS   ASSOCIATION. 

He  continued  to  preach  until  the  last,  declaring  the  whole  truth 
under  adverse  as  well  as  favorable  circumstances.  This  made  him 
to  be  highly  esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends. 

His  last  sermon,  preached  at  his  home  church — Big  Creek — 
September  15,  1861,  was  one  of  his  best  and  strongest  eiforts. 
On  the  following  day  he  was  taken  sick,  and  continued  gradually 
sinking  until  the  fifth  of  the  following  month,  when  he  gave  up 
the  ghost.  His  sufferings  were  very  great,  but  he  bore  them 
with  much  fortitude  and  patience,  often  exhorting  his  family  and 
the  many  friends  who  were  gathered  around  to  witness  the  tri- 
umphant death  of  a  Christian  soldier.  So  passed  away  one  of 
the  most  useful  men  of  South  Missouri.  He  left  an  affectionate 
wife  and  eight  children  to  mourn  his  departure. 

Anderson  Hughes, — for  some  years  a  minister  in  St.  Francois 
Association,  was  born  October  6,  1822,  in  Tennessee;  with  his 
parents  he  came  to  Missouri  when  he  was  but  a  boy,  and  settled 
in  Wayne  County.  When  young  he  was  of  a  very  amiable  and 
gentle  disposition  and  thus  became  an  object  of  high  esteem 
among  his  many  devoted  friends.  His  conversion  occurred  when 
he  was  about  twenty  years  old,  and  he  became  a  member  of  St. 
Francois  Church,  having  been  baptized  by  Eld.  Wm.  W.  Settle. 
In  1847  he  was  called  to  ordination  by  Cedar  Creek  Church,  Elds. 
W.  W.  Settle  and  C.  T.  Graham  acting  as  ordaining  council. 

He  was  moderately  active  as  a  minister,  devoting  most  of  his 
time  to  preaching  and  teaching  vocal  music  in  the  bounds  of  St. 
Francois  Association.  He  was  pastor  one  j'ear  in  Cape  Girar- 
deau. We  find  him  in  protracted  meetings  at  Sinking  Creek, 
Clark's  Creek,  Otter  Creek  and  New  Prospect  Churches,  in  all  of 
which  he  rendered  valuable  aid.  While  at  meeting  at  the  last 
named  church  he  contracted  a  cold,  which  resulted  in  his  last 
illness.  He  literally  fell  in  battle — was  hauled  home  sick  from 
the  neighborhood  of  the  meeting,  and  died  in  a  few  da3's  on  the 
27th  of  November,  1863.  His  wife  and  four  children  survived 
him.     (From  the  MS.  sketch  by  Wm.  E.  and  J.  L.  Hughes.) 

Joseph  Crowley. — This  brother  was  a  local  preacher  in  the 
Methodist  denomination  for  we  know  not  how  long.  About  the 
year  1860  he  embraced  the  faith  of  the  Baptists  and  united  with 
them,  was  ordained,  spent  a  few  j'ears  as  a  minister,  and  died  in 
the  year  1865.     The  following  were  adopted  by  the  association  : 

^^Resolved,  That  this  association  has  sustained  a  great  loss  in 
the  death  of  Eld.  Joseph  Crowley,  a  devoted  minister  of  Christ, 
He  was  a  pious  Christian  and  rests  from  his  labors. 


ST.   FRANCOIS   ASSOCIATION. 


627 


"2d.  That  it  is  the  Christian  duty  of  brethren  composing  this 
body  to  see  that  the  widow  and  minor  heirs  of  deceased  do  not 
want  for  the  comforts  of  life."  (Minutes  of  St.  Francois  Associa- 
tion, 1865,  pp.  4  and  5.) 

William  W.  Settle — emigrated  to  Missouri  in  1833  in  com- 
pany with  George  S.  Barnett  and  family,  formerly  of  Alabama, 
having  married  his  daughter  Sarah  the  year  previous.  He  was 
born  near  Murfreesborough,  Tenn.,  April  9,  1809. 

In  boyhood  he  was  of  moral  and  studious  habits.  In  fact  he 
was  a  hard  student  all  his  life,  most  especially  after  maturity, 
rising  early  in  the  morning  for  study  and  general  reading. 

On  his  arrival  in  Missouri  he  spent  a  year  on  G-rassy  Creek  in 
what  is  now  Bol- 
linger County, 
and  in  1834  set- 
tled in  the  south- 
east part  of  Mad- 
ison County,  not 
long  after  which 
he  made  a  pro- 
fession of  relig- 
ion, and  he  and 
C.  T.  Graham 
erected  by  their 
own  labor  a 
small  church 
house,  of  very 
rude  construc- 
tion, in  which,  in 
1835,  Big  Creek 
Baptist  Church 
was  organized, 
Settle  and  Gra- 
ham both  becoming  members. 

From  the  records  of  Big  Creek  Church  we  learn  that  he  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1839,  though  his  son,  E.  P.  Settle  of 
Greenville,  Wayne  County,  thinks  he  was  ordained  earlier. 
Soon  after  he  entered  the  ministrj'-  he  was  appointed  by  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  as  missionary  for  the 
counties  of  Southeast  Missouri  and  North  Arkansas,  in  which  ca- 
pacity he  labored  for  two  years.  While  thus  employed  he  lived 
in  Eipley  County.     At  the  close  of  this  period,  he  being  a  poor 


REV.  WM.  W.  SETTLE. 


628  ST.    FRANCOIS    ASSOCIATION. 

man,  Dr.  John  Pettit  sent  teams  to  Eipley,  removed  him,  and 
presented  and  settled  him  on  lands  upon  which  a  large  part  of 
the  town  of  Piedmont,  Wayne  County,  now  stands.  During  this 
time  he  continued  his  ministerial  labors,  preaching  for  and  es- 
tablishing various  churches  in  Wayne  and  adjoining  counties. 
A  few  years  after  this  he  moved  to  Twelve  Mile,  Madison  Coun- 
ty, and  under  the  disadvantages  of  opening  up  a  new  farm  con- 
tinued preaching  every  Sabbath.  Much  of  this  time  he  received 
but  little  remuneration ;  but  by  industry  and  economy  he  pros- 
pered in  worldly  matters,  was  soon  placed  above  want  and  made 
comfortable.  This  gave  him  a  fresh  impetus  in  his  ministerial 
life,  and  he  gave  himself  up  to  the  work,  much  of  the  time  with- 
out fee  or  reward,  the  churches  being  poor  and  but  little  trained 
to  paying  pastors.  He  was  more  inclined  to  the  itinerancy — did 
not  accept  of  pastoral  work  when  he  could  avoid  it.  In  1855  he 
became  missionary  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  through 
the  Baptist  Convention  of  Southern  Missouri,  spending  most  of 
the  time  in  the  destitute  regions  of  Stoddard  and  Dunklin  Coun- 
ties. After  spending  most  of  his  life  in  the  general  or  itinerant 
work,  and  accomplishing  much  for  the  denomination  in  this  way 
in  South  Missouri,  he  was  called  to  and  accepted  the  pastoral  of- 
fice in  Castor  Church  at  Marquand,  and  Marble  Hill,  in  1868.  In 
1870  he  organized  the  church  at  Fredericktown  in  G-off' s  Hall, 
for  which  he  preached  until  his  death. 

Bro.  Settle  was  trul}?"  a  great  man  and  a  fine  preacher,  having 
received  a  liberal  education  by  his  own  exertions  and  hard  study. 
He  stood  in  the  first  ranks  of  tfie  Baptist  ministry. 

He  ate  no  meats  for  twenty-five  years,  being  dyspeptic;  nor 
could  he  eat  fruits  of  any  kind.  In  October,  1870,  after  a  severe 
attack  of.  inflammation  of  the  brain,  and  partial  paralysis,  he 
quietly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus. 

PiNKNEY  Graham*, — one  of  God's  faithful  servants  in  St.  Fran- 
cois Association,  died  at  his  residence  in  Madison  County,  Mo., 
July  3,  1877,  after  an  illness  of  about  eight  months,  which  he  bore 
with  great  patience  and  Christian  resignation.  His  age  was  64 
years  and  6  months. 

Brother  Graham  was  born  in  Green  County,  Ky.,  January  28, 
1813.  His  parents  immigrated  to  Southeast  Missouri  when  he 
was  13  years  old,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  long  and 
tiseful  life,  attended  with  great  self-sacrifice  for  the  cause  of  his 
divine  Master  and  truth. 
*  By  Eld.  V.  T.  Settle.  '        — 


ST,    FRANCOIS   ASSOCtA*tON.  629 

He  professed  faith  in  Christ  and  Avas  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  Big  Creek  Baptist  Church  in  this  county,  when  about  22 
years  old,  of  which  he  was  the  faithful,  highly  esteemed  and  be- 
loved pastor  when  he  was  called  from  his  labors  on  earth  to  his 
reward  in  heaven.  He  was  a  constituent  member  of  the  St. 
Francois  Association,  and  from  that  time  until  his  death  did  as 
much  if  not  more  than  any  other  member  of  the  body  to  advance 
its  interests  and  to  sustain  and  promote  the  cause  for  which  it 
was  organized.  Bro.  Gr.  was  an  earnest  contender  for  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints.  He  was  a  faithful,  plain  and  practi- 
cal preacherof  the  gospel.  Though  deprived  of  early  advantages, 
he  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  an  edu- 
cated ministry.  When  I  last  visited  him  he  spoke  with  great 
feeling  upon  this  subject.  The  fact  that  the  Baptist  cause  in 
this  portion  of  the  state  is  suifering  so  much  for  the  want  of 
an  educated  ministry,  seemed  to  be  his  saddest  thought. 

Although  I  do  not  think  that  it  was  ever  his  privilege  to  meet 
with  his  brethren  in  their  state  deliberations  and  share  in  their 
councils  to  extend  and  promote  the  religious  and  benovelent  en- 
terprises in  which  as  a  denomination  we  are  engaged,  and  though 
the  oldest  minister  in  his  association,  none  was  more  fully  in 
sympathy  with  every  good  work  in  which  we  engage,  than  was 
our  lamented  Brother  Graham. 

Brother  G.  "was  ordained  to  the  Christian  ministry  on  the  sec- 
ond Lord's  day  in  October,  1857,  and  was  constantly  and  success- 
fully engaged  in  the  pastorate  from  that  time  until  his  death. 

He  leaves  a  devoted  wife,  five  children,  and  many  relatives 
and  friends  to  mourn  their  loss.  He  was  a  good  man,  and  God 
blessed  him  both  spiritually  and  temporally,  while  his  family 
do  not  sorrow  for  him  as  those  that  have  no  hope.  He  was  free 
from  the  sad  lot  of  so  many  of  our  faithful  ministers  in  the  dy- 
ing hour.  He  sorrowed  not  in  the  sad  hour  of  death  and  sepa- 
ration from  his  devoted  and  heart-stricken  companion  and  chil- 
dren because  they  were  helpless  in  this  unfriendly  world,  with- 
out the  necessaries  of  life.  His  children  are  all  married  and 
comfortably  situated,  and  his  aged  companion  comfortably 
located  in  their  midst  with  plenty  to  supply  all  her  earthly 
wants.  May  the  Lord  supply  all  her  spiritual  wants  until  he 
shall  call  her  also  to  her  heavenly  home. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


TEBO  ASSOCIATION. 

Early  Itinerant  Work  in — Formation — First  Minieters — Effects  of  the  War,  and  Sub- 
sequent Prosperity — First  Church,  Clinton — Sketches  of  Churches — Biographical » 
James  Woods — W.  A.  Gray. 

TEBO  Association  is  a  daughter  of  Blue  River,  having  been 
organized  by  a  convention  of  churches  dismissed  from  that 
body. 

This  convention  was  held  at  Pleasant  Grove  Church,  Henry 
County,  commencing  September  7,  1855. 

Churches. — Mt.  Olivet,  Bethlehem,  Mt,  Zion,  Pleasant  Grove 
and  Mt.  Sion  (spelled  thus)  in  Henry  County;  Spring  Grove,  Mt. 
Pleasant  and  "Warsaw,  in  Benton  County;  and  Elk  Fork,  Salem 
and  Bethel,  in  Pettis  County.  The  aggregate  membership  was 
489. 

Ministers.— \N .  P.  C.  Caldwell,  ATm.  White,  Wm.  A.  Gray,  B.  F. 
Goodwin,  Peter  Brown-  and  W.  P,  Thompson. 

Eld.  Wm.  A.  Gray  was  president  of  the  convention  and  mod- 
erator of  the  association  as  soon  as  organized. 

The  association  adopted  the  principles  and  abstract  of  faith  in 
the  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge,  and  denominated  them- 
selves ''  United  Baptists."  Like  her  mother  she  took  what  we 
should  call  correct  views  of  missions,  &c.,  in  the  following  lan- 
guage :  "We  deem  it  expedient  to  recommend  to  the  churches 
which  compose  this  association  the  propriety  of  sustaining  their 
ministers,  and  to  embrace  all  possible  opportunities  to  supply 
the  destitution  during  the  present  year,  and  that  they  send  con- 
tributions for  missionar}'- purj)oses  to  the  next  annual  meeting, 
the  necessity  of  which  we  beg  leave  to  urge." 

At  this  session  it  offered  corresiDondence  with  Saline,  Blue  Riv- 
er and  Concord  Associations. 

As  an  outgrowth  of  her  aggressive  and  evangelical  policy, 
the  association  enjoyed  great  prosperity  until  interrupted  by  the 
war,  her  original  11  churches  having  grown  by  the  year  1860 
to  23,  and  her  489  members  of  1855  to  829.  She  had  added  also 
to  her  list  of  preachers  Elds.  C.  T.  Teas,  A.  D.  Landrum,  W.  P. 
Wright,  Joseph  Dageley,  A.J.Jackson,  G.  T.  Gray  and  G.  Cross. 


TEBO   ASSOCIATION.  631 

The  war  made  sad  havoc  of  the  churches  in  this  association. 
A  few  brethren  met  at  Pleasant  Grove  in  1861,  and  adjourned 
until  next  year  to  meet  at  Mt.  Olivet.  In  1862  the  country  was 
groaning  under  the  terrible  scourge  of  civil  war.  Many  a  good 
man  had  already  fallen  on  the  crimsoned  battle-field.  An  infor- 
mal meeting  was  held  at  Mt.  Olivet,  no  committees  were  ap- 
pointed, but  after  preaching  on  Sunday  the  meeting  adjourned. 

In  1865  four  churches  sent  letters  to  Mt.  Olivet  (including  this 
church),  reporting  98  baptisms  and  359  members.  Great  deso- 
lation was  found  to  exist  among  the  churches.  But  the  hosts  of 
Emanuel  went  mightily  to  work,  and  by  the  session  of  1867,  held 
at  Tebo,many  of  the  waste  places  had  been  rebuilt,  and  the  song 
of  praise  and  the  voice  of  prayer  were  again  heard.  Nine  new 
churches  were  admitted  at  this  session,  viz. :  Pleasant  Hill,  Ce- 
dar Grove,  Mt.  Hope,  Liberty,  Wright's  Creek,  Osage,  First 
Baptist  Church  Clinton,  Monigan,  Mt.  Gilead  and  Pleasant  Gap. 
337  baptisms  were  reported  this  year.  At  the  same  meeting  the 
following  churches  were  dropped  from  the  list  (reason  not  as- 
signed), viz.:  Spring  Grove,  First  Warsaw,  County  Line,  Beth- 
el, Harmony,  Ilogle's  Creek,  Eed  Dirt,  Mt.  Hope,  Deep  Water, 
Brushy,  Cold  Spring,  Panther  Creek,  New  Salem  and  Union. 

Ministers  in  1867. — Wm.  A.  Gray,  W.  B.  Lawler,  B.  F.  Lawler, 
Lewis  McComb,  W.  B.  Wright,  James  Harvey,  J.  L.  Briggs, 
Thos.  Briggs,  James  AV.  Chaney,  Wm.  Thompson  and  L.  M.  In- 
gram; licentiate,  W.  F.  Sibley. 

In  1868  the  association  organized  a  district  Sunday-school  con- 
vention, with  a  president,  secretary  and  treasurer,  also  one  vice- 
president  in  each  church.  The  convention  was  auxiliary  to  the 
Missouri  Baptist  Sunday-school  Convention,  and  proposed  to  look 
after  the  Sunday-school  interests  in  the  association. 

Since  the  date  last  named,  the  Tebo  Association  has  ranked 
among  the  most  efiicient  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  state.  It 
is  active  alike  in  promoting  the  various  denominational  enterpris- 
es, as  education,  Sunday-school  and  publication  interests,  mis- 
sions, &c.,  &c.;  is  growing  each  successive  year  in  efficiency  and 
stability,  numbering  in  1878  32  churches  with  a  membership  of 
1,874 ;  and  is  contributing  means  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
and  the  building  up  of  the  churches,  both  at  home  and  abroad, 
and  has  a  ministerial  force  of  16  ordained  and  4  licensed.  In  1881 
there  were  30  churches,  and  1,904  members. 

First  Baptist  Church,  Clinton. — This  church  is  by  far  the 
most  important  field  in  the  association  ;  Clinton  being  the  coun- 


632  TEBO   ASSOCIATION. 

ty  seat  of  Henry  County,  at  the  junction  of  the  M.  K.  and  T.  !^. 
E.  with  the  K.  C,  M.  &  M.  E.  E.,  and  containing  in  1875  an  es- 
timated population  of  2,600.  The  church  grew  into  beingundcr 
the  joint  labors  of  Eld.  E.  T.  Brown  and  James  Woods,  having 
been  organized  Sept.  16,  1866,  of  7  original  members,  to  whom 
were  added  thirteen  new  converts  in  a  meeting  immediately  fol- 
lowing, held  by  the  above  named  ministers.  The  church  wor- 
ships in  an  elegant  brick  edifice  erected  in  1869,  and  has  a  pros- 
perous Sunday-school  upon  the  Baptist  platform.  Eld.  — •  Houch- 
ens  was  pastor  in  1882,  the  church  numbering  138  members. 

Mt.  Olivet — originated  in  1850  with  seven  members,  and  has 
had,  from  the  beginning,  but  one  pastor — Eld.  "W.  A.  Gray.  In 
1871  it  worshiped  in  a  frame  house  erected  twenty  years  before, 
and  had  a  membership  of  136.     In  1882  it  had  161  members. 

Mt.  Pleasant, — in  Benton  County,  8  miles  north  of  Warsaw, 
bears  date  a  short  time  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  associa- 
tion in  1855.  This  church  was  reorganized  in  1867  with  about 
25  members,  and  Eld.  W.  B.  Lawler  became  pastor.  In  1871  it 
met  in  what  was  called  the  "McFarland  School-house,"  a  log 
building.     In  1882  it  numbered  36  members. 

Mt.  Zion, — Henry  County,  was  organized  August,  1855,  with 
16  constituent  members. 

Providence — was  located  at  first  in  Henry  County,  twelve 
miles  southwest  from  Clinton,  and  subsequently  moved  to  the 
Browning  School-house,  four  miles  south  of  Germantown.  It  was 
constituted  March  1,  1859,  by  Elds.  Teas  and  D.  Horn.  This  has 
been  a  mother  church.  From  it  sprang  the  church  at  German- 
town  in  the  fall  of  1867,  and  a  little  later  Antioch,  in  Bates  Coun- 
ty, was  organized  of  members  dismissed  from  it;  and  again,  in 
July,  1869,  9  members  were  dismissed  and  organized  a  new 
church  called (name  not  given). 

Tebo. — So  far  as  our  information  extends  this  is  the  oldest 
church  now  existing  in  Tebo  Association,  having  been  organized 
in  October,  1840.  It  is  located  near  Leesville,  Henry  County. 
Eld.  Daniel  Briggswas  pastor  for  23  years,  commencing  in  1840. 
The  church  has  a  neat  frame  house  of  worship,  26x40  feet,  which 
cost  $800. 

Windsor. — This  church  dates  back  to  October  29,  1853.  Eld. 
W.  A.  Gray  was  the  first  pastor  and  was  succeeded  by  Eld.  A.  D. 
Landrum.  It  had,  in  1881,  102  members,  and  Eld.  E.  H.  Harris 
as  pastor. 

James  Woods. — Though  only  about  five  or  six  years  in  Missouri, 


ITEBO   ASSOCIATION.  633 

this  zealous  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  and  devout  Christian  laborer, 
merits  a  place  in  this  connection. 

James  Woods  was  a  native  of  Washington  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, born  January  16,  1807,  and  was  converted  and  joined  the 
Baptists  when  quite  young.  He  was  an  earnest  and  active 
church  member  prior  to  entering  the  ministry.  His  first  official 
work  in  the  denomination  was  in  the  deaconship,  in  which  ca- 
pacity we  find  him  acting  in  1835,  but  how  long  he  had  been  thus 
engaged  our  informant  does  not  say. 

He  commenced  preaching  in  December,  1837,  having  been  li- 
censed by  the  regular  Baptist  church  at  South  Fork  of  Ten  Mile; 
and  in  July,  1839,  he  was  called  to  ordination  by  Smith's  Creek 
Church,  Pennsylvania,  and  became  its  pastor,  serving  in  this  re- 
lation for  five  years  very  successful  1}-. 

In  1845,  feeling  called  to  another  field  of  labor,  he  removed  to 
what  is  now  West  Virginia  and  united  with  Harrisville  Church 
in  Parkersburg  Association,  the  most  influential  body  in  that 
part  of  the  state,  and  made  this  association  the  field  of  his  labors 
for  18  years  as  pastor  and  missionary,  spending  one-half  his  time 
in  the  latter  capacity,  being  under  the  appointment  of  the  Gen- 
eral Association  of  Virginia.  He  was  very  successful  wherever 
he  went,  or  in  whatever  capacity  he  labored.  For  twelve  con- 
secutive years  he  was  the  much  loved  pastor  at  Harrisville ;  and 
on  several  occasions  he  was  called  to  preside  in  the  meetings  of 
Parkersburg  Association.  For  three  or  four  years  belabored  in 
Monroe  County,  Ohio,  winning  souls  to  Christ  and  building  up 
the  churches. 

Filled  with  a  desire  to  travel  and  preach  the  gospel  he  visited 
Missouri  in  1866,  bought  him  a  horse  and  traveled  over  many  of 
the  counties  in  the  southern  portions  of  the  state,  and  labored  in 
this  capacity.  The  next  year  he  removed  and  settled  permanently 
in  Henry  County,  in  the  bounds  of  Tebo  Association.  His  first 
labor  in  Missouri,  of  which  we  have  any  account,  was  at  Clinton, 
resulting  in  the  formation  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  that 
city.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  meetings  thirteen  happy  souls 
were  led  by  him  into  the  water. 

His  successful  labors  continued  in  Missouri  for  several  years, 
and  he  sweetly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  September  11,  1872.  He 
died  of  heart  disease,  having  been  sick  only  about  one  hour. 

Bro.  Woods  came  to  Missouri  "well  recommended,"  and  he 
fully  sustained  his  former  reputation.  During  a  ministry  of 
thirty-five  years  he  baptized  about  1,500  converts  to  Christianity. 


634 


TEBO   ASSOCIATION. 


William  A.  G-ray — is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Tebo  Associ- 
ation, and  was  its  first  moderator.  He  has  for  years  been  a 
laborious,  useful  and  highly  honored  minister  in  that  field. 
We  sought,  but  failed  to  obtain  a  fuller  sketch  of  him. 


CHAPTER  X. 


"UNION  ASSOCIATION  (HOWELL  CO.)  AND  OTHERS. 

First  Settlement  and  Churches  in  Howell  County — Kichland  Association — Devas- 
tation— HuTTON  Valley  Association — Union  Association — The  Schism — W. 
A.  Findley — State  Line  Association — Sketches  of  the  Churches :  Eich  Valley, 
Harmony,  Mill  Creek,  Mt.  Nebo,  Mt.  Hope  Nos.  1  and  2,  Richland— IST.  Barnett 

— Refugees. 

''rriHE  first  settlement  in  what  is  now  Howell  County,  was 
-1-  made  in  1838,  in  Howell  Valley,  on  the  present  site  of 
West  Plains.  This  county  was  organized  in  1857  from  parts  of 
Oregon  and  Ozark  Counties."  (Campbell's  Gazetteer  of  Missouri, 
p.  255.)  On  the  6th  of  June  of  the  same  year  the  Mt.  Pisgah 
Baptist  Church  (the  first  effective  institution  of  the  kind  in  the 
county)  was  organized  by  Elds.  W.  P.  Freeman,  James  Hill  and 
Elijah  Eeese,  on  8  members.    In  the  fall  of  1857  the  church  joined 

RICHLAND  ASSOCIATION ; 
this  body  was  formed  prior  to  the  organization  of  Howell  County, 
and  embraced  in  its  territory  parts  of  Carter  and  Oregon  Coun- 
ties. 

Mt.  Gilead  Church — was  also  organized  prior  to  1860.  There 
existed  likewise  for  a  time  another  small  Church  in  the  southwest- 
ern part  of  the  county.  The  membership  of  both  these  last  named 
churches  were  killed  and  scattered  during  the  war  and  the 
churches  became  disorganized,  so  that  only  one  church  in  Howell 
County  (Mt.  Pisgah)  existed  through  the  struggle,  during  which 
the  county  was  almost  depopulated,  there  being  only  fifty  families 
remaining  at  the  close  of  the  war.  This  explains  the  havoc  among 
the  churches.  Although  Mt.  Pisgah  withstood  the  shock,  yet 
she  held  no  meetings  from  1863  until  1868,  on  account  of  the  scat- 
tered condition  of  her  members  and  existing  political  prejudices. 
In  August,  1868,  a  few  faithful  souls  again  assembled  together 
under  these  adverse  circumstances,  and  the  church  has  been 
gradually  increasing  ever  since. 

THE  HUTTON  VALLEY  ASSOCIATION 
was  organized  in  October,  1859,  of  5  churches,  situated  in  Howell 
and  Douglass  Counties,  some  of  which  formerly  belonged  to  the 


636  UNION   ASSOCIATION   (HOWELL   CO.)   AND    OTHERS. 

Eichland  fraternity.  Both  the  Hutton  Yalley  and  the  Eichland 
Associations  became  defunct  during  the  war  period,  and,  as 
previously  intimated,  many  of  the  churches  went  to  pieces.  So 
soon  as  the  smolie  of  battle  had  passed  away,  God's  servants 
went  to  work  gathering  together  the  scattered  fragments,  and 
soon  a  few  churches  were  again  in  working  order.  One  of  the 
most  active  ministers  in  this  work  was  the  Eev.  Nathaniel  Bar- 
nett,  the  oldest  minister  in  the  association,  of  whom  more  here- 
after. 

In  the  fall  of  1865,  six  churches  in  the  bounds  of  what  had  been 
Richland  and  Hutton  Valley  Associations,  after  frequent  con- 
sultations, met  by  their  messengers  and  organized 

UNION  ASSOCIATION, 
embracing  the  counties  of  Howell  and  Oregon  and  a  part  of  Car- 
ter County.     The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  JSTew  Salem 
Church,  Oregon  County. 

The  second  annual  meeting,  held  in  1867  with  the  Eichland 
Church,  at  Thomasville,  Oregon  County,  was  an  occasion  of 
some  trouble.  Two  sets  of  messengers  presented  letters  claim- 
ing to  come  from  Dyal's  Creek  Church.  The  association  finally 
advised  both  parties  to  call  helps  from  other  churches,  if  need 
be,  and  settle  the  difficulty  at  home.  The  trouble  in  the  church 
had  originated  over  the  pastor,  who,  with  his  party,  which  was 
the  stronger  of  the  two,  refused  to  follow  the  advice  of  the  asso- 
ciation, and  withdrew  from  it.  Two  other  churches  followed 
their  example,  soon  after  which  event  these  three  churches,  to- 
gether with  three  newly  constituted  churches,  formed  a  new  asso- 
ciation by  the  name  of  Bethel.  This  association  is  partly,  if  not 
largely,  in  Arkansas ;  has  never  been  on  the  list  of  Missouri  in- 
stitutions ;  and  has  had  but  little  prosperity. 

In  1869  (the  fourth  anniversary),  the  association  took  up  the 
subject  of  destitution  in  her  own  bounds,  and  after  consultation 
two  of  her  ministers,  E.  O.  Tribble  and  Nathaniel  Barnott,  vol- 
unteered to  visit  all  the  churches  and  the  destitute  points  in  the 
association  during  the  year,  and  depend  on  the  liberality  of  the 
brethren  for  a  support,  \yhile  this  proposition  showed  forth  a 
consecrated  spirit  on  the  part  of  these  ministers,  it  did  little  or 
nothing  in  the  way  of  developing  a  kindred  spirit  on  the  part  of 
the  cliurches. 

The  Union  Association,  in  its  original  constitution,  declared 
"  Feet-washing"  to  bo  an  "  ordinance  of  the  gospel."  At  its  fifth 
anniversary,  held  at  Mill  Creek  Church,   Oregon  County,  this 


UNION   ASSOCIATION   (HOWELL   COUNTY)    AND    OTHERS.  637 

subject  was  freely  discussed,  and  the  decision  finally  reached 
that  "Feet-washing  is  not  an  ordinance,  but  an  example."  Dur- 
ing this  session  of  the  association  a  district  Sunday-school  Con- 
vention was  organized. 

In  1870  the  association  consisted  of  18  churches,  with  an  ag- 
gregate of  536  communicants. 

Eld.  William  A.  Findley, — who  had  moved  to  Missouri  and  set- 
tled in  the  bounds  of  Union  Association  in  the  fall  of  1870,  was 
elected  evangelist  at  the  seventh  annual  meeting  in  1872.  His 
specific  duties  were ''to  preach  in  the  destitute  bounds  of  the 
association." 

Bro.  Findley  was  born  in  the  state  of  Alabama  in  1832.  When 
six  years  old,  with  his  father's  family  he  moved  to  Tennessee, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood,  married  and  was  converted.  In  this 
state  too  he  entered  the  ministry,  having  been  ordained  at  the 
call  of  G-oshen  Baptist  Church.  He  spent  several  successful 
years  as  a  minister  in  Tennessee  and  moved  to  Missouri  in  1870. 
He  is  a  man  of  small  property,  large  family,  and  labors  hard  as 
a  means  of  support.  His  unflinching  devotion  to  Baptist  prin- 
ciples and  his  fervid  zeal  in  their  defense  soon  placed  him  as  one 
of  the  prominent  ministers  of  Union  Association.  Twice  has  he 
been  called  to  preside  over  the  deliberations  of  that  body.  His 
preaching  is  mainly  doctrinal  and  his  subjects  are  handled  as  by 
a  skilful  workman.  May  his  career  be  a  long  and  useful  one  to 
the  denomination  in  the  field  of  his  choice  in  Missouri. 

The  Union  Association  held  its  session  in  1873  with  the 
Howell  Yalley  Church,  Howell  County.  The  following  churches 
were  granted  letters  of  dismission  to  form  a  new  association,  viz  : 
Mill  Creek,  Lebanon,  New  Salem,  Oak  Grove  and  Pleasant  Hill. 
These  churches,  by  their  messengers,  met  in  convention  at  Leb- 
anon Church  in  October,  1873,  and  organized 

THE  STATE  LII^E  ASSOCIATION. 

This  has  been  a  growing  institution,  numbering  in  1878  eigh- 
teen churches,  and  had  a  corps  of  preachers,  some  of  whom  were 
faithful  workmen  in  the  Master's  vineyard.  For  several  years 
past  the  association  has  kept  an  evangelist  in  the  field  most  or 
all  of  his  time. 

Although  somewhat  weakened  by  the  dismission  of  the  afore- 
said churches,  the  Union  Association  soon  gained  her  former  nu- 
merical strength,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  following  summary  for 
1878: 

Churches, — Bethel,    25;  Birch  Yalley,  38;   Center  Grove,  49; 


638  UNION    ASSOCIATION   (HOWELL   COUNTY)   AND   OTHERS. 

Concord,  13 ;  Cold  Spring,  25  ;  Dry  Creek,  49 ;  English  Creek, 
10;  Howell  Valley,  38;  Myatt,  26;  Macedonia,  26;  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, 44  ;  Mt.  Pisgah,  58;  Mt.  Zion,  No.  .1,  13;  Mt.  Zion,  No.  2, 
24;  Mt.  Olivet,  25;  New  Hope,  No.  1,  33;  New  Hope,  No.  2,  67; 
Pleasant  Hill,  32;  Providence,  14;  Pine  Hill,  26;  Eichland,  38; 
in  all,  21  churches,  with  a  total  membership  of  687  and  bap- 
tisms 106. 

Ministers. — W.  H.  Goldsbury,  W.  A.  Hunycutt,  N.  Barnett, 
W.  L.  Bellew,  A.  Tonts,  G.  W.  Byres,  H.  Forrest,  D.  W.  Epley, 
W.  A.  Findley,  W.  F.  Cantrel,  J.  J.  Jackson,  J.Norton,  D.  Neal, 
J.  A.  Lee,  E.  A.  Colbert,  C.  B.  Colbert,  James  Sutton,  W.  J. 
Lovin,  C.  Bolton,  "VV.  W.  Pennington  and  William  Bobo  (colored.) 

This  association  is  landmark  in  sentiment,  rejecting  pulpit 
affiliation,  alien  immersion  and  open  communion.  Its  boundarj^ 
embraces  all  of  Howell  and  Oregon  Counties,  and  parts  of  Car- 
ter and  Shannon  Counties,  Missouri ;  also  small  portions  of  Ean- 
dolph  and  Fulton  Counties  in  the  state  of  Arkansas. 

EiCH  Valley  Church — was  organized  August  13, 1857,  by  Dab- 
ney  Lynch  and  A.  J.  Jones,  with  7  members,  and  is  located  in 
Shannon  County.  It  worships  in  a  union  house,  20  feet  square, 
which  was  built  of  logs  in  1857.  W.  H.  Groldsbury  was  the  first 
minister,  and  was  succeeded  by  Jacob  Smith. 

Harmony  Church, — Oregon  County,  with  a  union  house  of 
logs,  18  feet  square,  was  organized  March  6,  1869. 

Mill  Creek. — This  church  was  organized  July  30,  1854,  on  a 
constituency  of  seven.  It  is  located  in  Oregon  County,  seventeen 
miles  southeast  from  Alton,  the  county  seat.  J.  N.  Eussell,  by 
whom  the  church  was  formed,  became  the  first  minister,  and  two 
years  after  was  succeeded  by  E.  O.  Tribble.  The  house  of  wor- 
ship, of  hewed  logs,  was  built  one  year  after  the  church  was  or- 
ganized, rebuilt  in  1866,  and  is  valued  at  $75. 

Mt.  Nebo  Church, — six  miles  southeast  from  Alton,  Oregon 
County,  was  organized  March  19,  1868,  by  John  B.  Brown,  with 
21  members.  It  was  reorganized  June,  1871,  and  called  "  Oak 
Grove."     It  has  a  log-house  22x24  feet. 

New  Hope  Church,  No.  1, — in  Carter  County,  is  situated  five 
miles  westerlj^  from  Van  Buren,  the  county  seat,  and  is  one  of 
the  pioneer  churches  of  this  section  of  the  state,  having  been 
formed  December  27,  1843.  From  1845  to  1862  it  worshiped  in 
a  log-house,  18x22  feet.  The  house  was  then  burned  by  the  Fed- 
eral soldiers,  and  rebuilt  by  the  church  in  the  year  1866  of  logs, 
at  a  cost  of  $100. 


UNION    ASSOCIATION    (hOWELL    COUNTY)    AND    OTHERS.  639 

New  Hope  Church,  'No.  2, — Howell  County,  was  formed  Sep- 
tember 30,  1866,  by  Jacob  Smith.  The  6  original  members  soon 
grew  to  be  60.  This  church  has  a  frame  house,  30x50  feet. 
Jacob  Smith  was  the  first  pastor,  followed  by  Wm.  Goldsbury. 

Eichland  Church, — in  Thomasville,  Oregon  County,  was  or- 
ganized some  years  before  the  war.  During  the  civil  strife  the 
old  records  were  all  lost,  and  August  28,  1866,  the  church  was 
reoi'ganized  by  Nathaniel  Barnett  with  18  members,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  their  minister.  The  church  worships  in  a  union 
house,  made  of  logs,  20x26  feet,  which  is  valued  at  $150. 

Nathaniel  Barnett, — now  the  oldest  minister  in  the  Union 
Association,  and  withal  one  of  its  most  laborious  pastors,  is  a 
native  Virginian,  born  in  Washington  County,  May  13,  1819. 
Under  the  watchcare  of  a  widowed  mother  his  opportunities 
for  an  education  were  quite  limited.  From  a  boy  of  six  years 
he  grew  up  in  Tennessee,  in  which  state  he  married  Miss  Mar- 
tha S.  Patty,  August  10,  1837,  about  one  year  after  which  he 
professed  conversion.  Fourteen  years  of  his  ministerial  life  were 
spent  in  Tennessee,  and  in  the  fall  of  1859  he  emigrated  to  Mis- 
souri and  settled  in  Howell  County,  eight  miles  northeast  of 
West  Plains.  Entering  at  once  this  new  field,  he  devoted  him- 
self with  earnestness  and  zeal  to  the  building  up  of  the  Baptist 
cause  with  the  most  flattering  prospects,  until  the  civil  war  scat- 
tered his  congregations  to  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth. 

Tn  the  time  of  the  conflict,  like  large  numbers  of  his  neigh- 
bors, he  became  a  refugee,  but  returned  to  his  home  upon  the 
cessation  of  hostilities,  to  find  all  his  buildings  in  ashes,  and  no 
more  than  about  thirty  panels  of  fencing  standing.  While  he 
was  rebuilding  his  houses  and  replacing  his  demolished  fences, 
he  gave  much  of  his  time  to  the  gathering  together  of  the  scat- 
tered churches  of  his  field  of  labor. 

With  the  exception  of  three  or  four  years,  he  has  been  mod- 
erator of  the  Union  Association  since  its  organization,  and  upon 
the  solicitation  of  his  friends  he  became  a  candidate  and  was 
elected  to  the  28th  General  Assembly  of  Missouri,  in  which  re- 
lation he  was  specially  watchful  over  the  interests  of  his  con- 
stituency, while  he  worked  for  the  good  of  the  commonwealth 
at  large. 

Bro.  Barnett  is  one  of  the  very  useful  men  and  ministers  of 
Howell  and  adjacent  counties,  and  though  but  63  years  old, 
pauses  occasionally  to  look  for  the  crossing  of  the  river. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


ZION  AXD  OZAEK  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Formation  of  Zion — Sixth  Meeting — Its  Ministers — List  of  Meetings — The  Anti-ele- 
ment— Compromise — Baptist  College  at  Lebanon — S.  "VV.  Mo.  Convention — De- 
clension—W.  C.  Wheeler— H.  H.  Atchley— J.  H.  Lane— J.  B.  Miller— W.  H.  Elli- 
ott— Ozark  Associatiox — G.  B.  Stogsdell — Lowry  Eichardsou. 

THE  Zion  Association  is  mainly  confined  to  Laclede  and  Cam- 
den»Counties.  From  the  best  information  we  have  been  able 
to  get,  it  was  organized  in  1855.  In  1860 — the  6th  meeting — it 
met,  October  4th,  at  Prairie  Hollow  Chuych  in  Camden  County, 
when  it  was  composed  of  Dry  Glaze,  Xorth  Prairie,  Liberty, 
Little  Niangua,  Deer  Creek,  Mount  Yiew,  Zion,  Prairie  Hollow, 
Kew  Hope,  Prospect,  G-ood  Hope  and  New  Zion  Churches,  the 
numerical  strength  of  which  was  225.  Some  of  these  chui'ches 
were  in  Dallas  County.  There  must  have  been  two  sessions 
missed  during  the  war  period ;  for  the  ninth  meeting  was  held  in 
1865;  whereas,  if  the  association  had  held  meetings  every  year, 
this  (1865)  would  have  been  the  eleventh  instead  of  the  ninth 
session. 

In  1865  Prairie  Hollow  was  again  the  place  of  meeting.  The 
total  membership  reporting  was  only  197;  five  of  the  churches 
not  being  represented.  Pleasant  Hill  Church  was  admitted  into 
the  union  at  this  time. 

Good  Hope  Church,  Camden  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting 
October  4,  1866,  when  Eld.  Geo.  Mitchell  preached  the  annual 
sermon.  Eld.  H.  Elliott  was  elected  moderator,  and  Wm.  S. 
Dennis  clerk."  Five  churches  were  received,  viz. :  Pisgah,  New 
Hope,  Oak  Grove,  Fountain  Grove  and  Mt.  Zion,  which  swelled 
the  aggregate  membership  to  420.  The  ordained  ministers,  so 
far  as  reported,  were  H.  Elliott,  C.  L.  Alexander,  M.  Burke,  J. 
B.  Miller  and  Pleasant  Manes  ;  licentiate,  W.  Carter. 

The  association  hold  its  eleventh  session  October  3,  1867,  at 
Fountain  Grove  Church,  Laclede  County.  The  following  church- 
es were  added  to  the  list :  Corinth,  Mt.  Carmel,  Macedonia,  Bol- 
linger's Creek,  Hopewell,  Union,  Mount  Pisgah,  Bear  Creek, 
Friendship  and  Bethany.  This  gave  an  aggregate  membership 
of  921.    (The  facts  were  furnished  by  J.  H.  Gray,  present  clerk.) 


ZION   AND   OZARK   ASSOCIATIONS.  641 

TIME  AND  PLACE  OF  :MEETrN'GS  FROM  1868. 

Oak  Grove  Church,  Laclede  County,     -        -        -        -  October        1,  1868. 

Linn  Creelc  Church,  Camden  County,       -        .        _        _  September  30,  1869. 

Ehn  Grove  Chui-ch,  Camden  County,    -        -        - 1870. 

Lebanon  Church,  Laclede  County,    -----  September  28,  1871. 

Zion  Church,  Laclede  County, October        3,  1872. 

Mount  View  Church,  Laclede  County,      -        -        -        -  October        2,  1873. 

Bethlehem  Church,  Laclede  County,      -        -        -        -  October        2,  1874. 

Good  Hope  Church,  Camden  County,       -        -        -        -  September  28,  1875. 

Union  Church,  Camden  County,   -----  September  21,  1876. 

Corinth  Church,  Camden  County,    -----  September  20,  1877. 

Pleasant  Hill  Church,  Dallas  County,   -        -        -        -  September  19,  1878. 

Antioch  Church,  Laclede  County,     -----  September  25,  1879. 

lu  1868  two  ministers,  Wm.  Carter  and  H.  H.  Atchley,  were 
elected  to  travel  and  preach  three  months  in  the  bounds  of  the  as- 
sociation; and  a  "missionary  board  was  organized  to  direct  the 
movements  of  said  missionaries  as  the  funds  and  circumstances 
might  warrant."  The  board  consisted  of  J.  Mayfield,  L.  Cash, 
J.  H.  Grray,  J.  C.  Moreloch  and  C.  C.  Durham.  The  itinerants 
labored  with  an  encouraging  degree  of  success,  but  the  churches 
manifested  but  little  interest  in  the  cause ;  hence  a  very  small 
amount  of  money  was  contributed  for  missions.  In  fact,  for  a 
time  this  association  alternated  between  missions  and  anti-mis- 
sions. In  1872  a  motion  to  appoint  a  committee  to  devise  means 
for  the  support  of  a  missionary  was  voted  down.  At  the  same  ses- 
sion, although  Sunday-schools  had  been  urged  upon  the  church- 
es the  year  before,  "  a  motion  recommending  the  establishment 
of  Sunday-schools  in  the  bounds  of  each  church  of  the  associa- 
tion was  lost." 

In  1873  the  Sunday-school  and  missionary  element  prevailed; 
but  in  1874  a  compromise  was  made  in  these  words : 

^'Whereas,  Some  of  the  churches  in  this  association  are  dissat- 
isfied on  missionary  operations; 

"Besolved,  Therefore,  that  this  association  make  no  test  of  fel- 
lowship with  any  church  or  individual,  either  in  giving  or  not 
giving  to  the  missionary  cause." 

At  this  date  there  were  18  churches  on  the  list,  14  of  which 
sent  letters  and  statistics  showing  their  aggregate  membership 
to  be  545,  which  was  158  less  than  reported  in  1868,  six  years  be- 
fore. Good  Hope  Church,  with  146  members,  was  the  largest, 
and  Mt.  Pleasant,  with  8  members,  the  smallest  church. 

G-reat  spiritual  dearth  pervaded  most  of  the  churches  in  1875, 
8  only  of  the  17  being  represented,  and  3  only  reporting  bap- 
tisms, of  which  Good  Hope  Church  reported  9,  and  Union  20. 
41 


642  ZION    AND    OZARK   ASSOCIATIONS. 

At  the  session  of  1876  a  movement  was  inaugurated  and  a  day 
appointed  for  the  organization  of  the  "  Southwest  Missouri  Con- 
vention."    (See  sketch  in  another  place.) 

Ministers  in  1876.— F.  Starns,  Wm.  C.  Brown,  S.  H.  Lane,  Wm. 
Lane,  Joseph  Lane,  M.  Burke,  S.  B.  Elliott,  J.  M.  Hibbs,  F.  Jef- 
fries, J.  J.  Burke,  Wm.  E.  Brown,  J.  A.  Frank,  C.  H.  Lowry, 
M.  Thrailkill,  J.  G.  Lemen,  J.  M.  Looney,  D.  L.  Allen,  G-.  Bog- 
ers  and  G.  W.  Mizer, 

In  1878  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted  : 

"  1st.  We  recommend  the  patronage  of  the  Baptist  College  at 
Lebanon,  Missouri,  as  an  institution  worthy  the  patronage  of 
the  people  of  Southwest  Missouri,  especially  the  Baptists." 

''2d.  There  being  a  manifest  need  of  Sunday-school  work  in 
the  bounds  of  our  association,  we  recommend  that  where  such 
do  not  already  exist,  the  brethren,  and  especially  the  ministry, 
urgently  insist  upon  the  churches  organizing  Sunday-schools  and 
prayer  meetings,  and  encourage  them  in  the  work  by  giving 
their  approval  and  presence  to  the  same." 

An  effort  was  made  in  1879  to  restore  the  ancient  order  of 
things,  and  $50  in  cash  and  pledges  were  contributed  by  indi- 
viduals to  aid  in  the  support  of  an  evangelist.  Such  had  been 
the  declension  that  8  churches  were  reported  as  disorganized 
and  ordered  stricken  from  the  minutes,  viz.:  Bethlehem,  Dry 
Glaze,  Pin  Oak,  Hickory  Barrens,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Prairie  Creek, 
New  Liberty  and  Pleasant  Eidge.  This  left  the  association  with 
only  fourteen  churches  on  the  list,  with  a  total  membership  of 
498. 

Better  things  may  be  expected  of  the  Zion  Association,  if  she 
carries  out  the  spirit  of  her  doings  in  1879. 

Zion  Church. — The  oldest  church  in  this  fraternity  is  the  Zion, 
in  Laclede  Count}',  twelve  miles  north  of  Lebanon,  the  county 
seat.  It  was  organized  in  April,  1854,  when  C.  H.  Manes  be- 
came their  minister  and  so  continued  for  three  5'ears.  About 
eighteen  years  afterwards  the  church  built  a  frame  house,  20x30 
feet. 

All  other  churches  now  belonging  to  this  association  of  which 
we  have  any  information,  were  organized  since  the  war. 

AViLLiAM  C.  Wheeler. — This  able  and  self-consecrated  minis- 
ter was  born  in  Clark  County,  Indiana,  in  the  year  1824.  He 
was  married  in  1847,  and  the  same  year  made  a  profession  of  re- 
ligion. 

From  the  first  his  devotion  to  God  was  of  a  positive  and  deci- 


ZrON   AND    OZARK   ASSOCIATIONS.  643 

ded  character,  he  having  made  a  full  surrender  of  himself  in 
body,  time  and  talents  to  Him.  His  brethren  were  not  long  in 
recognizing  his  powers  for  usefulness,  calling  him  at  an  early 
period  to  exercise  his  gifts  in  preaching  the  blessed  gospel,  and 
in  1848  he  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the  ministry. 

In  1860  he  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled  first  in  Osage  Coun- 
ty, then  in  Pulaski  County,  and  thence  moved  to  Stoutland, 
where  for  four  years  he  was  the  beloved  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
church,  and  where,  in  the  midst  of  loving  friends,  and  in  the 
bosom  of  his  own  dear  family,  he  bade  adieu  to  earth,  March  11, 
1875. 

Eld.  Wheeler  was  especially  noted  for  his  genial  spirit  in  so- 
cial life,  as  well  as  for  ability  and  consecration  in  the  ministry. 
The  wife  of  his  early  choice  and  a  large  family  survived  him. 
(Minutes  of  Zion  Association,  1875,  p.  3.) 

H.  H.  Atchley — was  a  native  of  Rhea  County,  Tennessee. 
He  was  born  in  1823.  He  was  baptized  at  eighteen  years  of  age 
in  Souxy  Creek,  by  Rev.  John  Farmer,  and  united  with  Pisgah 
Church,  Tenn.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  was  licensed  to  preach. 
In  1847  he  emigrated  to  Mis-souri  and  settled  in  Laclede  County, 
where,  in  1857,  he  was  ordained  by  Elders  McCord  Roberts  and 
G.  Mitchell.  He  died  April  6,  1870,  after  twenty  years  of  suc- 
cessful labor  in  the  ministry.  The  last  four  years  of  his  life 
were  of  great  suffering,  caused  by  a  j)ulmonary  affection,  contract- 
ed and  aggravated  by  over-exertion  and  exposure  while  preach- 
ing. Being  of  a  highly  sensitive  organism  and  intensely  zealous 
in  his  efforts  to  do  good,  he  has  fallen  in  the  meridian  of  life,  a 
victim  to  the  mistaken  idea  that  the  power  of  the  gospel  consists 
in  the  thunder  tones  with  which  it  is  proclaimed.  He  was  mis- 
sionary of  Zion  Association,  and  died  with  the  armor  on.  Long 
will  he  be  remembered  as  a  faithful  evangelist  and  steadfast 
friend.  In  his  last  moments  on  earth  he  spoke  words  of  victory 
over  sin,  and  of  a  glory  near  at  hand. 

J.  B.  Miller — -was  born  in  Tennessee  in  1831,  and  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  years  professed  religion.  He  was  ever  afterward  a  a 
most  faithful  servant  of  his  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  In 
1858  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  and  settled  on  the  Union  road  in 
Camden  County,  near  where  Stoutland  now  stands.  Here  he 
engaged  in  farming  and  was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him. 

"  In  1868  he  gave  up  all  for  Christ  and  commenced  the  glori- 
QUs  work  of  proclaiming   salvation  to  a  dying  world.     In  his. 


644  ZION    AND   OZARK   ASSOCIATIONS. 

labors  he  was  eminently  zealous,  and  many  souls  professed  a 
hope  in  Christ  under  his  powerful  preaching.  No  stain  of  any 
kind  was  ever  attached  to  his  character,  but  he  was  loved  by  all. 

"  On  the  night  of  the  1st  of  J  une,  1876,  when  he  and  his  family 
were  quietly  sleeping  at  home  on  Dry  Creek,  in  Douglas  County, 
they  were  suddenly  awakened  by  the  rising  of  the  waters  in  their 
house,  the  result  of  a  waterspout  that  had  burst  near  them.  Be- 
fore they  could  get  out  of  the  hpuseit  was  set  afloat  on  the  raging 
torrent.  He  and  his  wife  and  five  children  were  all  drowned. 
Two  sons,  who  were  away  from  home  at  the  time,  are  still  liv- 
ing. A  young  man  staying  at  the  house  escaped.  The  last  he 
heard  of  those  in  the  house,  Brother  Miller  was  praying.  Thus 
we  see  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is  in  the  hour  of  death,  to  have  a 
hope  in  Christ."     (^Minutes  of  Zion  Association,  1876,  p.  4.) 

Joseph  W.  Lane. — This  brother  died  at  a  comparatively  early 
age,  in  August,  1877,  at  which  time  he  was  pastor  of  Pin  Oak 
Church  in  Zion  Association.  Ho  left  a  wife  and  five  children  to 
mourn  his  loss.  He  was  born  in  the  year  1837  and  had  been  liv- 
ing in  Missouri  about  25  years,  six  of  which  he  had  spent  in  the 
ministry.     He  was  a  faithful  man  and  well  beloved. 

H.  Elliott,  —  one  of  the  constituents  of  the  Zion  Baptist 
Association,  "was  born  March  10,  1810,  in  the  state  of  Kentucky, 
but  was  raised  mostly  in  Indiana,  where  he  joined  the  church 
and  commenced  preaching  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  eighteen 
years  after  that  moved  to  SouthAvest  Missouri,  where  he  remain- 
ed the  balance  of  his  days,  the  most  of  the  time  traveling  and 
preaching,  and  did  a  great  deal  in  establishing  and  sustaining 
the  Baptist  cause  in  that  region.  He  had  a  good  voice  for  speak- 
ing and  singing,  was  the  meekest  of  men  and  a  great  favorite 
with  the  people  wherever  he  went,  wielded  great  influence  and 
turned  it  to  good  in  building  up  and  sustaining  churches.  He  was 
faithful  in  attendance  and  active  in  business.  He  was  sound  in 
faith  as  a  Baptist.  By  calculations  of  his  own,  in  the  course  of  his 
ministry,  which  lasted  about  48  years,  he  baptized  about  1,000 
persons.  He  married  when  young  and  raised  a  large  family. 
His  widow  and  seven  of  his  children  are  still  living,  and  three 
of  his  sons  are  Baptist  preachers.  He  died  December  16,  1877, 
leaving  an  abiding  evidence  that  his  faith  and  hope  sustained 
him  triumphantly  to  the  end."  (Minutes  of  Zion  Association,  1878, 
page  7.) 

THE  OZAEK  BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  organized  at  the  Mount  Moriah  Church, 


2I0N  AND   OZARK  ASSOCIATIONS.  645 

Wright  County,  October  22,  1870.  It  was  once  a  part  of  the  Zion 
Association,  and  its  origin  is  due  mainly  to  the  opposition  to  mis- 
sions among  the  churches  of  that  body.  The  Ozark  is  thoroughly 
evangelical.  There  were  7  churches  in  the  organization,  viz. : 
Mt.  Pleasant,  Mt.  Moriah,  Shiloh,  Shady  Grove,  Bethany,  Union 
and  Clark's  Creek.  Shiloh  Church  is  in  Douglas  County ;  the 
rest  are  in  Wright  County,  and  all  of  them  in  the  midst  of  or  ad- 
jacent to  the  Ozark  Mountains. 

This  association  was  formed  upon  the  basis  of  a  missionary 
body,  and  grew  up  under  the  labors  of  Wm.  Carter,  a  missionary 
of  Zion  Association,  and  C.  L.  Alexander,  Joseph  Miller,  H.  Elli- 
ott, H.  Brazeal  and  W.  S.  Dennis.  From  the  beginning  of  its 
existence  it  has  been  active  in  the  encouragement  of  home  and 
foreign  missions,  and  a  friend  of  Sabbath-schools  and  ministerial 
education. 

In  1872  the  third  meeting  was  held  at  Union  Church,  Wright 
County,  commencing  August  16th,  up  to  which  time  two  church- 
es, New  IIoj)e  and  Good  Spring,  had  been  added  to  the  original 
list,  making  9  churches  and  180  members  in  all.  Of  this  number 
Mt.  Pleasant  Church  with  34  members  was  the  largest;  and  New 
Hope  with  9  members  was  the  smallest.  An  executive  board  was 
appointed,  and  it  was  agreed  to  put  an  evangelist  at  once  into 
the  field.  The  board  consisted  of  J.  G.  Eiden,  W.  C.  Calhoun 
and  Joseph  li.  Freeman.  By  unanimous  consent  the  Ozark  As- 
sociation became  auxiliary  to  the  General  Association,  and  has, 
we  think,  so  continued  ever  since.  In  1879  Eld.  L.  Eichardson 
was  put  into  the  field  as  the  joint  missionary  of  the  two  bodies, 
to  labor  in  the  bounds  of  Ozark,  and  showed  himself  a  faithful 
worker  in  the  cause. 

The  association  in  1879  was  composed  of  16  churches,  in  which 
there  were  438  members.  Her  ordained  ministers  were  then 
G.  B.  Stogsdill,  W.  H.  Henderson,  S.  W.  Eutledge,  T.  G.  Helm, 
Wm.  Bailey,  J.  D.  Pritchett,  L.  Eichardson,  J.  J.  Mitchell,  J.  A. 
Long,  G.  L.  Burke,  H.  M.  Elliott,  W.  W.  Bryant,  W.  S.  Dennis, 
A.  Davis  and  J.  D.  Pettyjohn. 

Eld.  Bailey  is  giving  most  of  his  time  to  the  ministry,  associ- 
ating with  several  congregations.  Eld.  H.  M.  Elliott  follows 
school  teaching,  but  does  not  preach  very  much.  Eld.  W.  S. 
Dennis  is  a  stock  dealer,  driving  cattle  from  Arkansas  to  North 
Missouri.  Eld.  Davis  has  charge  of  his  lead  mines,  which  hin- 
ders him  not  a  little,  but  preaches  occasionally.  Eld.  J.  J.  Mitch- 
ell is  73  years  old,  and  seldom  preaches.    Eld.  Pritchett,  with 


646  ZION    AND    OZARK   ASSOCIATIONS. 

an  invalid  wife,  is  working  all  he  can  and  wields  a  good  influ* 
enee.  Eld.  G.  L.  Burke  is  one  of  the  strongest  doctrinal  preach- 
ers in  the  association.  Eld.  S.  W.  Eutledge  is  one  of  the  active 
ministers  of  the  association.     He  also  works  in  the  itinerancy. 

G.  B.  Stogsdell. — The  meeting  of  the  Ozark  Association  for  1881 
was  held  at  Shiloh  Church,  Douglas  County.  The  minutes  chron- 
icle the  death  of  one  of  her  devoted  ministers.  Eld.  G.  B.  Stogs- 
dell, who  died  March  15, 1881,  at  his  residence  in  Texas  County. 
He  was  born  in  Kentucky,  June  26, 1826,  and  moved  to  Missouri 
in  1837,  settling  in  Texas  County.  He  was  converted  and  joined 
the  Baptists  in  his  native  state.  In  1868  he  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  by  the  Baptist  Church  at  Cedar  Bluif,  and  soon  was 
made  pastor  of  said  church,  and  served  in  the  same  office  in  the 
Pleasant  Hill,  Dry  Creek  and  other  churches.  His  education 
was  limited,  and  his  standard  of  appeal  was  the  Bible.  When- 
ever the  question  of  aid  in  missions  or  pastoral  work  was  agita- 
ted in  the  meetings.  Brother  Stogsdell  was  generally  the  first  to 
respond.  A  few  days  before  he  went  to  the  arms  of  Jesus,  he 
visited  the  Church  at  Dry  Creek,  in  Howell  County,  and 
preached  with  great  power,  bidding  his  brethren  farewell,  say- 
ing his  time  on  earth  was  short,  and  "  All  is  well  with  me."  He 
complained  of  being  sick  before  he  left  the  neighborhood.  From 
this  sickness  he  never  recovered.  He  reached  his  earthly  home 
and  soon  after  closed  his  eyes  on  the  scenes  of  earth,  (From 
an  obituary  in  Minutes  Ozark  Association,  1881,  pp.  9,  10.) 

LowRY  EiCHARDSON, — a  moderator  of  the  Ozark  Association, 
was  a  devout  and  pious  Baptist  minister  of  Wright  County.  He 
was  a  poor  man,  but  rich  in  faith  and  good  fruits  in  the  kingdom 
of  Christ.  He  wasauseful  man  in  South  Missouri,  and  one  of  the 
most  devoted  and  self-sacrificing  heralds  of  the  Cross  in  that 
Section  of  the  state,  laboring  at  times  as  a  joint  missionary  of 
the  Ozark  and  the  General  Association. 

His  death  occurred  in  the  spring  of  1882,  but  of  the  particu- 
lars we  have  not  learned. 


PERIOD  SEVENTH. 

1860-1870. 


CHAPTER  I. 
CANE  CEEEK  AND  BUTLEE  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Date  and  Organization  of  Cane  Creek — Timothy  Eeaves — List  of  Churches  in  1867 — 
W.  H.  Reaves — Public  Collections — "  Alien"  Baptism — Ministerial  Need — Butler 
Association — First  Called  Western  Missouri — Quarterly  Communion — Affiliation 
with  State  Convention — Help  From  the  Home  Mission  Society — Record  of  Meet- 
ings— Change  of  Name  to  Butler. 

ry^HE  Cane  Creek  Association  is  a  daughter  of  the  Black  Eiv- 
JL  er,  having  been  formed  of  churches  dismissed  for  the  pur- 
pose from  that  body.  "  Five  churches,"  says  brother  C.  B. 
Crumb,  the  present  clerk  of  Black  Eiver  Association,  "were  dis- 
missed from  this  association  in  1857  to  form  Cane  Creek  Asso- 
ciation." From  the  records  before  us  it  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  organized  until  1861.  It  may  have  been  formed,  however, 
in  1857  or  '58,  and  failed  to  meet  two  or  three  years  during  the 
war;  this  would  explain  the  difficulty.  Its  object  was  to  per- 
petuate a  union  and  communion  amongst  its  churches,  maintain 
a  correspondence  with  each  other,  and  supply  with  preaching 
and  cultivate  the  field  which  Cod  had  assigned  them.  That  its 
founders  intended  an  aggressive  policy  is  abundantly  set  forth  in 
the  name  "  Cane  Creek  Association  of  United  Missionary  Bap- 
tists." In  conformity  with  this  purpose  it  commenced  aggressive 
work  early  in  its  history.  Eld.  Timothy  Eeaves  was  the  itin- 
erant in  1866,  and  reported  a  good  year's  work  at  the  next  meet- 
ing, resulting  in  83  baptisms  and  the  organization  of  five  new 
churches.  The  salary  was  small,  but  the  people  were  poor;  only 
$53.80  were  collected  on  the  field. 

This  association  is  on  the  border  of  two  states,  Missouri  and 
Arkansas,  and  embraces  a  very  important  and  large  field  in  But- 
ler, Carter  and  Eipley  Counties  in  the  former,  and  Clayton  and 
Eandolph  in  the  latter.  The  following  churches  appear  on  the 
list  in  1867:  Cane  Creek,  Little  Flock,  Union,  Mt.  Zion,  Provi- 
dence, ^opewell,  Mt.  Pleasant  and  Logan's  Creek,  in  Mo.; 
and  Good  Hope,  Harmony,  Mt.   Pleasant,  State  Line,  Poplar 


648  CANE    CREEK   AND    BUTLER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Bluff  and  New  Hope,  Ark.     The  eight  last  named  united  at  this 
meeting. 

The  association  veiy  wisely  urged  the  circulation  and  read- 
ing of  a  denominational  newspaper,  and  recommended  the  Mis- 
souri Baptist  Journal,  published  at  Palmyra,  by  J.  H.  Luther,  as 
the  paper  of  the  denomination  and  worthy  of  patronage. 

William  H.  Eeaves. — This  highly  esteemed  minister  had  re- 
cently passed  to  his  home  above,  and  was  thus  respected  and  la- 
mented by  the  body  : 

*'  Resolved,  That  this  association  has  sustained  a  great  loss  in  the 
death  of  our  much  esteemed  and  beloved  brother,  Eld.  Wm.  H. 
Eeaves,  who  departed  this  life  on  the  8th  of  December,  1866. 
He  died  in  the  full  triumphs  of  the  faith,  in  the  fifty-third  year 
of  his  age." 

.  Proper  views  were  taken  of  the  influence  of  Sunday-schools, 
and  the  churches  urged  to  promote  this  institution  upon  the 
Baptist  platform. 

Alien  baptism  was  rejected  in  the  following  manner:  one  of 
the  churches  (name  not  given)  sent  up  the  following  query  :  "Is  it 
right,  or  legal,  according  to  Baptist  usage,  to  receive  members 
from  pedobaptist  societies,  Campbellites,  or  other  denomina- 
tions, not  of  our  faith  and  order — yea,  or  nay  ?"  After  discus- 
sion, answered  unanimously,    "  Nay." 

In  1874  the  association  deliberately  declared  it  as  her  con- 
viction : 

"  1st.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  each  jiastor  to  make  a  public  col- 
lection once  a  quarter  for  the  support  of  the  gospel. 

"2d.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  each  church  to  organize  a  Baptist 
Sabbath-school;  and 

"  Eecommend,  earnestly,  each  pastor  to  preach  two  or  more 
missionary  sermons  during  the  year." 

In  the  face  of  the  supposed  liberality  of  many  churches  (and 
not  a  few  are  somewhat  liberal)  we  unhesitatingly  declare  that 
there  exists  a  criminal  indifference  in  the  Christian  world  on 
these  subjects. 

This  year,  1874,  18  of  the  24  churches  reported  57  baptisms 
and  a  total  membership  of  632.  No  records  to  which  we  have  had 
access  give  any  information  as  to  the  number  of  ministers  in  the 
association.  Concerning  their  ministr}-,  a  brother  thus  wrote 
in  1871 :  "The  people  in  this  country  are  generally  poor  and  un- 
able to  pay  large  salaries  for  their  ministers.  We  neec^  minis- 
ters with  talents  to  preach  the  deep  doctrines  of  tho  Bible.   Our 


CANE   CREEK   AND   BUTLER    ASSOCIATIONS.  649 

ministers  are  young  in  the  cause,  but  are  improving  fast.     We 
have  become  very  cold  in  the  cause  of  religion.     Pray  for  us." 

Up  to  1875  (our  latest  information)  the  association  had  grown 
to  the  number  of  22  churches,  located  as  follows  : 

In  Missouri :  Bethel,  Cane  Creek,  Friendship,  Good  Hope,  In- 
dian Creek,  Liberty,  Little  Flock  and  Poplar  Bluff,  in  Butler 
County;  Hopewell,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Zion  and  Smith's  Chapel,  in 
Ripley  County;  and  New  Hope  and  Providence,  in  Carter 
County.  In  Arkansas :  Bethel,  Mt.  Pleasant  and  Shiloh,  in 
Clayton  County;  and  Good  Spring,  Harmony,  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Smith's  Chapel  and  Zoar,  in  Eandolph  County. 
BUTLER  ASSOCIATION. 

At  a  preliminary  meeting,  held  at  Butler,  Bates  County,  Sep- 
tember 7, 1867,  a  new  association  was  formed  called  the  "Western 
Missouri  Association."  The  churches  composing  it  were  in  Cass 
and  Bates  Counties. 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  in  October  of  the  same  year,  at 
Austin,  Cass  County.  Messengers  were  present  from  five  church- 
es, namely:  Everett  and  Austin  in  Cass;  and  Butler,  Crescent 
Hill  and  Willow  Branch  in  Bates  County.  These  churches  num- 
bered in  all  180  members. 

Eld  I.  Wilcox  was  elected  moderator  and  W.  J.  Hiser,  clerk 
and  treasurer.  Elds.  S.  D.  Bowker  and  A.  G.  Newgent,  also 
Brother  E.  F.  Rogers  of  Kansas  City,  were  made  honorary  mem- 
bers of  the  association. 

Resolutions  were  passed  recommending  Baptist  churches  to 
have  Baptist  Sabbath-schools,  to  hold  communion  quarterly, 
and  to  affiliate  with  the  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention,  and 
the  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York. 

The  second  session  of  the  association  was  held  at  Crescent 
Hill  Church,  Bates  County,  commencing  October  15, 1868.  There 
were  only  4  churches  present,  Willow  Branch  having  gone  out 
of  existence.  The  moderator  and  clerk  were  the  same  as  last 
year.^i  The  whole  number  of  membership  in  the  association  was 
259.  Rev.  A.  H.  Deane,  Rev.  Jno.  Smith  and  Isaac  Wilcox  were 
the  ministers  at  this  time. 

The  third  anniversary  of  the  Western  Missouri  Association 
was  held  at  Butler,  Bates  County,  September,  1869.  The  Miami 
and  the  Altoona,  new  churches,  were  admitted  to  membership. 
Eld.  P.  J.  Gabriel  was  moderator,  W.  J.  Hiser  clerk  and  J.  H. 
Wilcox  corresponding  secretary.  The  missionary  board  had 
employed  Eld.  P.  H.  Evans  as  itinerant  missionary  at  a  salary 


650  fcJANE   CREEK   AND    BUTLER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

of  $800,  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  agreeing 
to  pay  $300  of  the  amount.  This  was  undertaking  a  good  deal 
for  a  membership  of  312 — really  more  than  was  expedient;  for, 
at  the  end  of  the  second  quarter,  the  association  was  $110.29  in 
arrears  with  the  missionary.  A  Baptist  Sunday-school  conven- 
tion was  formed  auxiliary  to  the  state  Sunday-school  conven- 
tion, with  J.  H.Wilcox  as  i3resident,  J.  Popenoe  as  secretary,  and 
J.  P.  Gabriel  as  treasurer. 

In  1870  the  association  met  at  Everett  Church,  Cass  County, 
and  received  three  new  churches,  viz.:  Walnut  Creek,  Dayton 
and  West  Point,  which,  with  the  accessions  by  baptism  and  oth- 
erwise, swelled  the  membership  to  510 — an  increase  of  198  dur 
ing  the  5'ear.  Collections  were  made  for  the  home  mission  so 
ciety  and  the  publication  society.  Elds.  James  Lacy  and  A.  H 
Deane  were  present  as  corresponding  messengers  from  Blue  Eiv 
er  Association,  and  Eld.  J.  Lawton  for  the  publication  society 
The  officers  of  this  session  were,  P.  H.  Evans  moderator,  J.  H 
Wilcox  clerk,  W.  J.  Hiser  corresponding  secretary,  and  A.  Ar 
nett  treasurer.  (From  a  sketch  of  the  association  printed  in 
the  Minutes  of  1871.) 

In  1871  the  association  met  at  Miami  Church,  Bates  County. 
P.  H.  Evans  was  moderator,  J.  H.  Wilcox  clerk,  and  W.  J.  Hi- 
ser corresponding  secretary.  In  1872  the  association  met  at 
West  Point,  Bates  County.  J.  W.  Sage  was  moderator,  J.  E. 
Pennington  clerk,  and  Alex.  Arnett  treasurer.  In  1873  it  met 
at  Crescent  Hill,  Bates  County.  P.  H.  Evans  was  moderator, 
and  J.  H.Wilcox  clerk.  In  1874  it  met  at  West  Line,  Cass  Coun- 
ty.    J.  W.  Sage  was  moderator,  and  I.  R.  M.  Beeson  clerk. 

In  1871  a  resolution  was  adopted  changing  the  name  of  the  as- 
sociation from  Western  Missouri  to  that  of  "Butler  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation." 

The  Missionary  Board  made  the  following  report  at  this  meet- 
ing : 

*'  The  past  year  has  been  marked  by  a  total  failure  of  anything 
like  progress.  The  meetings  of  the  board  were  not  attended. 
We  found  a  debt  against  us  of  $45.  We  succeeded  in  raising  and 
paying  over  $24  of  the  amount,  leaving  a  debt  still  of  $21. 

"  H.  Quick,  President.'' 

Times  were  somewhat  better  in  1872.      J.  Howerton,  J.  W. 

Swift,  J.  H.  Wilcox,  J.  K.  Lacy,  P.  H.  Evans,  J.  W.  Sage, 

Weller  and  J.  E.  Pennington  were  the  ordained  ministers  at  this 
time. 


CANE    CREEK   AND   BUTLER   ASSOCIATIONSi  651 

From  the  number  of  reported  baptisms,  four  of  the  churches 
seemed  to  have  enjoyed  revivals,  namely :  Butler,  Walnut  Creek, 
West  Point  and  New  Hope. 

In  1873  Elds.  J.  W.  Swift  and  I.  E.  M.  Beeson  were  active 
ministers  in  the  association,  the  latter  having  but  recently  suc- 
ceeded the  former  in  the  pastoral  office  at  Butler,  much  the  lar- 
gest church  in  the  association,  no  other  numbering  over  100 
members. 

During  the  year  ending  September,  1874,  large  accessions  were 
made  to  the  churches  by  baptism — 155  in  all.  One-half  of  the 
churches  enjoyed  revivals.  There  were  then  21  churches  in  the 
union,  numbering  1,100  members.  The  area  of  the  association 
was  the  most  or  all  of  Bates  County,  a  part  of  Cass,  a  small  part 
of  Henry,  and  one  church,  Lewisburg,  in  the  state  of  Kansas. 

Twentv-three  churches  were  on  the  list  in  1881,  when  the  meet- 
ing was  held  at  Dayton  Baptist  Church.  L.  McComb  was  the 
moderator.  The  reported  membership  of  the  churches  was  1,262. 


CHAPTER  n. 


CENTEAL  (FOEMEELY  CALLED  SEDALIA)  AND  OTHEE 
ASSOCIATIONS. 

"  The  Queen  City  "—First  Baptist  Church,  Sedalia — East  Church— Sedalia  Associa- 
tion— ^Formation  of  and  Change  to  Central — South  Fork  Church — Isaiah  Spurgin — 
E.  T.  Brown — Pettis  County  Association — "Why  Formed — Harmony  Asso- 
ciation— Why  Organized. 

SEDALIA,  "  The  Queen  City  of  the  Prairies,"  one  of  the  most 
thriving  business  towns  of  Western  Missouri,  with  a  popu- 
lation of  15,000,  was  laid  out  in  1859  by  Gen.  Geo.  E.  Smith,  and 
called  at  first,  Sedville,  for  his  daughter  Sarah,  familiarly  called 
Sed.    {GampbelVs  Gazetteer  of  Missouri^  1875,  p.  430.) 

First  Baptist  Church,  Sedalia — was  organized  in  1865,  with 
a  membership  of  25,  by  Eev.  E.  T.  Brown,  he  having  settled  in 
that  city  early  in  the  same  year.  Subsequently  a  substantial 
building  was  erected.  Under  Mr.  Brown's  ministry  the  church 
prospered,  but  in  1872  it  found  itself  without  a  minister.  In 
1873  Eev.  J.  C.  Davidson  was  called  to  the  pastoi*al  care  of  the 
church.  Having  been  some  time  without  a  pastor  the  congrega- 
tion had  scattered.  The  new  pastor  found  a  church  of  50  mem- 
bers and  began  his  labors  among  them.  In  1878  this  church 
numbered  125  members  and  the  services  were  attended  by  large 
and  appreciative  audiences. 

In  1873,  during  the  spring,  the  house  of  worship  was  repaired  ; 
two  ante-rooms,  a  pastor's  study  and  Bible  class-rooms  were  ad- 
ded. The  pulpit  was  also  remodeled  and  the  house  painted  and 
papered.  In  the  fall  of  1876  an  elegant  pipe  organ  was  pur- 
chased by  the  congregation,  the  only  instrument  of  the  kind  in 
the  city.     (From  the  Sedalia  Democrat,  January,  1878.) 

East  Sedalia  Baptist  Church.  —  In  the  summer  of  1874  a 
house  of  worship  was  erected  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  being 
an  offering  to  the  Lord  by  Eev.  E.  T.  Brown,  except  about  two 
hundred  dollars  contributed  by  various  persons  in  lumber,  labor, 
etc.,  and  was  ready  for  worship  October  8,  1874.  On  that  day 
it  was  occupied  for  a  prayer  meeting,  made  up  of  six  persons — 
Eev.  E.  T.  Brown,  wife  and  daughter,  and  Misses  Sallie  and  Han- 
nah Hill  and  Miss  Gertie  Gleason.     October  11,  1874,  the  first 


CENTRAL  (formerly  SEDALIA)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.  653 

sermon  was  preached  by  Eev.  E.  T.  Brown,  from  Psalms  118  ; 
25:  "We  beseech  thee,  O  Lord,  send  now  prosperity."  At  2 
o'clock  the  same  day  a  Sunday-school  was  organized  with  about 
40  scholars  and  teachers,  which  increased  in  number  until  it 
reached  225  scholars  and  teachers.  From  this  date  regular  Sab- 
bath services  were  kept  up  by  Eev.  E.  T.  Brown,  with  evident 
tokens  of  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

October  28,  1874,  this  house  was  dedicated  to  God's  service. 
The  sermon  on  the  occasion  was  delivered  by  Eev.  G-.  J.  John- 
son of  St.  Louis. 

A  deed  to  the  property,  free  from  debt,  was  made,  duly  re- 
corded, and  i^resented  to  J.  Letts,  J.  D.  Crawford  and  E.  T. 
Brown,  as  trustees,  to  be  held  for  the  use  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  this  location,  and  if  it  ceased  to  be  used  for  such  purpose  it 
is  then  the  property  of  the  Amer.  Bap.  Home  Mission  Society. 

March  1,  1875,  a  series  of  meetings  were  conducted  by  Eev. 
Greorge  Balcom,  which  resulted  in  great  good. 

On  the  19th  of  March  an  invitation  was  given  to  those  who 
held  letters  from  Baptist  churches  to  come  together  and  form  a 
church  at  this  place,  whereupon  eleven  persons  presented  their 
letters.  A  suitable  sermon  having  been  preached  by  Eev.  Geo. 
Balcom,  from  2d  Cor.  8; 5,  "But  themselves  they  gave  first  to 
the  Lord,  and  to  us  by  the  will  of  God,"  they  were  then  and  there 
declared,  in  the  name  of  God  and  the  Baptist  denomination,  a 
Baptist  church,  ready  and  authorized  to  receive  members  and  to 
transact  business.  Several  Baptist  ministers  and  members  of 
other  Baptist  churches  were  present.  On  the  same  day  S.  H. 
Olmstead  was  elected  clerk  of  the  church. 

March  21st,  at  11  A.M.,  the  first  baptism  was  administered  by 
Eev.  E.  T.  Brown,  in  the  new  baptistry,  his  own  daughter,  Mat- 
tie,  being  the  first  subject,  and  six  others  following.  At 6  P.M., 
same  day,  the  hand  of  fellowship  was  extended  to  the  infant 
church  on  behalf  of  the  denomination  by  Eev.  Geo.  Balcom,  Eev. 
J.  Letts  and  Eev.  L.  W.  Whipple,  and  the  Lord's  Supper  j^as  ad-" 
ministered  the  same  evening.  (From  the  Sedalia  Democrat,  Jan- 
uary, 1878.) 

Eev.  E.  T.  Brown  was  chosen  first  pastor  April  17,  1875,  and 
served  about  a  year,  when  Eev.  J.  Letts  succeeded  him  and  con- 
tinued one  year.  In  August,  1877,  Mr.  Brown  was  again  chosen 
and  resumed  pastoral  work.  The  present  (1878)  membership  of 
this  church  is  88,  and  since  its  organization  it  has  received  118 
members. 


654        CENTRAL  (formerly  SEDALIA)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Eight  churclies  met  at  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Sedalia,  Jan- 
uary 6,  1866,  and  organized  what  is  now  the  Central  Baptist  As- 
sociation, then  called  the  Sedalia  Association,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention.  Constituent  church- 
es: First  Sedalia,  24  members;  Antioch,  103;  Georgetown, 
22;  South  Fork,  35;  Warrensburg,  19;  Bethlehem,  63;  Union, 
7;  Providence,  127;  total,  400  members.  Eld.  E.  T.  Brown,  the 
father  of  the  association,  was  the  first  moderator. 

The  second  meeting  was  held  at  Antioch  Church,  Saline  Coun- 
ty, October  6,  1866,  when  4  new  churches  were  admitted  to  mem- 
bership :  Bethel,  22;  Providence,  32;  Walnut  Street,  Kansas 
City,  50;  and  Friendship  in  Benton  County,  32. 

Bethlehem,  Pettis  County,  entertained  the  session  of  1867,  held 
October  5th  with  the  same  churches  and  the  following  additions: 
Hopewell,  44;  Smith  City,  48;  and  Elm  Spring,  59.  This  raised 
the  numerical  strength  of  the  body  to  810. 

In  1868  the  association  met  with  the  Union  Church,  October 
3d, when  Eld.  J.  M.  Robinson,  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
General  Association,  preached  the  introductory  sermon.  The 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Dresden  was  on  application  received 
into  the  union.  The  executive  board  consisted  of  one  member 
from  each  church  in  the  association ;  and  the  moderator  and 
clerk  were  made  president  and  corresponding  secretary  of  it* 
$165  were  pledged  to  aid  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  the  asso- 
ciational  field. 

The  fifth  session  was  held  at  South  Fork,  October  2-4,  1869. 
Pleasant  Green,  Pleasant  Point  and  Cornelia  Churches  were  ad- 
mitted into  the  association. 

Ministers  in  1869.— I.  L.  Crow,  J.  Gott,  C.  G.  Gibbons,  Z.  Kirk- 
patrick,  S.  D.  Bowker,  E.  H.  Burchfield,  I.  H.  Denton,  L.  W. 
Whipple,  Isaiah  Spurgin,  E.  T.  Brown,  J.  Letts,  H.  P.  Thomp- 
son and  B.  F.  Thomas.  Licentiates:  J.  Q.  Bridges  and  F.  A. 
Potter. 

About  $200  had  been  expended  in  associational  missions,  and 
$160  pledged  for  the  coming  year.  The  Grand  Avenue  Church, 
Kansas  City,  having  disbanded,  and  the  Warrensburg  Church, 
Johnson  County,  having  united  with  the  Blue  River  Association,, 
their  names  were  ordered  stricken  from  the  minutes. 

In  1872  the  meeting  was  held  at  Hopewell,  Pettis  County.  One 
of  the  churches  in  the  union,  the  name  of  which  is  not  given,  re- 
quested a  reorganization  of  the  association  ;  the  matter  was  refer- 
red to  a  committee  consisting  of  Brethren  Gott,  Letts,  Potter, 


CENTRAL  (FORMERLY  SEDALIA)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.  655 

Burchfield,  Burke,  Spence  and  Eeese,  who,  after  a  free  discus- 
sion of  the  subject,  recommended  that  the  name  be  changed  from 
Sedalia,  to  "Central"  Association.  "The  object  of  this  was," 
says  L.  W.  Whipple,  one  of  our  correspondents  for  this  body, 
"to  allaj^  prejudices  which  had  existed  against  the  association 
from  its  organization." 

In  1877  the  history  of  South  Fork  Church  was  published  in  the 
minutes,  as  follows: 

South  Fork  Church — was  organized  in  September,  1855,  by 
Eld.  G.  W.  Sands  and  others,  with  eleven  members.  Eld.  Sands 
was  the  first  pastor.  His  siiccessors  have  been  T.  Eucker,  A. 
Horn,  E.  H.  Burchfield,  L.  W.  Whipple  and  Isaiah  Spurgin.  In 
all,  she  has  enrolled  on  her  church  book  118  names,  but  death, 
removals  and  exclusions  have  reduced  the  number  to  36. 

In  the  year  1879  a  movement  was  inaugurated  which  somewhat 
weakened  the  association.  It  was  the  formation  of  the  Pettis 
County  Association.  This  left  only  4  churches  in  Pettis  County, 
viz.:  Camp  Branch,  East  Sedalia,  Olive  Branch  and  South  Fork, 
members  of  the  Central  Association.  There  were  also  5  other 
churches  that  continued  with  the  body :  Cornelia  and  Pleasant 
Point  in  Johnson  County;  Oak  (xrove  in  Saline;  Lamine  in 
Cooper;  and  Orange  in  Benton  County. 

Isaiah  Spurgin — was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1801.  In  1822 
he  was  converted  and  joined  the  Abbott's  Creek  Baptist  Church 
in  his  native  state  and  commenced  preaching  soon  after  his  con- 
version. After  spending  21  years  in  the  ministry  in  North  Car- 
olina he  moved  to  Missouri  in  1843,  and  the  year  following  set- 
tled in  Pettis  County  on  the  farm  where  he  died.  He  was  one  of 
the  constituent  members  of  South  Fork  Church  in  1855,  and  con- 
tinued with  this  church  the  balance  of  his  life.  His  last  pastor- 
ate was  at  South  Fork  Baptist  Church.  After  several  months' 
painful  illness  he  died  August  4,  1877,  being  at  the  time  in  the 
seventy-sixth  year  of  his  age,  having  been  55  years  in  the  gos- 
pel ministry. 

Edwin  T.  Brown*.— Born  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  in  1818,  a 
grandson  of  Elder  Joshua  Vaughan,  who  was  an  eminent  pio- 
neer Baptist  minister,  he  became  at  the  age  of  12  years  a  follow- 
er of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  about  a  year  afterward,  on  a 
visit  to  Pittsburg,  was  buried  with  Christ  in  baptism  at  the 
hands  of  Dr.  Elliot,  a  Baptist  minister  of  that  city.  The  scene 
of  his  immersion  was  ever  a  sacred  place  to  him. 

^  By  Eev.  S.  D.  Fulton,  of  Sedalia,  Mo.,  in  Central  Baptist,  June,  1879. 


656     CENTRAL   (formerly   SEDALIA)    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

He  studied  two  years  at  Fayette  College,  Pa.,  and  on  the  re- 
moval of  his  parents  to  Yirginia  completed  his  education  at  Eec- 
tor  College,  in  that  state.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  was  present- 
ed with  a  license  to  preach,  with  an  urgent  request  that  he  con- 
secrate himself  to  the  gospel  ministry.  This  he  did  calling  on 
Grod  for  strength  and  wisdom.  His  first  sermon  was  preached 
July,  4,  1841,  from  Matthew  6;  24  :  "Ye  cannot  serve  God  and 
mammon."  In  illustration  of  the  instability  of  human  great- 
ness and  earthly  riches,  he  referred  to  the  death  of  President 
Harrison.  Certain  politicians  present  took  umbrage  at  his  remarks 
and  laid  wait  to  dispatch  him.  The  brethren  assisted  him  to  escape 
and  encouraged  him  to  continue  preaching  to  them.  He  accord- 
ingly continued  his  labors  in  the  mountains  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Virginia  for  a  year  or  more.  His  first  text  foreshadowed  what 
his  life  was  to  be — an  unreserved  service  of  God.  His  first  ser- 
mon indicated  his  outspoken  frankness  and  unflinching  courage. 

In  May,  1843,  Bro.  Brown  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  at  Connelsville,  Pa.  Shortly  after  he  married  Miss 
Eliza  J.  Bryson,  daughter  of  Deacon  Bryson,  of  Uniontown,  Pa. 
Mrs.  Brown  is  an  intelligent  and  cultured  lady,  an  esteemed  and 
earnest  Christian,  whose  years  have  been  filled  with  prayers  and 
good  works.  Her  assistance  has  been  no  small  item  in  the  suc- 
cessful ministry  of  her  husband,  whom  she  lives  to  mourn, 
though  not  as  those  who  have  no  hope.  To  them  were  born 
three  children,  of  whom  a  son  and  a  daughter  still  survive. 

In  1844  he  removed  to  Ohio,  and  was  successively  pastor  at 
Mount  Yernon,  Wooster  and  Warner.  In  these  fields  he  spent 
twenty  years  of  his  early  vigor  in  his  Master's  service.  In  each 
of  these  important  fields  he  established  the  Baptist  interest  up- 
on a  firm  footing,  and  in  each  his  memory  is  held  dear  by  those 
whom  he  led  into  the  Eedeemer's  kingdom  and  instructed  in  the 
ways  of  righteousness.  He  looked  back  to  those  days  with  pleas- 
ure and  cherished  the  names  of  those  who  had  upheld  him  in  his 
labors  for  Christ. 

His  love  of  country  and  sense  of  duty  led  him  in  the  dark  days 
of  the  civil  war  to  leave  the  quiet  scenes  of  home,  and  he  accep- 
ted service  for  the  government  as  chaplain  of  the  2nd  O.  Y.  Cav- 
alry. Through  all  the  perils  and  hardships  of  war  he  attended 
his  regiment,  and  by  his  endeavors  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the 
men  in  body  and  soul,  by  self-sacrifice  and  fidelity,  he  secured 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  about  him. 

On  his  return  homo  he   was  appointed  missionary  for  the 


CENTRAL   (formerly   SEDALIA)    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.     657 

home  mission  society  of  New  York,  and  in  1865  came  to  Mis- 
souri. He  took  up  his  residence  in  Sedalia,  where  he  has  since 
lived,  and  where  he  closed  his  eyes  in  his  last  sleep.  Here  he 
found  a  few  Baptists,  but  no  church.  He  set  at  once  about  his 
work,  organized  a  church,  and  with  assistance  from  the  home 
missionary  society  built  a  house  of  worship.  This  done  and  the 
church  placed  in  condition  to  sustain  itself,  he  went  to  Clinton, 
the  county  seat  of  Henry  County,  where  he  gathered  a  large 
congregation,  built  one  of  the  finest  church  edifices  in  Central 
Missouri,  and  rendered  the  Baptists  the  leading  denomination 
of  that  city.  While  thus  engaged  he  also  reorganized  a  large 
number  of  churches  which  had  been  scattered  by  the  war,  and 
assisted  in  gathering  them  into  an  association,  now  known  as  the 
Central  Association,  of  which  he  was  first  moderator,  and  to  which 
he  imparted  a  remarkable  zeal  for  missions.  He  traveled  sev- 
eral years  in  the  interest  of  the  publication  society,  and  as 
financial  agent  for  William  Jewell  College.  In  this  work  he  dis- 
played the  same  ability  and  fervor. 

But  the  Lord  had  a  pleasanter  task  for  him.  Sedalia  was  fast 
developing  into  a  city,  and  seeing  the  need  of  providing  the 
families  of  railroad  men  with  gospel  privileges  as  well  as  the 
importance  of  securing  the  new  elements  for  the  Baptist  inter- 
ests, he  built  almost  entirely  at  his  own  expense  a  commodious 
chapel  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  and  deeded  it  in  trust  to 
the  home  mission  society.  He  here  labored  gratuitously  for 
five  years,  and  succeeded  in  the  conversion  of  many  railroad 
men,  a  class  usually  out  of  reach  of  the  ordinary  means  of  grace, 
and  gathered  a  church  of  about  one  hundred  members.  He  re- 
signed the  pastorate  of  this  church  a  few  months  before  his  death ; 
but  he  loved  the  East  Sedalia  Baptist  Church  as  a  crown  of  his 
labors  and  the  apple  of  his  eye. 

His  ministry  was  a  fruitful  one.  In  38  years  he  baptized 
nearly  1,900  converts,  was  pastor  of  seven  churches,  organized 
three,  and  built  three  church  edifices.  These  are  his  monument 
more  lasting  than  granite.  His  name  is  engraven  on  many  a  gem 
that  will  shine  in  the  temple  of  the  living  God  forever. 

He  died  at  his  home  in  Sedalia  at  10  o'clock  P.  M.,  June  9, 
1879,  after  an  illness  of  half  an  hour,  of  apoplexy. 
PETTIS  COUNTY  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  mostly,  if  not  wholly,  from  the  Central 
Association,  and  grew  out  of  a  desire  to  heal  divisions  and  strife 
in  that  body,  to  which  allusion  has  been  heretofore  mad§, 
42 


658     CENTRAL  (formerly   SEDALIA)   AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

The  meeting  for  the  organization  of  this  fraternity  was  held  at 
Flat  Creek  Church,  Pettis  Count}'-,  commencing  October  24, 1879. 
6  churches — Bethlehem,  Hopewell,  Flat  Creek,  Providence,  Dres- 
den and  Smithton — were  enrolled.  A  permanent  organization 
was  effected  by  electing  B.  T.  Thomas  moderator,  W.  B.  Baugh 
secretary,  and  James  F.  Spence  treasurer 

The  following  action  was  taken  relative  to  the  motives  which 
led  to  the  formation  of  the  association  : 

"Whereas,  There  has  been  some  misunderstanding  in  regard 
to  the  motive  which  led  to  the  organization  of  a  new  associa- 
tion; therefore, 

^'■Resolved,  1st.  That  we  condemn  all  unnecessary  strife  and  di- 
vision ; 

''2d.  That  we  will  strive  together  for  harmony  and  peace; 
"3d.  That  we  desire  to  co-operate  with  all  the  Baptist  church- 
es of  Pettis  County  and  others,  whose  interests  may  be  served 
by  it,  in  giving  the  gospel  to  the  destitute  in  the  bounds  of  this 
association." 

The  numerical  strength  of  the  constituent  churches  was  447. 
Great  earnestness  was  manifested  on  the  question  of  missions, 
$210.70  in  cash  and  pledges  being  raised  for  said  purpose;  and 
the  association  resolved  to  relieve  at  once  the  destitution  in  Pet- 
tis County,  which  was  reported  to  be  very  great. 
HAPv:\[Oirr  ASSOCLITIOX. 
A  majority  of  the  churches  in  Pettis  County,  met  at  Dresden, 
December  16,  1881,  and  organized  the  Harmony  Association. 
The  following  churches  were  represented  :  Dresden,  Flat  Creek, 
Hopewell,  Lamonte,  Prairie  Grove,  Hazel  Dell,  Antioch,  Prov- 
idence and  Smithton.  These  churches,  save  Antioch  and  Hope- 
well, composed  the  Pettis  County  Association  at  its  preceding 
session  in  September.  B.  T.  Thomas,  moderator  of  the  Pettis 
County  Association,  was  elected  moderator  of  the  Harmony  Asso- 
ciation. The  treasurer  of  the  former  also  reported  to  the  latter. 
As  its  name  indicates,  the  object  in  forming  the  Harmony  Asso- 
ciation was  to  harmonize  some  differences  among  the  county 
churches.  This  was  accomplished,  and  a  much  better  feeling 
prevails  than  formerly.  And  further,  the  Harmony  supersedes 
the  Pettis  County  Association.  (From  the  MS.  of  T.  A.  Wood, 
of  the  Pettis  County  Association.) 

Positive  and  very  decided  action  was  taken  by  the  new  asso- 
ciation on  the  subject  of  missions  and  temperance. 


CHAPTER  ni. 


GENEEAL  BAPTISTS  AND  FEEE  WILL  BAPTISTS. 

Bethany  Association  of  General  Baptists — Missouri  Association  of  Gen- 
eral Baptists — Big  Creek  Association  of  Free  Will  Baptists. 

BETHANY  ASSOCIATION  OF  GENEKAL  BAPTISTS. 

FOUE  small  churches  :  Fellowship,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Bethany 
and  Pleasant  Prairie,  met  September  15,  1867,  at  Bethany- 
Church,  Hickory  County,  and  formed  an  association  with  the 
above  title.  F.  M.  Coy  and  T.  Holman  were  the  ministers.  The 
entire  membership  of  the  4  churches  was  88.  The  constitution, 
rules  of  decorum  and  articles  of  faith  are  the  same  as  those  of 
the  Missouri  Association  of  General  Baptists.  The  Fellowship 
Church,  Polk  County,  was  the  place  selected  for  the  first  annual 
meeting  to  be  held  in  September,  1868. 

This  association  aad  the  one  next  to  be  named,  are  the  only 
associations  in  the  state  of  the  General  Baptist  order  of  which  we 
have  obtained  any  information. 

MISSOUEI  ASSOCIATION  OF  GENERAL  BAPTISTS. 

The  Missouri  Association  of  General  Baptists  was  organized  in 
1866,  with  4  churches,  most  if  not  wholly  in  Ozark  County,  Mo. 
According  to  its  constitution.  Art.  11,  "  The  association  possesses 
appellant  jurisdiction  in  all  matters  of  difficulty  that  may  arise 
in  the  churches."  Article  12  provided  that  ''The  Lord's  Supper 
shall  be  celebrated  at  each  annual  meeting." 

The  first  anniversary  was  held  at  Mt.  Lebanon  Church,  Ozark 
County,  Saturday,  October  1,  1867.  There  were  then  6  church- 
es :  Mt.  Lebanon,  121 ;  Union,  68 ;  Liberty,  29  j  Spring  Creek, 
42;  Pleasant  Hill,  30;  Eichwoods,  14;  in  all  a  total  membership 
of  294,  86  of  whom  had  been  received  the  past  year.  The  only 
two  ministers  we  can  find  from  the  minutes  were  Thomas  Norris, 
the  moderator  and  M.  C.  Martin.  Correspondence  was  opened 
with  the  "Union  Association  of  General  Baptists"  of  Kentucky. 

The  latest  records  that  have  come  to  hand  of  this  community 
are  for  1870.  That  year  it  met  in  September  at  Casey  Church, 
in  Taney  County,  and  had  increased  to  9  churches  and  352  mem- 
bers. 


660  GENERAL    BAPTISTS    AND    FREE   WILL   BAPTISTS. 

BIG  CREEK  ASSOCIATION  OF  EREE  WILL  BAPTISTS. 
This  association  was  organized  in  1870  or  '71. 
"We  have  the  minutes  of  the  second  anniversary,  held  at  Lib- 
eral Church,  Pulaski  County,  commencing  August  23,  1872.  It 
then  numbered  18  churches,  with  602  members.  The  churches 
were  located  in  the  counties  of  Texas,  Pulaski,  Phelps,  Shannon, 
Laclede  and  Wright. 

"We  give  a  few  extracts  from  its  constitution,  articles  of  faith 
and  its  doings,  as  the  shortest  method  of  classifying  it  as  a  Bap- 
tist institution : 

Constitution. — "  Sec.  4.  No  church  will  be  admitted  into  this  as- 
sociation that  declares  itself  an  independent  body." 

Faith.— "Art.  12.  Freedom  of  the  Will.  We  believe  that  the  will 
of  man  is  free,  irresistible — controlled  by  no  other  power — it 
being  a  self-controlling  power. 

Perseverance. — "Art.  14.  We  believe  that  only  such  believers 
as  persevere  in  a  life  of  holiness  unto  the  end  will  be  eternally 
saved." 

Baptism  with  them  is  immersion.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  to  be 
administered  to  all  true  believers.  "Washing  the  saints'  feet  is 
an  ordinance." 

This  association  holds  or  held  quarterly  meetings  somewhat 
like  the  Methodists,  and  was  a  semi-legislative  body,  shown  in 
the  following  acts : 

"On  motion,  we  make  it  the  duty  of  the  ordained  ministers, 
licentiates,  deacons  and  clerks  to  be  in  attendance  at  our  associ- 
ations, and  also  to  attend  all  quarterly  meetings  in  our  bounds; 
and  we  further  make  it  the  duty  of  the  churches  of  our  body  to 
be  represented  by  one  lay  delegate  to  the  quarterly  meetings  in 
their  respective  districts." 

Here  is  another  somewhat  novel  record  : 

"Eld.  B.  C.  Stephens  (the  evangelist  for  the  past  year)  pre- 
sented his  rejiort  as  follows,  viz.:  miles  traveled,  1,128;  families 
visited,  66;  sermons  preached,  53;  exhortations,  6;  ministers 
ordained,  3;  deacons  ordained,  4;  churches  constituted,  1 ;  ad- 
ministered the  Lord's  Supper,  4  times;  expense  for  fare,  75  cts.; 
expense  for  horse-shoeing,  ^3;  money  received,  $1.10;  goods  re- 
ceived, one  handkerchief,  15  cts. ;  received  two  pieces  of  flat  to- 
bacco, 10  cts." 

With  the  foregoing  declaration  of  principles  and  doings  of  this 
association  before  us,  we  have  with  some  degree  of  reluctance 
given  it  a  place  among  Baptist  institutions. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE   MISSOUEI  BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL   CONTEN- 
TION. 

Its  Constitution,  Motto,  "Work,  and  Final  Dissolution — Kev.  S.  W.  Marston — ^M.  L. 
Laws. 

THIS  institution  was  organized  at  Paris,  Missouri,  August  9, 
1868,  during  the  sitting  of  the  General  Association.  The 
groundof  this  movement  is  set  forth  in  the  following  action  of  the 
last  named  body: 

''Whereas,  The  Sunday-school  board  of  the  General  Association 
has  not  been  able  to  accomplish  the  work  designed  in  its  organ- 
ization ;  and,  whereas,  the  Missouri  Baptist  Sunday-school  Con- 
vention has  now  been  organized  j  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  the  Sunday-school  Board  of  this  General  Asso- 
ciation be,  and  is  hereby  dissolved,"  {Minutes  General  Association, 
1868,  p.  11.) 

OFFICERS. 
President:  E.  D.  Jones,  St.  Louis. 

Vice-presidents:  W.  D.  Sheppard,  Lansing  Burrows,  Dr.  J.  E. 
Yates,  Peter  Setters,  T.  E.  Hatcher,  A.  C.  Avery,  Z.  N.  Goldsbury, 
A.  E.  Levering,  F.  M.  Ferguson. 

Corresponding  Secretary :  D.  L.  Shouse,  Kansas  City 
Recording  Secretary :  E.  H.  E.  Jameson,  St.  Louis. 
Treasurer:  D.  H.  Hickman. 

Executive  Board:  J.  H.  Luther,  E.  W.  Pattison,  C.  F.  Mills,  D. 
T.  Morrill,  W.  D.  Crandall,  E.  S.  Duncan  and  J.  W.  Warder. 
General  Agent :  S.  W.  Marston,  St.  Louis. 

The  following  was  adopted  as  the  constitution  of  the  newly 
formed  convention : 

CONSTITUTION. 
Article  1.  The  name  of  this  body  shall  be,  The  Missouri  Baptist 
Sunday-school  Convention. 

Art.  2.  Its  object  shall  be  to  establish  and  improve  Baptist 
Sunday-schools  in  all  the  churches  and  destitute  neighborhoods 
of  the  State,  and  to  awaken  a  general  interest  in  the  religious 
education  of  both  the  aged  and  the  young  by  gathering  them  into 
the  Sunday-school. 


662  MISSOURI   BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    CONVENTION. 

Art.  3.  This  Convention  shall  be  composed  of  Life  Members, 
made  such  by  the  payment  of  Twenty  Dollars;  of  Annual  Mem- 
bers, made  such  by  the  payment  of  Five  Dollars,  and  of  the  Bap- 
tist pasto""s  of  the  State. 

Art.  4.  This  Convention  shall  meet  at  least  once  in  each  year, 
at  the  call  of  the  Executive  Board,  or  by  adjournment  at  such  a 
time  and  place  as  may  be  agreed  upon. 

Art.  5.  The  Officers  of  this  Convention  shall  be  a  President, 
nine  Yice-presidents,  a  Corresponding  Secretary,  Eecording  Sec- 
retary, a  Treasurer  and  an  Executive  Board  of  seven  members. 

Art.  6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  to  preside  at  all 
the  meetings  of  the  Convention,  to  decide  on  points  of  order, 
and  to  perform  such  other  duties  as  usually  belong  to  a  presiding 
officer.  In  the  absence  of  the  President,  any  one  of  the  Yice- 
Presidents  may  fill  his  place. 

Art.  7.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary, 
personally  or  through  the  Missionary  Secretarj'  (who  is  elected 
by  the  Executive  Board),  to  correspond  with  all  the  Baptist  Sun- 
day-schools of  the  State  and  with  all  the  officers  of  Auxiliary 
Conventions;  and  to  secure  from  them  the  full  statistics  of  their 
Sunday-schools  and  names  of  the  officers  of  their  respective  or- 
ganizations, and  make  a  correct  report  of  the  same  at  the  annual 
meetings. 

Art.  8.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Eecording  Secretary  to  keep 
a  full  and  correct  account  of  all  the  meetings  of  the  Convention 
and  also  of  the  meetings  of  the  Executive  Board,  and  record 
the  same  in  a  book,  to  be  published  or  not,  as  the  Board  may 
direct. 

Art.  9.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Treasurer  to  take  charge  of 
all  funds  of  the  Convention  and  pay  out  the  same  at  the  order  of 
the  President  of  the  Executive  Board. 

Art.  10.  The  Executive  Board  shall  meet  at  the  call  of  the 
President  of  the  Convention,  who,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  shall 
be  its  chairman.  It  shall  be  composed  of  seven  brethren  elected 
annually  by  the  Convention,  and  shall  be  entrusted  with  the  em- 
ployment of  the  Missionary  Secretary,  the  receiving  of  funds 
through  the  Finance  Committee  and  the  general  work  of  the 
Convention,  with  power  to  fill  vacancies. 

Art.  11.  Associational  Baptist  Sunday-school  Conventions  may 
become  auxiliary  to  this  Convention  by  contributing  to  its  funds 
and  furnishing  their  Sunday-school  statistics  to  the  Correspond- 
ing Secretary. 


MISSOURI   BAPTIST   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   CONVENTION.  663 

Art.  12.  This  Constitution  may  be  altered  or  amended  by  a 
vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  any  annual  meet- 
ing. 

The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  convention  was  held  at  Col- 
umbia, Missouri,  August  6th,  7th  and  8th,  in  connection  with  the 
session  of  the  General  Association. 

The  president,  E.  D.  Jones,  was  in  the  chair. 

Much  enthusiasm  had  been  awakened  throughout  the  state. 
The  general  agent,  Eev.  S.  W.  Marston,  had  performed  a  vast 
amount  of  labor  perfecting  the  formation  of  twenty-eight  aux- 
iliary Sunday-school  conventions,  each  bearing  the  name  of  the 
association  to  which  it  belonged.  His  report  shows  that  he  had 
labored  338  days  and  traveled  19,104  miles;  Sunday-schools 
partly  instrumental  in  organizing,  84 ;  money  raised  for  indi- 
vidual Sunday-schools,  ^1,314.86. 

The  treasurer's  report  exhibits  $3,190.07  as  the  amount  col- 
lected, and  $3,516.25  as  the  amount  expended  in  promoting  the 
objects  of  the  convention. 

The  motto  of  the  convention  was,  "  The  Children  of  Missouri 
for  Christ." 

The  convention  next  met  (second  annual  meeting,  1870)  at  the 
Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  commencing  October  15.  This 
year  it  adopted  as  its  sentiment,  "A  Sunday-school  in  every  Bap- 
tist church  in  Missouri."  During  the  year  the  general  agent, 
Eev.  S.  W.  Marston,  had  become  the  missionary  secretary.  In 
his  report  he  says :  "At  our  last  annual  meeting  there  were  re- 
ported 28  auxiliary  conventions  in  the  state.  Since  that  time  19 
more  have  been  organized.  We  now  have  47  of  the  53  associa- 
tions in  the  state  organized  into  Sunday-school  conventions." 

In  submitting  his  report,  the  president,  E.  D.  Jones,  said: 

"When  two  years  since  we  took  the  field,  74  Sunday-schools 
were  all  we  could  number,  according  to  our  reports,  in  this  state, 
while  to-day  our  corresponding  secretary  lays  before  us  actual 
reports  from  590  existing  schools,  with  more  scholars,  more 
teachers,  more  workers  and  more  universal  sympathy  than  ever 
existed  before.  Of  the  590  schools  their  organization  may  be 
divided  thus:  4  prior  to  1850;  12  between  1850  and  1860; 
27  between  1860  and  1867;  52  in  1868;  84  in  1869;  259  in 
1870.  Many  bear  no  date  of  organization,  and  we  may  safely 
infer  that  a  large  portion  of  them  are  of  recent  establishment. 

"  Our  reports  show  that  there  are  taken  and  distributed  in  these 
schools,  1,146  copies  of  the  Baptist  Teacher ;  3,200  copies  of  the 


664  MISSOURI   BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL   CONVENTION. 

Bible  Lessons;  and  13,801  copies  of  the  Young  Reaper  (monthly). 

"  During  the  year  3  institutes  have  been  held,  respectively,  in 
the  following  places:  Lexington,  Macon  and  Springfield.  Their 
influence  has  been  good  upon  the  sections  in  which  they  were 
held." 

The  third  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Clinton,  commencing 
October  11,  1871.  Contributions  from  all  sources  amounted  to 
$7,549.72. 

The  fourth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Glasgow,  commencing 
October  9,  1872.  The  convention  was  called  to  order  by  vice- 
president  Wm.  M.  Bell.  S.  W.  Marston,  the  missionary  secre- 
tary, reported  that  each  of  the  sixty  district  associations  in  the 
state  had  an  auxiliary  convention  in  it,  working  with  more  or 
less  efficiency. 

Contributions  from  all  sources  amounted  to  $5,600.84.  Of  this 
amount  $1,998.20  were  contributed  on  life  memberships,  and 
$1,012.30  by  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

We  have  before  us  the  minutes  of  the  fifth  annual  meeting  of 
the  convention  (1873)  held  at  Macon.  $3,857.56  had  been  ex- 
pended during  the  year.  Of  this  amount  the  publication  society 
gave  $1,028.98. 

At  this  session  a  proposition  was  received  from  the  G-eneral 
Association  relating  to  a  consolidation  of  the  agenciesof  the  two 
bodies;  whereupon  the  following  was  adopted: 

^^ Resolved,  That  we  instruct  our  executive  board  to  confer  with 
the  committee  appointed  by  the  General  Association  upon  the 
subject  of  the  consolidation  of  the  two  bodies,  and  if  in  their 
judgment  such  a  consolidation  would  promote  efficiency  in  both 
the  Sunday-school  convention  and  the  General  Association,  to 
perfect  the  necessary  arrangements." 

The  consolidation  was  not  finally  consummated  until  1878, 
when  in  October  the  convention  held  its  last  formal  session  at  Mex- 
ico,during  the  sitting  of  the  General  Association.  The  preceding 
year  at  the  annual  meeting  at  Lexington,  held  October  27th,  the 
executive  board  put  Eev.  M.  L.  Laws  into  the  field  as  correspond- 
ing secretary,  at  a  salary  of  $1,200,  to  be  raised  on  the  field. 
At  the  close  of  his  first  year's  work  he  urged  the  consolidation, 
which  was  eff'ected  as  above  stated. 

Since  1878  Eev.  M.  L.  Laws  has  labored  efficiently  throughout 
the  state  as  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Sunday-school 
board  of  the  Missouri  Baptist  General  Association. 

Sylvester  W.  Marston — descended  from  an  English  family 


MISSOURI   BAPTIST   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   CONVENTION. 


665 


that  lived  on  Marston  Moor  (1664)  and  was  prominent  in  the 
support  of  the  parliamentary  party  under  Oliver  Cromwell.  He 
was  born  in  Maine,  July  23,  1826.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years 
his  father,  who  was  a  tanner,  said  to  him,  "  You  can  stay  at  home 
and  work  at  the  trade,  or  take  your  time,  be  lazy  and  go  to 
school.  If  you  select  the  latter  you  need  not  expect  any  help 
from  me."  He  decided  to  go  to  school,  and  regards  this  decis- 
ion the  turning  point  in  his  life.  By  dint  of  effort  he  worked 
his  way  through  a  nine  years'  course  of  study,  commencing 
with  Parsonsfield 


Academ}^  Maine; 
then  at  Effingham 
Academy,  'N.  H.  j 
and  closing  with  a 
four  years'  course 
at  the  Collegiate 
and  Theological 
Seminary  at  ISTew 
Hampton,  N.  H., 
where  he  gradua- 
ted with  honors  in 
June,  1852. 

During  a  vaca- 
tion, while  teach- 
ing in  Med  way, 
Mass.,  he  was  bap- 
tized by  Abner  Ma- 
son, Nov.  7,  1847, 
which  eventturned 
his  attention  to  the 
ministry.  About 
two    months    after 


\\H^ 


X 


I" 


REV.    S.   W.    MARSTON,  D.D. 

his  graduation  he  entered  the  pastorate  at  Brookfield,  Mass., 
where  he  labored  successfully  for  two  years,  when  from  failing 
health  he  resigned,  and  by  the  advice  of  his  physician  spent  the 
winter  in  the  South.  Eeturning  in  the  spring  he  spenttwo  years 
teaching  atMiddleboro,Mass.,  atthe  same  time  preaching  in  New 
Bedford  and  other  places.  He  came  West  in  1856  and  taught  in 
Greenville  Institute,  Illinois,  and  Burlington  University,  lowaj 
and  in  1860  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  at  Plainfield,  111. 

In  1865  he  settled  in  Boonville,  Missouri,  and  took  charge  of 
the  Boonville  Institute;  three  years   after  which  he  left  the 


666  MISSOURI   BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    CONVENTION. 

school-room  for  the  purpose  of  inaugurating  a  plan  for  the  de- 
velopment of  the  Sunday-school  work  of  the  state,  and  in  five 
years  the  -number  of  Baptist  Sunday-schools  increased  from  74 
to  603.  There  had  been  also  under  his  management  an  efficient 
Sunday-school  convention  organized  in  each  of  the  59  associa- 
tions of  the  state,  auxiliary  to  the  State  Sunday-school  C®nven- 
tion  of  which  he  was  the  "  Missionary  Secretary," 

From  October,  1873,  for  three  years  he  filled  the  position  of 
superintendent  of  state  missions  for  the  General  Association,  and 
in  1876,  under  an  appointment  from  president  Grant,  he  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  United  States'  Agent  for  the  57,000  civilized 
Indians  in  the  Indian  Territorj^  He  filled  this  responsible  po- 
sition with  marked  ability  and  gave  great  satisfaction  to  his  em- 
ployers. In  January,  1879,  he  was  appointed  "  Superintendent 
of  Freedmen's  Missions"  in  the  South,  by  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society;  and  in  August,  1881,  the  society  made 
him  district  secretary  for  the  Southwest  with  headquarters  at 
St.  Louis. 

Dr.  Marston  has  from  early  life  been  an  untiring  worker. 
Having  been  trained  by  such  men  as  Walsh,  Upham,  Smith  and 
Knight  of  New  England,  and  belonging  to  a  family  of  physical, 
mental  and  moral  force,  he  is  thoroughly  baptistic,  impressive 
and  logical  in  preaching,  and  in  every  true  sense  an  efficient 
man. 

M.  L.  Laws.* — The  name  of  M.  L.  Laws  was  widely  known  in 
Missouri.  He  was  born  in  Accomac  County,  Virginia,  August  1, 
1842.  His  father,  Wm.  Laws,  was  a  Baptist  minister,  ship  owner 
and  coast  trader.  He  was  educated  at  Madison  University, 
N.  Y.,  Columbian  College,  D.  C,  and  Brown  University,  R.  I.; 
from  the  latter  institution  of  which  he  received  the  degrees  of 
A.  B.  and  A.  M.  While  a  pupil  at  Columbian  College  he  was 
converted.  It  occurred  on  this  wise  :  At  the  college  there  was  a 
diminutive  Jew  who  had  been  converted  to  Christ.  His  piety 
was  simple  and  exemplary.  Mr.  Laws  suspected  him  of  hypocrisy 
and  despised  him.  But  the  life  of  the  despised  Jew  was  the  means 
of  convincing  Mr.  Laws  of  his  wickedness,  and  as  a  penitent  he 
sought  the  prayers  of  him  whom  he  had  despised.  Mr.  Laws 
first  united  with  East  Baptist  Church,  Washington,  D.  C,  in  the 
year  1869. 

After  spending  a  short  period  of  time  in  the  states  of  Iowa  and 
Kansas  he  removed  to  Missouri  in  1870,  and  in  Saline  County 
*  From  Dr.  W.  Pope  Teaman's  sketch  in  Central  Baptist,  June  8,  1882. 


MISSOURI   BAPTIST   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   CONVENTION.  667 

taught  a  school  while  he  labored  to  prepare  himself  for  the  min- 
istry. He  then  commenced  that  career  which  for  progress  and 
usefulness  was  so  distinctly  marked,  and  which  has  wreathed  his 
name  in  garlands  of  beauty. 

In  1871  the  feeble,  struggling  church  at  Glasgow,  Mo.,  called 
him  to  lead  them  as  pastor.  He  was  ordained  at  Rehoboth 
Church,  Saline  County,  then  returned  to  Glasgow  and  entered 
upon  his  work.  At  the  time  the  church  numbered  only  about  15 
members.  He  felt  the  church's  need  of  a  house  of  worship,  and 
at  once  applied  himself  to  the  seemingly  doubtful  enterprise  of 
supplying  this  need.  The  result  was  eminently  successful.  A 
house  costing  with  the  lot  $12,000  was  built  and  paid  for.  The 
membership  also  increased  to  69, 

In  March,  1873,  Bji'other  Laws  moved  to  St.  Louis  as  pastor  of 
Park  Avenue  Church,  where  he  was  eminently  useful  until  May 
1,  1874,  when  failing  health  compelled  his  resignation.  He  then 
traveled  for  the  Central  Baptist  through  the  summer,  and  in  Sep- 
tember of  the  same  year  settled  as  pastor  at  Boonville,  Missouri. 
Here  his  labors  were  blessed  in  the  building  up  of  the  church 
and  the  Sabbath-school.  Failing  health  again  compelled  his  re- 
signation, and  he  vacated  the  pastorate,  having  baptized  over  20 
persons  at  Boonville. 

In  October,  1877,  he  was  called  to  be  corresponding  secretary 
of  the  Missouri  Baptist  Sunday-school  Convention,  in  which  po- 
sition he  evinced  great  mental  acumen,  executive  ability  and 
spiritual  mindedness.  He  had  as  clear  and  comprehensive  a  con- 
ception of  the  mission  of  God's  word  as  any  man  in  the  state.  In 
this  work  he  won  the  hearts  of  Missouri  Baptists,  and  in  Sep- 
tember, 1881,  he  resigned  his  position  as  corresponding  secretary 
to  accept  the  pastorate  at  Decatur,  Illinois,  where,  owing  to  de- 
clining health,  he  had  to  terminate  his  labors  about  the  first  of 
February,  1882.  From  this  time  until  his  death,  May  3, 1882,  he 
was  a  great  sufferer.  His  last  days  were  a  beautiful  and  effective 
commentary  on  the  truth  and  power  of  the  gospel.  His  triumph 
was  glorious.  Being  told  a  few  days  before  his  death  that  he  was 
leaving  this  world,  he  replied,  "My  order  has  not  yet  come." 
The  next  day  while  sitting  in  his  rocker — where  he  rested  in  his 
last  illness  nearly  one-fourth  of  his  time — his  wife  sitting  on  one 
side  and  her  father  on  the  other  side  of  the  sufferer,  who  was  in 
the  greatest  agony  gasping  for  breath,  he  smiled  and  said,  "  The 
Messenger  has  now  come,"  and  for  an  hour  seemed  to  be  dying, 
but  he  again  revived  and  lingered  yet  about  12  hours,  during 


668  MISSOURI   BAPTIST   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   CONVENTION. 

which  he  was  heard  to  say,  ''Come,  dear  Savior,  come  quickly.'^ 
At  about  3  :  15  A.  M.  on  the  3d  of  May,  while  the  watchers  were 
tenderly  and  sorrowfully  looking  on  the  sublime  scene  of  a  fee- 
ble man  in  conquering  conflict  with  Death,  he  was  heard  to  say: 
"I  now  take  a  ride  in  Israel's  chariot; "  then  his  face  became 
bright  as  with  a  celestial  smile. 

Mr.  Laws  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Virginia 

A.  Lucas  of  his  native  state,  to  whom  he  was  united  in  January, 
1866,  4  years  after  which  she  died,  leaving  one  child,  a  baby  boy 
9  months  old.  His  second  marriage  was  in  December,  1872.  This 
time  he  took  to  wife  Miss  Gertrude  A.  Taylor,  a  daughter  of  Rev. 

B.  T.  Taylor.  This  lady,  bereft  and  sad,  survives  the  husband 
of  her  profound  and  tender  love. 


CHAPTER  V. 


MISSOUEI  VALLEY  ASSOCIATION. 

Date  and  Purpose  of  Organization — Early  Prosperity — Carroll  County,  Sketch  and 
History  ofits  Churches — The  Three  Horsemen — Old  Log  Court  House — Carrollton 
Church — "The  Devil's  Headquarters" — Big  Creek,  Wakenda,  Bethlehem,  McCros- 
kie's  Creek,  Good  Hope,  and  Other  Churches — Biographical :  J.  M.  Goodson — 
Kemp  Scott,  Pioneer  Life — J.  D.  ilurphy — G.  W.  Hatcher — C.  Bullock. 

ON  the  eighth  of  October,  1860,  messengei's  from  ten  churches 
dismissed  from  the  North  Grand  Eiver  Association,  met  in 
convention  at  Carrollton,  Carroll  County,  and  formed  the  Mis- 
souri Yalley  Association.  The  purpose  in  this  movement,  as 
stated  in  the  minutes,  was  "  the  greater  convenience  of  the 
churches  in  the  southern  bounds  of  the  North  Grand  Eiver  Asso- 
ciation."    {Missouri  Baptist,  Vol.  I,  No.  36). 

W.  C.  Ligon  was  the  moderator. 

Churches.  —  Big  Creek,  Carrollton,  Hurricane,  McCroskie's 
Creek,  Wakenda,  De  Witt,  Bethlehem,  Little  Eidge,  Utica  and 
Bethel.     Aggregate  membership,  454.   {Minutes  JV.  G.  Association, 

1860.) 

The  second  annual  meeting  (1862)  was  at  Wakenda  Church. 
Only  six  churches  sent  statistics;  no  baptisms  were  reported j 
numerical  strength  of  the  6  reporting  churches,  340. 

Our  next  information  is  for  the  year  1865.  Letters  were  re- 
ceived from  Bethlehem,  Carrollton,  McCroskie's  Creek  and  Wa- 
kenda Churches;  and  volunteer  messengers  from  Bethel  and 
Big  Creek ;  total  members  from  the  5  churches  first  named,  263. 
But  little  business  was  transacted  at  this  session.  The  meeting 
was  held  at  McCroskie's  Creek  Church,  as  was  also  the  session 
of  1866. 

In  1867  the  association  met  at  Carrollton.  Seven  churches  had 
enjoyed  revivals;  144  baptisms  were  reported,  of  which  68  were 
at  McCroskie's  Creek.  Elds.  Bullock,  Durfey,  Scott  and  Linn- 
ville  had  labored  as  itinerants  and  organized  three  new  church- 
es. The  missionary  board  had  collected  and  expended  $191.  The 
Sunday  collection  at  this  session  was  $100  in  cash,  and  the  same 
amount  in  pledges.  The  proceedings  throughout  indicated  new 
life,  and  a  consecration  far  in  advance  of  any  previous  session. 


670  MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 

It  will  be  remembered,  however,  that  only  one  meeting  was  held 
prior  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  which  prevented  the  earli- 
er growth  of  the  body.  On  the  day  preceding  this  session  of 
the  association  (September  6th),  the  Missouri  Yalley  Baptist  Sun- 
day-school Convention  was  organized  at  Carrollton  to  meet  in 
connection  with  the  association.  This  was  one  year  in  advance 
of  the  State  Baptist  Sunday-school  Convention.  Lewis  B.  Ely 
was  the  first  president  and  Curtis  Bullock  corresponding  secre- 
tary. 

The  eighth  anniversary  was  held  at  Utica  in  1868,  when  17 
churches  were  enrolled,  in  which  there  were  924  members ;  bap- 
tisms, 177.  The  executive  board  complained  of  great  discour- 
agement for  want  of  co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  churches.  It 
had,  however,  raised  sufficient  means  to  keep  Eld.  Kean  in  the 
field  11  months,  Eld.  Spurgeon  11  days,  and  Eld.  Bullock  14  da}  s. 
This  session  was  cheered  by  the  presence  of  Dr.  Thos.  Eambaut, 
of  William  Jewell  College,  and  Eld.  A.  F.  Martin,  of  Linneus. 

Mt.  Zion  Church  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1869,  by  which  time 
the  total  membership  had  grown  to  1,131.  Eld.  C.  Bullock  had 
labored  10  months  as  colporteur  and  missionary  under  the  ap- 
pointment jointly  of  the  American  Bap.  Pub.  Society  and  this 
association.  Two  new  churches  (Providence  and  Hurricane) 
were  constituted,  and  many  feeble  churches  were  aided  by  pro- 
tracted meetings,  in  most  of  which  revivals  followed. 

The  tenth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Big  Creek  Church  in 
1870;  L.  B.  Ely  was  elected  moderator,  and  Thos.  A.  Welch 
clerk,  both  laymen.  There  were  now  24  churches,  with  a  total 
membership  of  1,357;  baptisms,  172;  receipts  for  associational 
purposes,  S264.70.  Sunday-schools  on  a  denominational  basis 
were  almost  universally  reported  in  a  good  condition.  So  mark- 
ed was  the  difference  between  them  and  Union  Sunday-schools, 
that  the  association  urged  that  in  every  eligible  community 
there  should  be  Baptist  Sunday-schools. 

1871.  Nothing  of  special  interest.  The  meeting  was  held  at 
Wakenda. 

The  attendance  on  the  twelfth  anniversary,  held  at  McCros- 
kie's  Creek,  September  6th,  1872,  was  not  so  large  as  common, 
but  deep  interest  was  manifested  in  the  business  of  the  body,  es- 
pecially in  the  itinerant  work;  the  receipts  for  which  were 
S440.53.  The  subjects  of  ministerial  education,  Sunday-schools 
and  denominational  literature  received  hearty  and  unanimous 
gupport,  both  moral  and  material.   At  this  date,  Carrollton,  with 


MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION.  671 

381  members  was  the  largest  church ;  Wakenda,  with  139,  was 
the  next  in  size ;  Hopewell  with  14  members  was  the  smallest 
church  in  the  body. 

In  September,  1878,  the  meeting  was  held  at  Hurricane.  All 
the  churches  (26)  save  two  (Hopewell  and  Eock  Ford)  were  rep- 
resented. Two  (Pleasant  Grrove  and  Pleasant  Hill)  had  dis- 
banded. The  total  membership  was  2,0^2;  baptisms  during  the 
year,  293,  of  which  133  were  at  De  "Witt,  62  at  Carrollton,  and 
29  at  Utica.  23  of  the  26  churches  reported  Sunday-schools,  19 
of  which  were  Baptist,  4  union,  and  9  were  kept  open  the  year 
round. 

In  1876  the  session  was  held  at  Carrollton.  The  summary 
statement  gives  the  following  : 

Churches. — Bethel,  80  members ;  Bethlehem,  91 ;  Big  Creek,  113; 
Bridge  Creek,  29;  Carrollton,  362;  Chapel  Hill,  35;  Calvary, 
56;  Dawn,  72;  De  Witt,  130;  Fair  Yiew,  17  ;  Gilead,  69;  Good 
Hope,  40;  Hopewell,  13;  Hurricane,  110;  McCroskie's  Creek, 
112  ;  Mt.  Zion,  152;  McGill's  Creek,  43  ;  Mt.  Hope,  7 ;  J^orborne, 
64;  New  Salem,  51;  New  Haven,  16;  Providence,  61;  Eock 
Ford,  29;  Union,  90;  Wakenda,  201;  Walnut  Grove,  No.  1,  43; 
Walnut  Grove,  No,  2,  134 ;  Woolsey  Grove,  40 ;  total,  2,260. 

Pastors. — David  Utt,  E.  Spurgeon,  G.  A.  Crouch,  A.  J.  Miller, 
T.  W.  Minnis,  S.  M.  Thomas,  G.  W.  Hatcher,  W.  W.  Walden,  J. 
M.  Goodson,  J.  L.  McLeod,  D.  C.  Bolton  and  W.  C.  Barrett. 

This  association  has  for  years  been  one  of  the  most  active  fra- 
ternities in  the  state,  fostering  with  a  ready  mind  and  a  benefi- 
cent hand  the  many  denominational  interests.  Her  numerical 
strength  in  1879  was  1,893.  This  decrease  from  former  figures 
was  caused  by  the  dismission  of  one  or  more  churches,  the  dis- 
solution of  one  or  two,  and  the  revising  of  the  lists  in  many 
others.  Without  discriminating  against  others,  we  mention  the 
names  of  the  following  active  laymen  :  Simeon  Creel,  J.  E.Yates, 
Alex.  Trotter,  I.  0.  Herndon,  Archer  Herndon,  S.  L.  Babcock, 
Thos.  A.  Welch  and  J.  F.  Brandom;  and  of  pastors'  names:  J, 
D.  Murphy,  F.  Menafee,  T.  W.  Minnis,  C.  Bullock,  A.  D.  Axton 
and  J.  L.  McLcod, 

The  association  met  at  Gilead  Church,  Carroll  County,  Sep- 
tember 10,  1880,  when  19  of  the  23  churches  sent  messengers; 
great  harmony  prevailed  and  the  churches  reported  an  aggregate 
of  169  baptisms.  The  latest  records  we  have  are  for  1881.  That 
year  the  meeting  was  held  at  Mt.  Zion,  commencing  September 
9th.     Eev.  G.  W.  Hatcher,  of  Miami,  being  on  a  visit,  by  invita^ 


672  MISSOURI  VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 

tion  preached  the  iatroductory  sermon;  17  churches  reported  by 
messengers,  which  left  two  unheard  from.  Carrollton  with  her 
347  members  was  the  strongest;  "Wakenda  with  260  was  next  in 
size  ;  Euon  with  11  members  was  the  smallest.  The  total  mem- 
bership of  all  the  churches  was  1,900.  Only  60  baptisms  were 
reported  this  year. 

Almost  all  the  churches  are  in  Carroll  County,  with  one  ortwo 
in  Eay,  and  one  perhaps  in  Chariton  County.  Carroll  is  among 
the  largest  Baptist  counties  in  the  state,  which  is  some  evidence 
of  the  consecration  of  the  members  of  the  Missouri  Valley  As- 
sociation. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  in  the  present  limits  of  Carroll 
County  was  made  in  the  year  1819,  by  John  Standley  and  Wm. 
Turner,  from  North  Carolina.  The  former  settled  just  east  of 
the  present  site  of  Carrollton,  on  what  is  known  as  "Timmons' 
Addition,"  and  the  latter  north  of  the  town,  on  the  place  now 
owned  by  Mr.  John  Tull.  Carrollton,  the  county  seat,  has  an 
elevated  and  beautitul  situation  on  the  Missouri  Bluffs,  overlook- 
ing the  rich  river  bottom.  It  was  laid  out  in  1837,  incorporated 
in  1847  and  had  in  1875  a  population  of  near  3,000. 

For  an  interesting  account  of  the  first  Baptist  meeting  held  at 
Carrollton,  Mo.,  see  history  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  p.  176. 

Carrollton  Baptist  Church — was  organized  August  26,  1839, 
at  the  old  log  court-house,  with  10  members.  The  following  is  a 
record  of  the  proceedings  : 

"At  a  meeting  held  in  Carrollton,  Mo.,  August  26,  1839,  after 
divine  service,  the  brethren  and  sisters  whose  names  are  here- 
unto attached  determined  to  form  themselves  into  a  church  hold- 
ing the  principles  of  the  United  Baptists.  ' 

"  The  ministering  brethren  present  were  Thomas  Fristoe,  Field- 
ing Wilhoite  and  A.  F.  Martin.  Proceeded  to  the  election  of  offi- 
cers, viz.:  Brethren  B.  Ely,  clerk  pro  tern.]  Wm.  Freeman,  mod- 
erator; John  Trotter,  deacon. 

"Agreed  to  call  the  church  the  'Carrollton  Baptist  Church  of 
Christ.'  Appointed  Brethren  Freeman  and  Ely  to  write  a  letter 
to  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Association.  Appointed  Brethren  Trotter, 
Creel  and  Ely  delegates  to  the  association. 

"Agreed  to  meet  on  the  second  Saturday  and  Sunday  in  each 
month. 

'^  Names  of  Brethren  and  Sisters. — Wm.  Freeman,  John  Trotter, 
Wm.  Goodson,  Benjamin  Ely,  W.  E.  Creel,  Joel  Curtis,  Theodo- 
sia  Hutchinson,  Martha  Ely,  Mary  Freeman  and  Elizabeth  Cur- 


MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION.  673 

tis — in  all  ten,  who  agree  to  form  a  constitution  and  rules  of  de- 
corum. Adjourned.  3.  Ely,  Clerk  pro  tern."* 

Eev.  A.  F.  Martin  is  the  only  minister  living  who  was  present 
and  participated  in  the  organization.  He  is  over  70  years  of  age, 
has  vigorous  health,  still  preaches  the  gospel,  and  has  two  sons 
in  the  ministry. 

Of  the  ten  constituent  members,  Wm.  R.  Creel  only  survives. 
He  lives  a  few  miles  northeast  of  Carrollton  and  is  an  influential 
member  of  the  Big  Creek  Church.  Benjamin  Ely,  the  clerk  of 
the  first  meeting,  was  the  father  of  Lewis  B.,  Eobert  C.  and  Frank 
Ely,  all  of  whom  are  staunch  supporters  of  the  Baptist  faith. 
Joel  Curtis  lives  in  the  person  of  his  son,  John  J.  Curtis,  now  a 
valuable  member  of  the  Wakenda  Church. 

For  years  after  the  organization,  the  old  log  court-house 
afforded  the  church  an  occasional  place  of  worship. 

Meetings  were  frequently  held  at  the  residences  of  the  mem- 
bers in  different  sections  of  the  neighborhood.  At  that  time 
there  was  but  one  house  of  worship  in  the  county — that  a  log- 
house  four  miles  northwest  of  Carrollton,  used  both  for  schools 
and  religious  services.  Thus  did  the  denomination  itinerate  un- 
til about  the  year  1846,  when  the  old  brick  court-house  was  built. 
In  this  they  became  more  permanent  in  their  place  of  meeting. 

Eev.  A.  F,  Martin  was  chosen  first  pastor  and  so  continued 
until  in  1841,  when  William  C.  Ligon  removed  to  the  county  and 
assisted  him.  In  1844  (February)  Alvin  P.  "Williams  was  elected 
as  pastor,  continued  one  year  and  was  succeeded  by  Eld.  Ligon 
for  several  years. 

In  1848  the  church  appointed  a  building  committee  to  confer 
with  the  Freemasons  and  Sons  of  Temperance,  from  which  con- 
ference resulted  tile  erection  of  what  was  known  as  the  old  Baptist 
church  and  Masonic  hall,  on  the  west  side  of  the  public  square, 
where  the  church  continued  to  worshijj  until  the  occupancy  of 
their  present  edifice.  This  old  landmark  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  March,  1880. 

By  the  year  1875  the  old  house  of  worship  had  become  some- 
what dilapidated  and  far  too  small  for  the  congregation.  In  May 
of  that  year  a  committee  of  the  deacons  of  the  church  was  ap- 
pointed to  solicit  subscriptions  to  build  a  new  and  more  commo- 
dious house.  On  the  12th  of  the  following  month,  the  com-mittee 
having  reported  a  subscription  of  ^6,266,  a  resolution  was  pass- 
ed, creating  a  building  committee,  consisting  of  L.  B.  Ely,  Noah 

*  As  publiehed  in  the  GarroUtQn  Democrat,  Vol.  I,  No.  I, 
43 


674  MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 

Krout,  "W.  S.  Crouch,  J.  M.  Farris,  A.  M.  Herndon,  S.M.Kelley 
and  Sam'l  Turner,  who  were  instructed  to  select  the  ground  and 
build  the  house,  the  cost  of  which  was  not  to  exceed  $1,000  more 
than  the  full  amount  of  the  subscriptions.  Subscriptions  were 
continued  and  grew  far  beyond  the  expectations  of  even  the 
most  sanguine. 

About  August  5,  1875,  ground  was  broken,  and  on  the  29th  of 
the  same  month  the  foundation  was  laid  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  assembly  of  people.  W.  E.  Creel,  the  only  living  member 
of  the  original  church,  Eev.  J.  M.  Groodson,  the  first  member 
admitted  by  baptism,  Eev.  A.J.  Miller,  the  pastor  of  the  church, 
and  J.  H.  Turner,  delivered  appropriate  addresses  on  the  oc- 
casion. 

The  building  is  40x80  feet,  elegantly  finished  in  Gothic  style, 
furnished  throughout,  with  a  spire  135  feet  from  the  street  be- 
low. Its  entire  cost  was  about  $15,000.  The  dedicatory  ser- 
vices took  place  September  10,  1879,  and  were  participated  in  by 
Eev.  J.  E.  G-raves,  of  Memphis,  who  preached  the  sermon  ;  also 
by  Elds.  S.  H.  Ford  of  the  Christian  Bepository,  and  A.  J.  Miller, 
pastor  of  the  church.  (From  the  sketch  published  in  Carrollton 
Democrat,  Vol,  I,  No.  1.) 

The  predecessor  of  Eld,  Miller  in  the  pastoral  ofiice  wasG.  L. 
Black,  and  his  successor  was  J.  D,  Murphy. 

The  10  members  and  one  organization  of  1839,  in  Carroll 
County,  had  increased  to  about  20  churches  and  1,900  members 
in  1881. 

Carrollton  Baptist  Church  in  1882  numbered  347  members,  had 
a  flourishing  Sabbath-school,  contributed  statedly  to  district, 
state  and  foreign  missions  and  ministerial  education,  and  wielded 
a  potent  influence  in  the  affairs  of  the  denomination. 

Big  Creek  Church, — Eight  persons  of  the  Baptist  persuasion 
met  June  22,  1844,  at  the  house  of  James  Hill,  near  William  E. 
Creel's,  ten  miles  northeast  from  Carrollton,  signed  the  covenant 
and  became  the  "Big  Creek  Baptist  Church."  The  ministers 
present  were  John  Curl  and  Joseph  Eiffe.  Their  first  minister 
was  Kemp  Scott,  who  continued  with  them  for  11  years,  and  was 
followed  by  Geo.  T.  Kinnaird  for  the  same  length  of  time.  Then 
came  E.  P.  Scott,  followed  by  W,  F.  HuflP,  and  he  by  J,  K.  Graves. 
In  1846  the  church  built  a  small  log-house  in  which  to  worship, 
using  it  for  this  purpose  until  1862  when  it  was  accidentallj'" 
burned.  It  was  succeeded  by  a  good  frame  building,  33x45  feet, 
in  1869,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000. 


MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION.  675 

Wakenda. — The  exact  date  of  this  church  is  not  given.  It  was 
a  member  of  North  Grand  River  Association  in  1854,  when  it 
numbered  49  members.  In  1882  it  was  next  to  the  largest  church 
in  the  association,  having  260  communicants. 

Bethlehem. — This  church  was  organized  about  the  year  1854 
or '55.  It  grew  up  under  the  labors  of  Eld.  Kemp  Scott,  who 
now  sleeps  in  its  cemetery.  In  1882  this  church  numbered  105 
members  with  F.  Menafee  as  pastor. 

McCroskie's  Creek  Church, — eight  miles  west  of  Carrollton, 
bears  date  of  Feb.  4, 1855.  James  M.  Groodson  was  its  founder  and 
first  pastor;  36  persons  became  constituent  members.  At  the 
end  of  three  years  Eld.  GrOodson  was  succeeded  by  Geo.  T.  iiin- 
naird  one  j'ear,  when  he  was  recalled  to  the  pastoral  office  and 
served  for  many  years.  Two  years  after  its  formation  the  church 
erected  a  brick  edifice,  35x50  feet,  which  was  valued  at  $3,500. 

Bethel  Church, — another  constituent  of  the  Missouri  Yalley 
Association,  was  organized  by  James  M.  Goodson  of  7  members, 
on  October  11,  1857,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Coloma,  fourteen 
miles  north  of  Carrollton.  James  Linville  was  the  first  pastor. 
The  church  grew  rapidly,  and  in  1861  numbered  75  members; 
but  the  war  coming  on  it  was  broken  up.  Possibly  the  present 
Coloma  Church  is  its  successor. 

Good  Hope  Church, — in  Chariton  County,  was  organized 
August  14,  1868,  on  10  members.  This  church  is  not  now  a  mem- 
ber of  the  association. 

Hurricane, — twenty  miles  northeast  of  Carrollton,  was  found- 
ed JSTovember  29,  1868,  with  17  constituent  members. 

GiLEAD  (formerly  Moss  Creek)  Church — was  organized  the 
first  Saturday  in  April,  1867,  with  eleven  members,  and  in  1882 
had  93  members. 

Mt.  Zion, — seven  miles  northwest  from  Carrollton,  was  found- 
ed December  5,  1863,  with  8  members.  In  1882  it  had  128  mem- 
bers. 

NoRBORNE, — on  the  Wabash,  St.  L.  &  Pac.  E.  R.,  ten  miles 
above  Carrollton,  was  organized  October  25,  1870,  with  10  mem- 
bers.    In  1882  it  numbered  82  members. 

Providence — was  organized  ]^ovember  10,  1868,  with  16  con- 
stituent members.  It  is  located  fifteen  miles  west  of  Carrollton 
and  in  1881  had  59  members. 

Walnut  Grove,  ISTo.  1 — was  formed  February  29,  1868,  of  eight 
members.  It  is  situated  eight  miles  southeast  from  Carrollton, 
and  in  1882  had  only  31  members. 


676  MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 

Walnut  GtROVe,  No.  2. — This  church  is  near  Hardin  in  Ray- 
County.  It  commenced  in  April,  1867,  with  6  members,  and  has 
grown  to  99  members. 

J.  M.  GooDSON, — for  years  a  most  laborious  minister  of  the 
gospel,  whose  work  extended  over  a  large  part  of  the  Missouri 
"Valley  Association,  was  born  July  15,  1811.  He  was  ordained 
at  the  call  of  the  Carrollton  Baptist  Church,  for  which  he  labored 
for  some  time  in  the  pastoral  office.  He  was  regarded  one  of 
the  best  of  men,  whose  influence  for  good  in  his  field  of  labor 
will  never  die.     He  died  December  2,  1879. 

Kemp  Scott — was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  North  Grand 
River  country,  and  has  been  very  properly  called  "  The  earnest 
preacher."  "  This  faithful  servant  and  minister  of  Jesus  Christ 
died  at  his  residence  in  Carroll  County,  Missouri,  April  13, 1864. 
He  was  a  native  Yirginian,  and  was  born  in  Washington  Coun- 
ty, June  20, 1790,  eighteen  months  after  which  he  became  father- 
less. 

"  His  mother,  Dorcas  Scott,  with  true  Christian  heroism  and 
small  means,  sought  to  train  her  eight  children  for  Christ  and 
for  usefulness,  but  soon  after  the  death  of  her  husband  she 
passed  away,  and  young  Kemp,  now  an  orphan,  was  put  under 
the  care  of  a  brother-in-law,  with  whom  he  lived  until  he  was 
nineteen  years  old,  when,  in  1810  he  emigrated  to  Barren  County, 
Kentucky,  not  far  from  the  Mammoth  Cave.  On  the  24th  of  May 
the  same  year  he  was  unitod  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Allee, 
daughter  of  Rev.  David  Allee,  a  Baptist  minister  who  subse- 
quently removed  to  Missouri  and  died  in  Cooper  County  in 
1836. 

"  Soon  after  his  settlement  in  the  county,  Kemp  Scott  was 
deeply  convicted  of  sin  under  the  ministry  of  Eld.  R.  Petty. 
His  experience,  like  that  of  John  Bunyan,  was  pungent,  contin- 
ued— yea!  almost  fearful.  But  gradually  light  broke  in  upon 
him  and  he  saw  with  a  clear  heart-vision  how  God  could  justify 
him  that  believeth  in  Christ.  In  May,  1811,  he  was  baptized  by 
Elder  Petty  and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  at  Glover's 
Creek. 

"  Though  possessing  a  very  limited  education,  having  found 
a  mine  of  wealth — a  well  of  life — a  new  world  with  bright  hopes 
bursting  all  around  him,  he  felt  a  burning  anxiety  to  tell  others 
about  it  and  to  try  to  lead  others  to  it.  He  commenced  preach-, 
ing  in  1815  and  was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  by  Hiram 
Casey,  James  Fearse  and  Robert  Norvill,  at  the  call  of  the 


MISSOURI   VALLEY    ASSOCIATION.  677 

Cumberland  Eiver  Church,  Monroe  County,  Kentucky.  During 
his  stay  in  Kentucky  for  four  years  succeeding  his  ordination 
he  preached  to  five  different  churches,  besides  spending  much  of 
his  time  holding  meetings  in  neighborhoods  where  there  were 
no  churches. 

"  In  October,  1824,  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Coop- 
er County.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Mount  Pleasant 
Church,  the  first  formed  in  the  Boone's  Lick  country,  then  only  a 
small  body.  He  became  pastor  of  this  church  and  so  continued 
for  nineteen  years,  leaving  it  with  a  meinbership  of  over  200. 
In  July,  1836,  the  church  hearing  that  he  was  receiving  a  salary 
of  $150  from  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  voted 
him  out  by  a  majority  of  two ;  but  in  December  following  vo- 
ted him  back  unanimously.  He  remained  in  the  Cooper  Coun- 
ty country  until  December,  1846,  during  which  time  he  had 
served  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period  as  many  as  twelve 
churches,  and  rode  five  years  as  missionary,  under  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  Am.  Bap.  Home  Mission  Soc.  From  Cooper  he  re- 
moved to  Carroll  County,  and  served  as  missionary  of  the  North 
Grand  River  Association  some  six  or  seven  years,  of  which 
body  he  was  moderator  for  six  successive  sessions.  From  the 
time  of  his  settlement  in  Carroll  County  he  preached  for  eleven 
churches.  During  his  ministry  he  aided  in  the  organization  of 
20  churches,  assisted  in  the  ordination  of  a  number  of  ministers 
and  deacons,  and  baptized  between  twelve  and  fifteen  hundred 
persons. 

"  In  that  far-back  day  in  Missouri  Kemp  Scott  was  a  strong 
advocate  of  Sabbath-schools,  an  organizer  of  temperance  soci- 
eties, and  as  he  advanced  in  years  his  zeal  in  his  Master's  cause 
increased,  continuing  to  enlarge  even  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death. 

"He  raised  twelve  children,  all  of  whom  he  lived  to  see 
church  members;  one  or  two  in  the  ministry,  one  a  deacon,  and 
all  are  walking  in  the  truth. 

*'  Kemp  Scott  was  a  warm-hearted,  energetic  and  able  preach- 
er, of  sound  theological  views,  extensive  knowledge  of  the  Bible, 
and  though  of  a  very  kind  disposition,  he  was  fearless  in  his  de- 
fense of  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth.  He  had  a  limited  ed- 
ucation, yet  his  language  was  mainly  correct  and  his  deliver}'- 
natural.  The  purity  of  his  life  gave  moral  force  to  his  teach- 
ings, and  where  well  known  his  influence  was  very  great.  A 
priest  in  his  own  family,  he  continued  his  custom  of  social  wor- 


678  MISSOURI    VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 

ship  under  his  own  roof,  even  when  on  his  death  bed.  But  hav- 
ing served  his  generation,  God  has  bidden  him  come  up  high- 
er."    (Dr.  A.  P.  Williams  in  Western  Recorder,  in  1864). 

"  While  Eld.  Scott  lived  in  Cooper  County,  he  was  pastor  at 
one  time  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Jefferson  Citj'^,  and  of  another 
in  Saline  County,  some  70  miles  distant.  One  year  he  visited 
Spring  Eiver  Association  as  a  corresponding  messenger,  which 
was  about  200  miles  from  his  home,  and  on  several  occasions 
traveled  westward  as  far  as  Plattsburg,  Clinton  County,  on 
preaching  excursions.  After  his  removal  to  Carroll  County  he 
traversed  a  territory  50  by  90  miles,  preaching  the  gospel  to  the 
settlers  in  rude  log-cabins,  sometimes  crossing  the  watercourses 
on  rafts,  and  grazing  his  horse  at  night  on  the  grass  while  he 
slept  under  the  branches  of  some  towering  tree."  (MS.  of  Eld. 
E.  P.  Scott,  a  son.) 

*'  Eld.  Kemp  Scott  was  a  man  of  strong,  bony  frame,  six  feet 
high,  with  boldly  marked  features;  and  when  preaching  would 
stand  erect ;  commencing  always  slowly,  one-third  of  his  ser- 
mon would  consist  in  quoting  parallel  passages  of  Scripture,  to 
an  extent  you  would  think  altogether  redundant ;  and  then,  as 
though  encased  in  the  scriptural  armor  in  which  he  had  clothed 
himselfand  his  subject,  and  rising  in  all  the  strength  of  a  felt  faith, 
he  would  pour  forth  a  commanding  appeal  as  authoritative  and 
effective  as  though  a  prophet  spoke. 

"  The  waves  of  war  broke  at  the  old  man's  feet.  His  infirm- 
ities grew  upon  him  and  he  was  confined  to  his  house.  He  had 
selected  as  his  resting-place  the  burying-ground  of  the  Bethle- 
hem Church,  which  had  grown  up  under  his  ministry,  located 
about  six  miles  northeasterly  from  Carrollton. 

"The  coming  shadows  were  deepening  over  him,  and  yet  the 
old  zeal  burned  in  his  heart.  He  arranged  and  held  a  protract- 
ed meeting  in  his  own  house,  preaching  twice  a  day  for  four  days 
until  help  reached  him.  The  meeting  lasted  ten  days.  The  last 
of  his  twelve  children  had  found  faith  in  Christ;  and  now,  of 
seven  persons  who  had  professed  religion  at  his  home  protract- 
ed meeting,  one  was  his  own  grandson. 

"  His  son.  Eld.  E.  P.  Scott,  who  had  attended  these  services, 
was  to  administer  the  rite  of  baptism,  the  father  being  too  feeble 
to  do  so  ;  but  when  the  day  approached,  the  old  hero  said  :  '  It 
is  the  last  opportunity  I  shall  have  of  administering  the  ordin- 
ance of  my  blessed  Master,  and  I  am  determined  to  do  my 
whole  duty.' 


MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 


679 


"  As  the  aged  pilgrim  descended  into  the  stream  they  support- 
ed his  bent  form.  A  deacon  stood  by  him  in  the  water  and  aid- 
ed him  in  performing  the  rite,  and  the  grayhaired  veteran,  with 
the  light  of  other  days  still  beaming  in  his  eye,  his  voice  tremb- 
ling with  emotion,  baptized  his  youthful  grandchild  in  the  name 
of  the  Trinity.  The  heavens  smiled  sweetly  down  upon  the 
man  and  upon  the  scene,  while  weeping  witnesses  waited  to  wel- 
come and  bless  the  sire  and  the  son. 

"And  that  was  the  closing  scene  of  his  life's  labors.  His 
health  soon  after  rapidly  declined.  His  constant  prayer  was 
answered,  that  he  might  bear  his  affliction,  which  was  severe, 
without  a  murmur.  (He  died  of  a  cancer).  And  as  the  spring 
sunshine  began  to  warm  the  air,  and  the  time  of  the  singing  of 
the  birds  had  come,  and  the  early  rose  was  opening  its  petals  to 
the  light,  the  sainted  man  fell  asleep  in  Jesus."  (Dr.  S.  H.  Ford, 
in  Christian  Repository,  New  Series,  Vol.  XI,  pp.  277-'9.) 

John  Decatur  Murphy, — one  of  the  foremost  men  in  the  state, 
was  born  in  Frank- 
lin County,  Missou- 
ri, February  3, 1835, 
where,  as  a  farmer's 
son,  he  grew  up 
destitute  of  relig- 
ious influences  out- 
side of  the  family, 
having  never  heard 
a  sermon  preached 
until  he  was  twelve 
years  old.  Mr.  Mur- 
phy is  a  grandson 
of  the  pioneer,  Eev. 
Lewis  Williams. 
His  conversion 
took  place  in  the 
winter  of  1850,  in 
the  beginning  of  his 
fifteenth  year,  un- 
der the  preaching 
of   a   Presbyterian  kev.  j.  d.  murphy,  d.d. 

physician  who  sometimes  preached  in  an  irregular  way.  The 
text  was  Matt.  16;  26.  The  direct  result  of  the  sermon  was  the  con- 
version of  young  Murphy  and  another  youth,  both  of  whom  be- 


680  MISSOURI    VALLEY    ASSOCIATION. 

came  Baptist  preachers.  Mr.  Murphy  was  baptized  by  Eev. 
Peter  Williams  into  the  fellowship  of  Providence  Baptist  Church. 
Soon  after  this,  at  the  suggestion  of  his  brethren,  he  commenced 
holding  religious  meetings,  and  when  in  his  sixteenth  year  he 
preached  his  first  sermon.  On  the  nineteenth  anniversary  of  his 
natural  life — February  3,  1854 — he  was  ordained  to  the  full  work 
of  the  gospel  ministry  at  Xew  Hope  Church  in  his  native  coun- 
ty, by  Elds.  Peter  "Williams,  B.  Leach  and  Deacon  H.  O.Walton. 
Here  he  commenced  his  pastoral  labors,  continuing  eighteen 
months,  when,  securing  a  call  from  the  Saline  Association,  he  be- 
came a  missionary  of  that  body  in  1858.  He  remained  in  Saline 
County  about  seven  years,  during  which  period  he  was  pastor  of 
Zoar  Church;  also  for  a  longer  or  shorter  term  he  acted  in  the 
same  capacity  for  Heath's  Creek,  G-ood  Hope  and  Fish  Creek 
Churches. 

In  1865  he  became  pastor  of  Walnut  Grove  and  Eocheport 
Churches  in  Boone  Count}'.  In  this  field  he  remained  also  for 
seven  years,  and  was  pastor  for  different  times  of  Mt.  Gilead, 
Mt.  Pleasant  and  Big  Lick  Churches;  the  first  two  in  Howard, 
the  last  named  in  Cooper  County.  During  this  period  of  his  life 
he  also  did  much  itinerant  work,  and  was  greatly  blessed  in  all 
his  labors. 

In  1872  he  was  called  to  and  accepted  the  pastorate  in  Mexico. 
To  this  church  he  devoted  all  his  time  and  labors.  Here  he  con- 
tinued some  five  years,  during  which  the  church  paid  off  a  debt 
of  81,200  and  was  about  doubled  in  membership.  Late  in  the 
year  1876  he  entered  into  the  pastoral  office  at  Bryan,  Texas, 
continuing  two  years  and  adding  58  members  to  the  church,  22 
of  whom  he  baptized.  In  June  (12th),  1878,  Baylor  University 
— Dr.  Wm.  Carey  Crane,  president — conferred  on  him  the  hon- 
orary degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

His  pastoral  work  began  at  Carrollton,  August  1,  1878,  where 
he  has  been  doing  solid  and  substantial  work  for  the  Master. 

Dr.  Murphy  has  baptized  one  person  for  about  every  twelve 
days  of  his  ministry,  104  being  the  largest  number  baptized  with- 
in any  one  year  of  this  time.  In  his  early  ministry  he  was  thrown 
among  the  anti-mission  Baptists  and  Campbellites,  who,  in  that 
day  often  made  common  cause  against  the  Baptists.  Eld.  Mur- 
phy being  often  compelled  to  meet  them,  was  driven  to  a  very 
close  study  of  the  Scriptures,  which  has  proven  of  incalculable 
benefit  to  him,  and  which  he  regards  as  specially  providential. 

Ho  was  married  to  Miss  Culpernia  Eogers,  February  18,  1858, 


MISSOTIRT     VALLEY    ASSOCIATION. 


681 


who  still   lives   to   bless  his  life,  and,  as  far  as  is  meet,  to  share 
his  toils. 

Eld.  Murphy  is  a  writer,  and  wields  a  ready  and  nimble  pen. 
He  is  a  close,  logical  thinker  and  an  able  minister  of  the  JSTew 
Testament. 

Green  "Wagener  Hatcher — was  born  in  G-reen  County,  Ken- 
tuckj^,  August  5,  1846,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and  was  bap- 
tized into  the  fellowship  of  the  Mt.  Gilead  Baptist  Church,  in  his 
native  county,  in  the  year  1858.  He  removed  to  Missouri  and 
settled  in  Carroll  County  in  1870,  and  in  April,  1872,  was  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  by  the  Mt.  Zion  Church 
in  said  county,  G.  L.  Black,  Duncan  H.  Selph  and  E.  Spurgeon 
assisting.  For  about  six  years  he  labored  as  pastor  in  the  bounds 
of  the  Missouri  Yal- 
leyAssociation, 
serving  at  different 
times  the  Mt.  Zion, 
Wakenda,  McCros- 
kie's  Creek,  Moss 
Creek,  Hardin  and 
De  Witt  Churches. 
To  Wakenda  and 
Moss  Creek  he 
preached  for  five 
years  each.  In  Jan-  ^r^ 
uai*y,  1878,  he  was 
settled  as  pastor  at 
Miami,  Saline  Coun-  , 
ty,  where  he  has  . 
been  doing  good, 
solid  work  for  the  i- 
Master. 

In  the  first  seven 
years  of  his  ministe- 
rial life  Mr.  Hatcher  ret.  g.  w.  hatcher. 
preached  1,348  sermons,  about  an  average  of  two  hundred  a  year, 
and  baptized  315  converts.    He  is  a  pleasant  and  an  entertaining 
speaker;  an  excellent  gospel  preacher;  and  a  companionable  and 
genial  Christian  gentleman. 

Curtis  Bullock — has  spent  about  fifteen  years  in  Missouri, 
mostly  if  not  wholly  in  the  bounds  of  the  Missouri  Yalley  Asso- 
ciation and  vicinitv. 


682  MISSOURI   VALLEY   ASSOCIATION. 

He  was  born  in  Boone  County,  Kentucky,  June  17,  1816.  HiS 
father  was  Nathan  Bullock.  From  childhood  until  he  reached 
his  16th  year  he  was  a  thoughtless  hoy.  From  this  time  to  the 
22d  3'ear  of  his  life  he  had  seasons  of  conviction,  when  he  was 
converted  and  joined  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
then  lived  in  Indiana.  From  1847  to  1849  he  traveled  as  colpor- 
teur of  the  American  Tract  Society.  In  1850  he  emigrated  to 
Keokuk  Countj^,  Iowa,  and  four  years  afterwards  became  a  Bap- 
tist, and  in  September  of  that  year  (1854)  was  licensed  to  preach, 
not  long  after  which,  at  the  call  of  Brookville  and  other  church- 
es, Iowa,  he  was  ordained  a  minister.  He  remained  in  Iowa  until 
1865,  preaching  most  of  the  time  for  four  churches,  at  a  salary 
of  from  $100  to  $250  a  yeai',  when  he  moved  to  Carroll  County, 
Missouri,  and  entered  the  service  of  the  American  Baptist  Publi- 
cation Society  as  missionary  colporteur,  continuing  in  this  work 
about  three  years,  and  baptizing  between  three  and  four  hundred 
converts.  He  has  labored  as  pastor  of  Moss  Creek,  Union,  Wa- 
kenda.  Big  Creek  and  other  churches  in  the  Missouri  Valley 
Association,  into  the  fellowship  of  which  he  has  baptized  many 
hopeful  converts. 

He  married  Martha  Zeigler  in  June,  1838,  in  the  state  of  In- 
diana. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  MISSOUEI  BAPTIST  STATE  COJ^YENTION. 

Where,  When,  and  Why  Formed— Objects — First  Executive  Board— "Test  Oath" 
Endorsement — Money  Expended  on  the  Field — Conference  for  Peace — Consolid- 
ation with  General  Association  Proposed — How  Accomplished — Dr.  Burliugham's 
Speech — Closing  Kemarks. 

THE  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention  was  organized  soon 
after  the  close  of  the  war,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Amrcri- 
can  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York.  The  prelim- 
inary meeting  for  this  purpose  was  held  in  the  pastor's  study  of 
the  Second  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  during  the  Northern  anni- 
versaries in  that  city,  in  May,  1865.  The  accompanying  extract 
from  the  minutes  of  said  meeting  will  give  a  correct  view  of  the 
published  motives  that  originated  this  new  institutibn: 

St.  Louis,  Missouri,  May  29th,  186c. 

The  Baptist  pastors  of  Missouri,  in  attendance  upon  the  May 
anniversaries,  convened  this  P.  M. 

Eev.  G.  Anderson  was  appointed  chairman,  and  Eev.  C.  A. 
Bateman  secretary. 

Rev.  A.  C.  Osborn  presented  the  following  preamble  and  re- 
solution, which  was  adopted  : 

Wliereas,  neither  of  the  Baptist  state  associations  of  Missouri 
have,  to  the  best  of  our  knowledge  and  belief  held  a  meeting 
for  the  past  two  years  ;  and. 

Whereas,  we  believe  the  interests  of  our  denomination  impera- 
tively demand  that  we  should  meet  and  consult  together,  and 
devise  ways  and  means  by  which  to  spread  the  gospel  in  the 
state :  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  the  loyal  Baptist  churches  throughout  the  state 
of  Missouri  be  requested  to  send  their  pastors  and  delegates  to 
meet  at  Hannibal,  on  Friday,  September  29,  1865,  at  the  hour  of 
10  o'clock,  A.M.,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention. 

The  pastors  of  St.  Louis  were  requested  to  prepare  a  consti- 
tution, &c.,  to  be  presented  at  the  September  meeting. 

Pursuant  to  the  foregoing  call,  the  convention  met  at  Hanni- 
bal, Missouri,  September  29,  1865;  the  organization  of  the  body 


684  THE    MISSOURI    BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTION. 

was  perfected,  and  the  following  permanent  officers  were  elected 
G.  Anderson,  President. 
W,  S.  Ingman, 


D.  J.  Hancock,  |  ^^^^e- Presidents. 

C.  A.  Bateman,  Recording  Secretary. 

E.  W.  Pattison,  Corresponding  Secretary 
Kathan  Cole,  Treasurer. 

From  the  constitution: 

Art.  1.  This  association  shall  be  called  the  Missouri  Baptist 
State  Convention;  shall  be  auxiliary  to  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  and  shall  co-operate  with  the  other  na- 
tional organizations  of  our  denomination. 

Art.  2.  The  object  of  this  convention  shall  be  to  promote  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  in,  and  the  thorough  evangelization  of, 
the  entire  state. 

Art.  3.  This  convention  shall  be  composed  of  annual  mem- 
bers, life-members  and  delegates  from  Baptist  churches  and  asso- 
ciations contributing  to  its  funds  and  co-operating  in  its  objects. 

Rev.  J.  S.  Backus  and  Eev.  E.  T.  Hiscox  were  present  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  organization  of  the  convention  as  the  official  re- 
presentatives of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society, 
and  Eev.  G.  J.  Johnson,  Dis.  Sec.  of  Am.  Bap.  Pub.  Society,  was 
also  present;  and  so  was  Rev.  Daniel  Read,  President  of  Shurt- 
leff  College. 

The  following  composed  the  executive  board  of  missions  :  Rev. 
G.  Anderson,  Rev.  J.  V.  Schofield,  Rev.  A.  C.  Osborn,  Rev.  J.  S. 
Gubelmann,  Rev.  Henry  Farmer,  Rev.  S.  L.  Collins,  Rev.  Wm. 
Hildrcth,  Rev.  J.  B.  Fuller,  Rev.  C.  A.  Bateman,  Rev.  J.  M.  John- 
son, Rev.  B.  Stevens,  Rev.  J.  L.  Johnson,  Rev.  J.  H.  Hardin, 
Rev.  D.  R,  Murphy,  Rev.  W.  D.  Tucker,  Rev.  A.  P.  Rogers,  Rev. 
J.  E.  "Welch  and  Rev.  Robert  Harris;  and  brethren  Thomas  Pratt, 
E.  G.  Obear,  D.  J.  Hancock,  J.  Barnhurst,  R.  Campbell,  P.  J. 
Thompson,  E.  W.  Pattison,  E.  D.  Jones,  Wm.  Jones,  W.  Schnei- 
der and  D.  A.  Winter. 

The  convention  may  be  said  to  have  recognized  the  "Test 
Oath"  of  the  new  constitution  of  the  State,  in  the  report  on  relig- 
ious destitution,  thus  : 

"Before  the  war  there  were,  in  this  state,  450  Baptist  minis- 
ters, and  750  Baptist  churches,  having  45,000  members:  now, 
there  are  perhaps  50  qualified  ministers,  and  100  churches  hold- 
ing regular  services." 


THE    MISSOURI   BAPTIST   STATE    CONVENTION.  685 

The  same  document  says  of  the  Wyaconda  Association :  "  Be- 
fore the  rebellion  there  were  in  this  body  32  churches,  well  sup- 
plied with  ministers;  now  the  most  of  these  ministers  are  si- 
lenced by  the  new  constitution  oath." 

This  is  the  same  Test  Oath  so  earnestly  remonstrated  against 
by  the  Greneral  Association  of  the  state,  and  also  by  nine-tenths 
of  the  denomination,  as  in  violation  of  the  liberty  of  conscience 
(a  principle  very  dear  to  Baptists),  and  was,  soon  after  the 
times  of  which  we  write,  pronounced  unconstitutional  by  the 
supreme  court  of  the  United  States. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  convention  was  held  at  Kansas  City, 
at  the  "Walnut  Street  Baptist  Church,  in  September,  1866.  Twen- 
ty-four missionaries  had  been  in  the  field  during  the  year  under 
the  auspices  of  the  convention,  by  the  appointment  of  the  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  at  a  cost  of  over  $14,000. 
Theyreported  the  organization  of  39  churches.  The  total  amount 
of  receipts  from  the  state  during  the  year  was  $16,297.19 ; 
of  which  St.  Louis  contributed  $14,674.73;  and  of  this  amount 
$13,751.80  were  expended  in  church  extension  work  in  that  city. 
The  $14,000  paid  to  missionaries  does  not  appear  in  the  report  of 
the  treasurer  of  the  convention,  but  seems  to  have  been  paid  di- 
rectly out  of  the  funds  of  the  society  at  New  York. 

The  third  and  last  meeting  of  the  convention  was  held  at  Jef- 
ferson City,  commencing  September  27,  1867.  Thirty  mission- 
aries had  labored  under  the  joint  auspices  of  this  body  and  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  to  whom  were  paid  about  $11,000.  The 
whole  amount  of  money  received  for  the  convention  during  the 
year  was  $11,106.65,  of  which  $9,140.80  was  raised  and  expended 
by  the  St.  Louis  Baptist  Union  for  church  extension. 

At  this  session  the  following  paper  was  read  and  adopted  as  a 
part  of  the  report  of  the  executive  board,  D.  J.  Hancock,  chair- 
man. 

CONSOLIDATION  WITH  THE  GENEEAL  ASSOCIATIOK 

"  Soon  after  the  last  annual  meeting  of  our  society,  several 
brethren  connected  with  the  state  convention  became  engaged  in 
correspondence  with  brethren  connected  with  the  General  Asso- 
ciation, relative  to  the  issues  between  the  two  wings  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination  in  this  state.  Out  of  this  correspondence  grew 
an  informal  conference  of  brethren  unofficially  representing  both 
bodies,  which  mot  in  St.  Louis  and  adjourned  to  meet  in  Lexing- 
ton. At  this  adjourned  meeting  the  brethren  of  the  state  con- 
vention came  in  contact  with  a  large  number  of  the  prominent 


686  THE   MISSOURI   BAPTIST   STATE   CONVENTION. 

brethren  of  the  General  Association.  The  objects  of  this  con- 
vention were  clearly  vindicated  in  that  conference  to  be  the 
building  of  our  wasted  and  suffering  Zion  within  the  limits  of 
this  state — by  the  collection  and  efficient  distribution  of  evan- 
gelizing instrumentalities  secured  by  the  auxiliary  relation  to 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society — this  w^ork  being 
done  by  the  efficient  agency  of  a  board,  scattered  as  to  member- 
ship over  the  entire  state,  but  located  as  to  base  of  operations  in 
the  proper  denominational  centre — the  city  of  St.  Louis.  It  was 
demonstrated  that  the  state  convention  had  no  ulterior  or  selfish 
object  in  view,  but  simply  to  secure  the  spread  of  the  gospel  and 
the  upbuilding  of  the  Master's  kingdom  in  Missouri.  These  rep- 
resentations were  accorded  a  respectful  hearing  and  evidently 
made  a  strong  impression  for  good  upon  the  minds  of  many  con- 
nected with  the  General  Association. 

"  Your  board  are  clearly  of  the  opinion  that  in  considering 
any  propositions  for  the  consolidation  of  Baptists,  into  one  state 
organization — a  consummation  devoutly  to  ho  wished — there  are 
three  things  to  be  strenuously  insisted  upon  1)}'  the  state  conven- 
tion : 

"  1st.  A  continuance  of  such  auxiliary'  relation  to  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  as  shall  secure  their  sympa- 
thy and  aid  in  our  work  as  a  consolidated  society. 

"2d.  A  continuance  of  the  location  of  the  board  in  St.  Louis, 
as  the  onlj''  proper  and  most  effective  base  of  operations.  To  neg- 
lect making  this  demand,  wo  believe  to  be  a  betrayal  of  the  trust 
imposed  in  us  as  a  state  organization  for  evangelizing  purposes. 

"  3d.  A  clear  recognition  of  the  baptistic  doctrine  that  all  Bap- 
tists, without  reference  to  race  or  color,  have  an  equal  right  to 
a  participancy  in  our  counsels,  immunities  and  privileges. 

"  While  this  question  is  pending  your  board  believe  it  to  be 
their  dut}^  to  adhere  to  the  principles  already  adopted  as  a  rule 
by  the  board — to  avoid  all  possible  collisions  with  the  General 
Association  and  its  friends,  aiid  to  cultivate  the  things  that  make 
for  peace." 

On  the  last  day  of  the  meeting  the  subjoined  preambles  and 
resolution  were  adoj)te(l : 

^'W /ureas,  The  division  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  this 
state  into  two  bodies,  whose  common  object  is  the  evangelization 
of  the  state,  is  greatly  to  be  deplored,  as  contrary  to  the  spirit 
of  our  religion  and  inimical  to  the  progress  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom  in  the  state;  and, 


THE   MISSOURI   BAPTIST    STATE  .CONVENTION.  687 

^'Whei'eas,  Informal  consultations  heretofore  had  between  mem- 
bers of  the  state  convention  and  members  of  the  General  Asso- 
ciation, have  given  strong  encouragement  and  hope  that,  with 
the  blessing  of  God,  all  causes  of  difference  may  be  ultimately 
removed;  therefore, 

^^Resolved,  That  we  hereby  appoint  A.  A.  Kendrick,  J.E.Welch, 
D.  J.  Hancock,  A.  H.  Burlingham,  E.  F.  Eogers,  E.  H.  Harris, 
C.  Nevill,  A.  P.  Eogers,  A.  C.  Osborn  and  J.  C.  Bernard  a  com- 
mittee of  this  body  to  meet  the  General  Association,  or  a  like 
committee  of  that  bodj^,  should  such  be  appointed,  to  consult 
with  reference  to  a  union  of  the  two  bodies  upon  the  basis  laid 
down  in  the  report  of  the  board  and  adopted  by  this  body, 
and  report  to  this  body  at  their  earliest  possible  opportunity." 

This  committee,  in  whole  or  in  part,  attended  the  meeting  of 
the  General  Association  at  Lexington  soon  after  the  close  of  this 
session  of  the  convention.  Some  account  of  the  result  is  given 
in  the  history  of  the  General  Association  in  the  session  of  1867. 

The  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention  never  met  after  its  ad- 
journment at  Jefferson  City  in  1867.  Concerning  its  dissolution 
Dr.  A.  H.  Burlingham,  in  an  address  at  the  meeting  of  the  Gen- 
eral Association  at  Hannibal  in  1876,  said  : 

"The  state  convention  dissolved  between  1867  and  '68.  Some 
said,  '"What  shall  we  demand — shall  we  not  require  some  condi- 
tions?' I  said,  '  IS'o  !  Let  us  go  to  the  General  Association  and 
knock  and  they  will  receive  us.     We  did  so  and  were  received." 

Thus  ended  the  brief  career  of  the  state  convention — a  body 
organized  just  at  the  close  of  the  war,  under  the  influence  it 
must  be  believed  of  more  or  less  of  sectional  feeling,  and  re- 
garded by  hundreds  of  the  influential  men  of  the  denomination 
as  an  almost  serai-political  institution.  Blunders,  the  convention 
may  have  made — none  of  which  need  be  enumerated  here ; — but 
it  nevertheless  did  good  by  way  of  planting  or  of  resuscitating 
churches  at  important  points,  and  in  devising  measures  for  gath- 
ering into  churches  the  scattered  African  Baptists  of  the  state. 

The  General  Association  never  having  disbanded  (it  failed  to 
meet  in  only  one  year — 1864)  the  existence  of  the  convention 
became  at  once  an  irritating  element  in  the  denomination.  This 
fact  being  discovered  by  influential  members  of  the  convention, 
good  counsel  prevailed,  this  young  state  organization  disbanded, 
peace  was  restored,  and  the  members  returned  to  their  former 
seats  in  the  General  Association. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


NOETH  CENTEAL  ASSOCIATION.* 

Meeting  of  the  Convention — First  Anniversary — The  Object  Stated — Faith  of — Ap- 
proves Test  Oath  Constitution  of  Missouri — Kescinds  that  Approval — Summary  of 
the  Year  1874. 

THIS  association  is  composed  of  churches  located  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Sullivan  and  Putnam,  extending  to  the  northern  line 
of  the  state.  This  association  originated  in  a  convention  of  mes- 
sengers from  Yellow  Creek,  St.  John's,  Pleasant  Hill,  Lebanon, 
Smyrna  and  Little  Union  Baptist  Churches,  which  met  at  Union- 
ville,  Putnam  County,  Mo.,  September  1,  1865,  in  order  to  go 
into  an  associational  organization.  The  following  from  the  con- 
stitution will  show  upon  what  basis  the  body  was  founded: 

CONSTITUTION. 

"Article  1.  This  association  of  churches  shall  be  called  the 
'ISTorthern  Central  Association  of  Missouri  of  Eegular  Baptist 
Churches.' 

"Art.  2.  This  association  shall  be  composed  of  such  churches 
only  as  embrace  in  substance  the  following  doctrines: 

"The  being  and  unity  of  G-odj  the  existence  of  three  equal  per- 
sons in  the  Godhead  j  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  as  the  complete  and  infallible  rule 
of  ftxith  and  practice;  the  just  condemnation  and  total  moral  de- 
pravity of  all  mankind  by  the  fall  of  our  first  parents;  God's  eternal 
purpose  of  grace;  the  proper  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
the  all-sufficiency  of  the  atonement;  effectual  calling;  justifica- 
tion freely  by  grace  ;  perseverance  of  the  saints;  believers'  bap- 
tism by  immersion  only  ;  the  Lord's  Supper  a  privilege  peculiar 
to  immersed  believers  regularly  admitted  to  church  fellowship; 

*  Locust  Fork  Association  formerlj'  occupied  the  territory  in  which  the  North  Cen- 
tral was  organized,  but  on  account  of  difficulties  between  the  ministers  it  disbanded 
about  1800  or  'Gl,  a  part  of  the  churches  going  to  North  Union,  a  part  to  North  Grand 
River  Association,  and  a  few  of  them  dissolved.  yellf)W  Creek  and  Oak  Grove  Church- 
es, in  Sullivan  County,  did  not  belong  to  Locust  Fork,  but  to  North  Union  Associa- 
tion, until  it  dissolved  during  the  war.  Yellow  Creek  became  a  constituent  of  North 
Central,  as  may  be  seen  above,  and  Oak  Grove  became  a  member  in  1867,  when  the 
meeting  was  held  at  St,  John's  Church,  Putnam  County, 


NORTH    CENTRAL   ASSOCIATION.  689 

the  resurrection  of  the  body  and  general  judgment;  the  final 
happiness  of  the  saints  and  misery  of  the  wicked  alike  intermin- 
able; the  obligation  of  every  intelligent  creature  of  God  su- 
premely to  believe  what  God  says,  to  practice  what  God  com- 
mands, and  the  religious  observance  of  the  first  day  of  the  week. 

"Art.  3.  The  objects  of  the  association  shall  be,  by  correspond- 
ence and  personal  intercourse  to  promote  unity  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice, fellowship,  cordiality  of  feeling,  and  union  of  effort  in  pro- 
moting missionary  education,  and  other  purposes  connected  with 
the  interests  of  Zion." 

"Art.  10.  We  give  our  cheerful  support  to  the  new  constitution 
of  Missouri,  and  refuse  a  seat  in  this  bod}^  to  any  who  are  dis- 
franchised by  it  on  account  of  their  disloyalty." 

The  association  held  its  first  anniversary  the  same  year  (1865) 
at  Yellow  Creek  Church,  Sullivan  County,  commencing  October 
14,  when  one  new  church  (Mt.  Olive)  was  received  into  the  union, 
making  in  all  seven  churches,  the  total  numerical  strength  of 
which  was  224.  Geo.  W.  Benton  was  moderator,  and  Joshua 
Gray  clerk. 

Ministers. — J.  Starkey,  H.  Gray,  J.  Gray,  G.  "W".  Benton,  J. 
Worthington  and  N.  H.  Eedding. 

Pleasant  Hill  Church,  Putnam  County,  entertained  the  second 
anniversary,  begun  October  13,  1866.  Mt.  Pisgah,  'New  Bethel 
and  Hopewell  Churches  petitioned  for  membership  and  were 
admitted.  On  Sunday  a  public  collection  was  made  for  home 
missions,  amounting  to  $11.50.  Joshua  Gray,  John  Starkey  and 
L.  G.Parker  were  appointed  a  committee  to  solicit  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  to  appoint  a  missionary  to 
labor  in  the  bounds  of  the  association.  For  periodical  litera- 
ture The  Christian  Tmes  and  Witness,  The  Macedonian  and  The  Young 
i?eaper,  were  recommended  to  the  churches. 

The  third  annual  session  was  held  with  the  St.  John's  Church, 
Putnam  County,  September  13,  1867.  New  churches  were  'ad- 
mitted, namely :  Oak  Grove  and  Union.  The  10th  article 
of  the  constitution,  endorsing  the  new  constitution  of  Mis- 
souri was  stricken  out.  Correspondence  was  solicited  with  che 
North  Grand  Eiver  and  the  Northeast  Missouri  Associations; 
also  with  the  Eden  and  the  Fork  Eiver  Associations,  Iowa.  About 
this  time  the  title  of  the  association  was  changed  from  Northern 
Central  to  "North  Central,"  as  the  name  appears  at  the  head  of 
this  article. 

Yellow  Creek  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  1868.  Peter  Set- 
44 


690  NORTH    CENTRAL   ASSOCIATION. 

ters  was  moderator,  and  Joshua  Gray  clerk.  Committees  were  ap- 
pointed on  "The  State  of  Eeligion,"  "Benevolent  Efforts"  and 
"  Sabbath-schools."  Peter  Setters,  missionary  colporteur  of  the 
Am.  Bap.  Pub.  Society,  made  quite  an  encouraging  report  of 
work  done :  days  service,  311 ;  volumes  sold,  467 ;  volumes  grant- 
ed, 59;  tracts  distributed,  pages  2,226;  sermons  preached,  144; 
found  families  without  a  Bible,  90;  supplied  families  with 
Bible,  36;  churches  organized,  2  ;  total  amount  of  sales  $437.06; 
received  from  churches  and  missionary  fund,  $86.  Deep  Spring 
and  Mt.  Zion  Churches  were  received  into  the  association  at  this 
session. 

The  association  met  at  Oak  Grove  meeting-house,  Sullivan 
County,  September  3,  1869.  The  general  lamentation  from  the 
church  letters  was  "coldness,  inactivity  and  consequent  barren- 
ness." Two  churches  only  (Yellow  Creek  and  Mount  Zion)  re- 
ported baptisms;  the  former  17,  the  latter  7.  A  prayerful, 
earnest,  determined  effort  was  made  for  a  better  state  of  things, 
and  on  Saturday  pledges  for  home  missions  were  taken,  amount- 
ing to  S222. 50;  for  Am.  Bap.  Pub.  Society,  $45.50  on  Sunday; 
and  for  Sunday-school  work,  $15.50.  During  the  year  preced- 
ing this  meeting  the  North  Central  Baptist  Sunday-school  Con- 
vention had  been  organized  and  held  its  first  anniversary  in  con- 
nection with  this  session  of  the  association.  C.  W.  H.  Bentley 
was  the  president  of  the  convention,  and  Peter  Setters  was  sec- 
retary. 

The  association  met  at  Mt.  Zion  Church,  Putnam  County,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1870,  and  was  called  to  order  by  the  moderator.  Up- 
on application,  Wintersville,  Salem  and  Spring  Creek  Churches 
were  enrolled  as  members  of  the  association.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  churches  was  then  16,  and  members  471.  There  were  57 
baptisms  during  the  year.  The  association  voted  "to  become 
auxiliary  to  the  General  Association  of  Missouri,"  and,  second- 
ly, it 

^'■Resolved,  That  all  our  missionary  work  be  done  through  the 
executive  board  of  the  General  Association." 

The  executive  board  of  the  North  Central  Association  report- 
ed itinerant  labor  performed  by  the  missionary,  to  the  amount 
of  $165.60;  amount  collected  and  paid,  $150.75;  sermons 
preached,  95  ;  exhortations,  56 ;  baptisms,  33. 

At  the  session  in  1871,  held  at  Yellow  Creek  Church,  there  was 
great  rejoicing  with  some  of  the  churches  over  blessed  revivals 
during  the  year,  and  lamentation  in  others  over  unfruitfulness. 


NORTH    CENTRAL   ASSOCIATION.  691 

The  board  reported  a  gratifying  increase  in  the  liberality  of  some, 
and  a  great  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  others.  The  evangel- 
ist had  labored  to  the  amount  of  $312,  but  only  $146.85  of  this 
amount  had  been  collected. 

The  eighth  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Mt.  Olive,  Putnam 
County,  August  30,  1872.  Union  and  Milan  (new  churches)  ap- 
plied and  were  received  into  membership.  There  were  73  bap- 
tisms this  year.  Nine  of  the  nineteen  churches  reported  Sun- 
day-schools, seven  of  the  number  being  Baptist  schools. 

Little  Union  Church,  Putnam  County,  was  the  place  of  meet- 
ing in  September,  1873. 

The  minutes  of  the  10th  anniversary,  held  September  4-5, 
1874,  showed  the  following  summary  : 

Churches. — Little  Union,  53;  Mt.  Zion,  49;  Eavanna,  34; 
Wintersville,  28  ;  Spring  Creek,  40  ;  Smyrna,  40  ;  Deep  Spring, 
21;  Union,  40;  New  Bethel,  28;  Salem,  18;  St.  John,  37;  Mt. 
Olive,  27  ;  East  Locust,  64;  Welcome  Home,  66;  Mt.  Pleasant, 
(col.),  10;  Hopewell,  23;  Mt.  Pisgah,  53;  Pleasant  Hill,  29; 
Pleasant  Grove,  13 ;  Milan,  9  ;  Yellow  Creek,  79 ;  making  a  total 
membership  of  761 ;  baptisms,  89. 

Pastors. — J.  C.  Hinton,  Peter  Setters,  C.  Woodward,  A  Jack- 
son, A.  M.  Green,  J.  E.  Bondurant,  Wm.  H.  Tuston  and  Green 
Cloyd. 

The  session  passed  off  pleasantly,  with  P.  McCollum,  W.  B. 
Eogers,  G.  E.  Bondurant,  J.  E.  Vertrees,  W.  B.  Ballew,  J.  W. 
Bolster,  and  J.  H.  Snider  present  as  visitors. 

The  churches  of  this  association  are  all  in  Putnam  and  Sulli- 
van Counties,  except  two  (Eavanna  in  Mercer  and  Spring  Creek 
in  Adair  County).  Our  latest  information  of  this  fraternity  is 
1874. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


NOETHEAST  MISSOUEI  ASSOCIATION. 

Where  and  How  it  Originated — When  Organized — A.  Helper  of  the  State  Convention 
— Disintegration — Not  Yer}'  Prosperous — Biographical:  J.  M.  Ingold  and  Stephen 
G.  Hunt — Sketches  of  Highland,  Greensburgh,  and  West  Bethel  Churches. 


T 


HE  above  named  association  originated  as  follows 


PRELIMINiiEY  MEETING. 


"  House  of  Edward  Weber, 


"Mar  Dover,  Lewis  Co.,  Mo.,  Sept.  8,  1866.      ) 

"At  a  meeting  composed  of  delegates  from  Luray,  Bethlehem, 
Winchester,  Zion,  Fairmount,  Highland  and  Sugar  Creek  Church- 
es, Eev.  Monroe  Ingold  was  elected  moderator,  and  J.  F.  Rairden 
clerk. 

"The  Wyaconda  Association  having  voted  unanimously  to  au- 
thorize such  churches  to  form  themselves  into  a  new  association, 
on  motion  it  was  resolved  to  meet  at  Winchester  on  Friday,  Oc- 
tober 12,  at  11  o'clock,  to  form  a  new  association. 

"  Resolved,  That  J.  F.  Eairden,  Wm.  H.  Bradford,  O.  L.  Knowl- 
ton  and  Thomas  Gray  be  appointed  a  committee  to  draw  up  a 
constitution  and  rules  of  order. 

"Eev.  J.  M.  Ingold  was  appointed  to  write  the  circular  letter, 
and  Eev.  J.  F.  Eairden  to  preach  the  introductory  sermon. 

"Adjourned.  J.  M.  Ingold,  Moderator. 

"J.  F.  Eairden,  Clerk." 

In  accordance  with  the  foregoing  action  a  convention  was  held 
at  AVinchester,  Clark  County,  and  a  new  association  was  organ- 
ized October  12,  1866,  called  the  "Northeast  Missouri  Baptist 
Association."  The  constituent  churches  were  the  seven  above 
mentioned  from  Wyaconda  Association,  together  with  Xewark 
Church,  a  then  newly  formed  interest. 

The  constitution  was  presented  and  adopted,  the  eighth  article 
of  which  reads  as  follows  :  "  This  association  shall  be  auxiliary 
to  the  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention,  and  the  American  Bap- 
tist Home  Mission  Society."  Art.  7  of  the  same  instrument  read : 
"  This  constitution  may  be  amended  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of 
the  members  present  at  any  annual  meeting  (except  the  8th 


NORTHEAST    MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION.  693 

article)."  The  total  membership  of  the  churches  was  438,  The 
ministers  were  "Wm.  Yolton,  J,  F.  Eairden,  S.  Gr.  Hunt  and  J.  M. 
Ingold. 

J.  F.  Rairden  was  moderator,  and  Aaron  Matley  was  clerk  of 
the  first  session. 

The  churches  were  located  mostly  in  Clarke  County;  one  at 
least  was  in  Knox;  and  one  in  Lewis  County;  nor  was  the  bound- 
ary line  between  this  and  Wyaconda  Association  ever  very  clear- 
ly defined. 

Although  a  daughter  of  the  Wyaconda,  the  Northeast  Missouri 
Association  never  succeeded  in  securing  correspondence  with  the 
mother  institution.  This  doubtless  grew  out  of  the  fact  that  the 
Northeast  Missouri  Association  gave  such  unequivocal  encour- 
agement to  the  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention,  an  institution 
regarded  by  the  great  mass  of  the  denomination  in  the  state  as  a 
disintegrating  element  (see  Mo.  Bap.  State  Convention). 

The  latest  minutes  we  have  of  the  Northeast  Missouri  Associa- 
tion are  for  1871.  These  exhibit  only  a  moderate  degree  of  pros- 
perity, there  being  only  two  more  churches  that  went  into  the 
organization  in  1866,  and  an  aggregate  membership  of  532 — less 
than  one  hundred  more  than  at  the  beginning.  The  ministers  in 
1871  were  Wiley  Bunch,  O.  N.  Collins,  C.  E.  Stephens,  J.  Barker 
and  J.  C.  Harvey. 

This  community  dissolved  about  1872,  and  in  1873  we  find 
most  of  its  churches  on  the  roll  in  the  old  Wyaconda  Association. 

J.  Monroe  Ingold — was  born  in  North  Carolina  ;  at  an  early 
age  he  moved  to  Indiana,  and  afterwards  to  Iowa.  At  18  he 
became  the  subject  of  Divine  Grace,  was  converted  and  joined 
the  Baptist  church,  having  been  baptized  by  Eld.  Cole.  Soon 
after  his  conversion  he  entered  the  school  at  Richmond,  Iowa, 
with  a  view  to  the  ministry.  In  1864  he  came  to  Missouri  and 
began  to  preach  under  many  discouragements.  But  with  energy 
and  decision  he  pressed  on,  was  ordained  in  November  1865,  and 
appointed  colporteur  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Soci- 
ety, in  which  capacity  he  continued  a  faithful  and  diligent  labor- 
er until  his  last  sickness.  In  July,  1868,  he  was  taken  with 
jaundice,  and  in  the  month  following  he  passed  over  the  river, 
and  is  now  at  rest,  where  the  wicked  never  trouble. 

Stephen  G.  Hunt. — The  following  is  from  the  committee  on 
obituaries  at  the  meeting  of  the  Northeast  Missouri  Association  in 
1869: 

"  Bro.  Hunt  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Indiana,  October  7, 


694  NORTHEAST   MISSOURI   ASSOCIATION. 

1813.  He  experienced  religion  in  his  20th  year,  united  with  the 
Eolling  Prairie  Baptist  Church,  in  Laporte  County,  Ind.,  being 
baptized  by  Father  Hastings.  He  was  married  to  Louisa  Salis- 
bury, August  8,  1838;  entered  the  ministry  in  1845;  became 
pastor  at  Sandwich,  111.;  remained  there  five  years,  where  he 
sowed  the  seed  of  the  kingdom,  which  has  since  produced  a 
bountiful  harvest,  there  being  five  flourishing  churches  on  the 
field  he  then  occupied.  In  1850  he  took  the  care  of  the  church 
at  Middlebury,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  three  years.  He  then 
removed  to  Knoxville,  Iowa,  where  he  found  a  feeble  church, 
which  increased  to  107  during  his  ministry,  and  began  to  build 
the  noble  house  they  dedicated  a  short  time  ago.  From  there  he 
moved  to  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  the  place  of  his  birth,  and  took 
charge  of  the  ElkhornBapti-st  Church,  where  he  was  instrumental 
in  the  conversion  of  his  uncle,  Isaac  Estele,  who  entered  the  min- 
istry, but  has  preceded  his  spiritual  father  to  glory.  From  there  he 
came  to  Missouri  under  the  employ  of  the  home  mission  society 
where  his  labors  have  been  blessed  of  God.  He  organized  the 
Highland,  Greensburgh  and  West  Bethel  Churches,  besides  laying 
the  foundation  of  truth  in  many  other  places.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  he  was  laboring  for  the  publication  society.  He  leaves 
a  widow  and  four  children,  with  many  other  friends  to  mourn 
his  loss  ;  yet  our  loss  is  his  gain.  He  died  in  the  triumphs  of 
faith.     We  can  but  pray,  Lord,  send  more  such  laborers  into  the 

vineyard.  ''J.  F.  Rairden, 

Wm.  H.  Bradford,  [  Committee." 
C.  Daughter, 


CHAPTER  IX. 


OLD  PATH  ASSOCIATION. 

Why  and  When  Organized — Early  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Hickory  County — First 
JVIinister — Ministers'  Salaries — London  Confession  of  Faith — Thomas  Moore's  Apos- 
tasy— The  Case  of  J.  H.  Smith — Resolutions  and  Queries. 

AT  the  commencement  of  the  war  the.  Freedom  Association 
was  composed  of  33  churches  scattered  over  seven  counties. 
Sad  was  the  state  of  things  in  the  churches  in  this  section  of  the 
country  when  peace  was  declared  in  1865.  The  Freedom  met 
and  was  reorganized  in  1866,  and  very  unwisely  amended  her 
"confession  of  faith,"  declaring  "non-fellowship  for  those 
who  had  been  in  rebellion  against  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  without  evidence  of  gospel  repentance."  (Two  years  af- 
terwards at  the  session  of  1868,  be  it  said  to  her  praise,  theFree- 
dom  Association  expunged  this  obnoxious  item  from  her  "arti- 
cles of  faith.") 

To  this  a  number  of  churches  in  her  communion  took  excep- 
tion, eight  of  which,  namely:  Pisgah,  New  Hope,  Macedonia, 
Mt.  Zion,  Slagle  Creek,  Mt.  Moriah,  Prospect  and  Hopewell, 
withdrew,  met  in  convention  at  Hopewell  Church,  Polk  County, 
October  25,  1867,  and  together  with  Bethany,  Little  Niangua 
and  Fountain  Grove  Churches  formed  "The  Old  Path  Associa- 
tion."* 

The  total  membership  of  the  churches  that  were  in  the  organ- 
ization was  706,  spread  over  an  area  embodying  the  principal 
part  of  the  four  counties  of  Polk,  Dallas,  Hickory  and  Camden. 
The  organization  was  needful  to  reach  a  vast  field  of  destitution 
in  her  bounds  which  others  did  not  or  could  not  supply.  This 
the  association  has  endeavored  to  do.  Within  five  years  after  the 
organization  the  membership  had  doubled,  the  association  being 
then  composed  of  28  churches,  containing  1,488  members. 

The  first  regular  Baptist  minister  in  Hickory  County  was  Eld. 
Thomas  Pitts,  who  now  sleeps  with  the  fathers.  The  second  was 
Eld.  Joseph  Callaway,  who  baptized  Turner  Washburn,  soon 
after  which  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Washburn,  Elds.  Thomas  Pitts 

*  From  the  MS.  of  EW.  Z.  T.  Strickland. 


696  OLD    PATH    ASSOCIATION. 

and  John  Miller  organized  the  first  Baptist  church  in  the 
county,  consisting  of  six  members.  This  was  about  the 
year  1843.  Two  of  these  veterans  were  living  in  1879  :  Mrs. 
Mary  Green  and  Mrs.  Mary  B.  Pitts.  The  pastors  of  this  pioneer 
church,  up  to  the  war,  were  Elds.  Thomas  Pitts  and  James  Wheel- 
er; the  former  serving  thirteen  and  the  latter  nine  years. 

During  the  war  the  church  (the  name  of  which  we  have  not 
learned)  was  broken  up,  the  scattered  members  uniting  with 
Elkton,  Mt.  Moriah,  Oak  Grove  and  Hopewell  Churches,  all  of 
Hickory  County  save  the  latter.  At  the  close  of  the  war  there 
was  not  a  Baptist  minister  in  the  county,  save  L.  J.  Tatum,  who 
had  but  recently  (1864)  moved  into  it.  He  at  once  commenced 
to  preach  for  the  Mt.  Moriah  Church  of  25  members,  in  an  old 
log  school-house.  At  the  close  of  three  years  the  church  num- 
bered 125  members  and  had  a  house  of  worship.  About  this 
time,  some  dissension  arose  on  the  question  of  pastor's  salary, 
the  two  deacons  using  all  their  influence  against  the  support  of 
the  gospel.  The  end  of  the  controvers}'  foundthe  church  split, 
one  of  the  deacons  dead  and  the  other  a  member  of  a  small  anti- 
mission  party  of  eight  or  ten  members  who  worship  in  the  old 
house.  All  that  was  saved  out  of  this  rubbish  was  a  small  church 
of  fourteen  members,  called  Ebenezer,  formed  January  14, 1869, 
numbering  25  members  in  1881,  with  Eld.  David  Hitson  as  pas- 
tor. 

The  second  annual  meeting  in  1868  was  at  Mt.  Moriah  Church, 
Hickory  County;  in  1869  the  association  met  at  Bollinger 
Church,  Camden  County;  at  Slagle  Creek,  Polk  County,  in 
1870;  at  New  Hope,  Dallas  County,  in  1871 ;  at  Little  Niangua, 
Hickory  County,  in  1872;  at  Pisgah,  Dallas  County,  in  1873; 
at  Pittsburg,  Hickory  County,  in  1874;  at  Harmony,  in  Cam- 
den County,  in  1875 ;  at  Hopewell,  Polk  County,  in  1876 ;  at 
Prairie  Hollow  Church  in  1877  ;  and  in  1878  at  New  Hope  again. 

Moderators  from  1867.— ^Id.  W.  W.  Palmer,  10  years;  Eld.  J. 
M.  Eussell,  3  j-ears.  Clerks  for  the  same  time. — J.  Moore,  1  year; 
L.  J.  Tatum,  10  years;  Z.  T.  Strickland,  2  years. 

Ministers  in  18G7. — C.  L.  Alexander,  T.  Moore,  Wm.  W.  Pal- 
mer, "VVm.  Godwin,  A.  Long,  J.  "W.  Cranfill,  Isaac  Ingram,  L.  J. 
Tatum,  D.  J.  Morrow,  Morris  and  G.  Kelley. 

Old  Path  Association  reached  her  largest  membership  in  1872. 
There  was  then  a  large  ministerial  force  connected  with  her 
churches,  consisting  of  19  ordained  preachers  and  11  licentiates. 
For  convenience  the  churches  now  began  to  withdraw  and  unite 


OLD   PATH   ASSOCIATION.  697 

with  other  associations,  which  reduced  the  strength  of  Old  Path, 
in  1878,  to  23  churches  and  1,002  members. 

From  the  year  1869  to  1878,  including  10  meetings,  the  church- 
es reported  an  aggregate  of  1,237  baptisms — a  number  consider- 
ably more  than  the  present  membership ;  and  from  1870  to  1878 
$1,247.41  were  contributed  to  home  missions.  For  the  same  time, 
pastors'  salaries  reported  amounted  to  $3,085.62.  The  amount 
of  sales  of  religious  literature  was  $1,208.91;  number  of  volumes 
sold,  1,429;  donated,  317;  and  90  families  were  supplied  with  the 
Bible.  Elder  L.  J.  Tatum  has  for  most  of  the  time  been  the  effi- 
cient missionary,  and  to  his  labors,  under  God,  many  of  the 
churches  are  indebted  for  success  and  prosperity. 

In  1868  the  association  published  the  following  endorsement 
of  the  faith  of  the  primitive  Baptists  : 

"Instructed  the  clerk  to  arrange  our  articles  of  faith  in  order, 
and  that  he  include  the  article  of  faith  relative  to  the  support  of 
the  gospel,  originally  put  forth  by  the  elders  and  brethren  of 
more  than  one  hundred  congregations  of  Christians  (baptized 
upon  a  profession  of  their  faith)  in  London  in  1689,  and  adopted 
by  the  Philadelphia  Association  in  1742." 

Said  article  reads  as  follows  : 

"  We  believe  the  work  of  the  pastor  being  constantly  to  attend 
the  service  of  Christ  in  his  church  in  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
and  prayer  with  watching  for  their  souls  as  they  that  must  give 
an  account  to  Him ;  it  is  incumbent  on  the  churches  to  whom  they 
minister,  not  only  to  give  them  all  due  respect,  but  also  to  com- 
municate to  them  of  all  their  good  things  according  to  their  abil- 
ity (Acts  4 ;  4,  Heb.  13;  17,  1  Tim.  6;  17,  18,  Gal.  6;  6)." 

We  have  often  wondered  why  so  many  churches,  and  even  not 
a  few  pastors,  are  so -timid  on  the  question  of  ministerial  sup- 
port, as  nothing — no  doctrine  whatever  —  is  more  explicitly 
taught  in  the  Scriptures  than  the  adequate  support  of  the  gospel 
preacher.  Churches  are  often  very  careful  as  to  the  conduct  of 
their  members  relative  to  other  items  of  faith,  or  doctrines 
of  the  Bible,  and  even  in  matters  of  less  importance,  but  we  have 
seldom  known  churches  to  call  members  to  account  for  habitu- 
ally neglecting  to  help  defray  church  expenses.  We  have  known 
pastors  to  preach  very  earnestly  for  hours  on  baptism,  the  Lord's 
Supper,  the  proper  observance  of  the  Sabbath  and  very  many 
other  things  affecting  Christian  duty;  but  never  a  word  about 
the  support  of  the  gospel.  Why  all  this?  Why  leave  out  this 
one  great  question?      Why  demand   that  every  applicant  for 


698  OLD   PATH   ASSOCIATION. 

church  membership  shall  be  a  penitent,  have  faith  in  Christ,  be 
baptized,  &e.,  &c.,  and  then  keep  such  an  one  in  the  church  for 
years,  while  he  positively  neglects,  and,  in  thousands  of  cases, 
refuses  to  contribute  even  to  the  support  of  his  pastor.  It  is  an 
outrage  upon  the  Christian  name — an  encouragement  to  infidelity. 

This  is  a  question  that  the  Old  Path  Association,  and  some,  if 
not  all,  of  her  churches  were  not  afraid  to  handle.  As  an  illus- 
tration of  this  we  cite  an  event  that  occurred  at  the  meeting  in 
1877.  One  of  the  ministers  had  been  silenced  from  preaching  on 
the  grounds  of  opposition  to  ministerial  support,  denouncing 
ministers  who  received  remuneration  for  labor  as  ''  hirelings," 
&c.  The  case  was  carried  to  the  association  in  1877,  the  action 
of  the  church  was  sustained,  and  the  man's  name  dropped  from 
the  list  of  ministers.  The  effort  was  renewed  in  1878  and  a  mo- 
tion made  to  rescind  the  action  of  the  preceding  year,  which 
after  a  long  discussion  was  lost,  and  the  friends  of  the  deposed 
minister  failed  to  secure  his  restoration.  Why  not  revoke  a 
preacher's  credentials  for  opposition  to  ministerial  support  as 
unhesitatingly  as  for  opposition  to  any  other  plain  precept  of 
the  holy  Bible? 

This  association  was  consistent  in  other  matters  also.  In  her 
confession  of  faith  she  declared  her  adherence  to  the  old  Bible 
doctrine  of  final  perseverance  of  the  saints.  In  1871  she  with- 
drew her  fellowship  from  Bethany  Church,  because  said  church 
permitted  one  Thomas  Moore  to  lead  her  members  astray  on  the 
doctrine  of  a<postasy,  without  an  efi"ort  to  discipline  the  parties. 

In  1870  the  association  "■  took  up  the  following  query  from 
Mt.  View  Church:" 

*'  Is  it  consistent  with  missionary  Baptists  to  receive  members 
from  any  other  denomination  who  believe  in  apostacy  and  open 
communion  without  re-baptism?"     Answer — "No." 

Again  in  1874 : 

^^  Whereas,  Intoxicating  liquors  are  many  times  the  cause  of 
the  loss  of  property,  health  and  peace,  and  lead  men  to  trouble 
in  life,  misery  in  death,  and  finally  eternal  banishment  from 
God ;  therefore, 

^^  Hesolved,  That  we  raise  our  banner  against  this  soul-destroy- 
ing poison  as  a  beverage,  and  recommend  that  our  pastors  preach 
a  sermon  to  their  congregations  against  the  use  of  intoxicating 
drinks  as  a  beverage,  or  visiting  places  of  revelry,  where  they 
are  sold  and  drank." 

The  association  in  its  fifteenth  annual  session  assembled  at 


OLD   PATH   ASSOCIATION.  699 

Hopewell,  Benton  County,  August  26,  1881.  25  churches  were 
on  the  roll,  all  of  which  sent«messengers  save  one;  their  total  mem- 
bership was  1,088.  The  amount  of  money  expended  for  home 
missions  was  $149.20.  J.  H.  Stinecipher  had  labored  113  days 
as  evangelist  with  good  success.  A  case  of  some  interest  occur- 
red at  this  session.  The  Wright's  Creek  Church,  from  Tebo  As- 
sociation, presented  a  letter  and  asked  to  be  admitted..  The  vote 
was  unanimous  for  her  reception  except  one  member.  A  commit- 
tee of  five  were  appointed  to  hear  his  objections,  and  made  the 
following  report: 

"We,  your  committee,  appointed  to  investigate  the  objection 
made  by  Brother  S.  B.  Davidson  against  receiving  the  church  at 
Wright's  Creek,  consider  that  his  objection  is  entirely  unfoun- 
ded. S.  Laswell,  Chairman." 

"  Therefore,  the  delegates  of  Wright's  Creek  were  extended 
the  hand  of  fellowship  and  took  their  seats  in  the  council." 


CHAPTER  X. 


EOCK  PEAIEIE  (NOW  DADE  COUN^TY)  AND  OTHEE 
ASSOCIATIONS. 

Kock  Prairie  Formed — Change  of  Name — Pastoral  Support,  Position  On — Confes- 
sion of  Faith — Missions — ^Lack  of  Unity — Nkvada  Association — Sketches  of 
Churches:  Harmony,  Nevada  City — Report  on  Temperance — Webster  Asso- 
ciation—  Sketches  of  Churches:  Antioch,  Cedar  Bluff,  Fairview,  Good  Hope, 
Good  Spring,  Mt.  Zion  —  Biographical:  Jacob  Mingus — B.  J.  Smith — ^E.  A. 
Mingus — Sketch  of  Prospect  Church. 

THE  Eock  Prairie  Association  was  organized  in  October, 
1867,  with  the  following  churches,  viz.:  Pleasant  Valley, 
Chalybeate  Spring,  Sinking  Creek,  Pleasant  Hill,  Liberty  and 
Sj'camore — six  in  number,  containing  about  175  members.  J.  D. 
Shelton  and  Joel  Martin  were  the  ministers ;  William  Euark  and 
William  Fisher  licentiates.  The  churches  were  located  mostly 
in  Dade  County. 

The  second  anniversary  was  held  at  Sinking  Creek  Church, 
Dade  County,  beginning  September  10,  1869.  J.  D,  Shelton  was 
moderator,  and  Preston  Mitchell  clerk.  James  Hill  was  elected 
to  ride  and  preach  among  the  destitute  as  missionary  for  the  en- 
suing 5'ear,  ajid  the  churches  were  recommended  to  become  aux- 
iliary to  the  General  Association.  In  the  two  years  the  number 
of  churches  had  increased  to  10,  and  the  aggregate  membership 
to  380  ;  20  baptisms  were  reported  at  this  session. 

Chalybeate  Spring  Church  was  the  place  of  meeting  in  Sep- 
tember, 1870.  The  committee  on  destitution  reported  that  "  half 
of  the  association  was  destitute  of  Baptist  preaching."  Nine  of 
the  ten  churches  only  sent  messengers  to  this  meeting. 

In  1871  the  session  was  held  at  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  Dade 
County,  commencing  September  8th.  J.  W.  Campbell  preached 
the  introductory  sermon.  J.  D.  Shelton  was  again  elected  mod- 
erator, and  Preston  Mitchell  clerk.  Eev.  S.  W.  Marston  was 
present  as  a  visitor  ;  anjd  Eev.  Wm.  Hildreth,  as  correspondent 
from  Blue  Eiver  Association,  was  invited  to  a  seat. 

The  fifth  annual  meeting,  September,  1872,  convened  at  Sink- 
ing Creek  Church,  Dade  Count}-,  when  James  Hill  preached  the 


ROCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  COUNTY)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.     701 

introductory  sermon,  and  was  afterwards  elected  moderator* 
clerk  same  as  last  year. 

In  1871  the  association  requested  the  churches  of  Dade  County 
to  call  a  convention  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  Dade  County 
Association,  said  convention  to  meet  in  October  of  that  year  at 
Zion  Church  in  the  aforesaid  county.  This  is  all  we  hear  of  the 
Convention.  It  ni&y,  or  it  may  not,  have  met.  At  the  sixth  an- 
niversary held  at  New  Friendship  Church,  Dade  County,  Sep- 
tember 11,  1873,  the  question  assumed  a  somewhat  different 
shape,  and  the  name  of  the  association  was  changed  to  that  of 
"The  Dade  County  Association."  After  the  change  to  this  name, 
Eld.  James  S.  Buckncr  (then  one  of  the  ministers  of  this  body) 
was  requested  to  write  to  the  churches  in  Dade  County  and  re- 
quest them  to  unite  in  an  association  in  said  county,  to  be  called 
"  The  Dade  County  Association  of  United  Baptists." 

Queries  and  resolutions  acted  on  at  this  session : 

1.  "Ought  a  gospel  minister  to  take  the  pastoral  care  of  a 
church  which  will  not  pledge  to  pay  him  a  support  according  to 
its  ability?"  The  jeas  and  nays  being  called,  stood  thus: 
"Yeas;  J.  D.  Shelton,  "W.  L.  Burnett,  Isaac  J.  "Wheeler,  John 
Williamson,  Minor  Gentr}-,  Stephen  Blakcy,  William  Tindall, 
James  Kelley,  W.  H.  Mitchell,  E.  Hurst,  Thomas  Cusick,  Jas.  P. 
Grrisham,  Hugh  McMillen,  Allen  Wheeler,  W.  A.  Dyson  and 
James  Taylor — 16  ;  Najs  ;  Jas.  S.  Buckner,  B.  F.  Meek,  Jas.  L. 
Powell,  Jas.  L.  Allison,  Lewis  Hine,  Lewis  Redman,  J.  M.  Mar- 
cum,  C.  F.  Coram,  Geo.  Lewcllen  and  William  E.  Bivine — 10. 

2.  "  Resolved,  That  gospel  ministers  shall  not,  by  virtue  of  their 
ofl&ces,  be  delegates  to  the  associational  meetings. 

3.  "Is  a  church  in  gospel  order  who,  although  able,  will  not 
support  its  pastor  ?     Answer,  '  No  ! ' 

4.  "  Ought  a  church  to  support  a  prayer-meeting  in  its  midst? 
Answer,  '  Yes !' 

5.  "  Is  it  right  for  Christians  to  attend  balls,  dances,  or  play- 
parties  ?     Answer,  '  ~No  !' 

6.  "Will  this  association  employ  a  missionary  or  missionaries 
to  labor  in  her  bounds  during  the  year,  and  sustain  him  or  them? 
Answer,  '  No !' 

7.  "Shall  we  correspond  with  the- General  Association?" 
Yeas  and  nays  being  again  taken,  resulted,  yeas,  0;  nays,  14. 

The  answer  to  the  6th  query  above,  relative  to  a  missionary, 
proceeded  from  a  semi-opposition  to  mibsions  on  the  part  of  the 
majority.     At  all  events  there  was  an  anti-missionary  element  in 


702       ROCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

the  churches  comprising  this  fraternity,  partially  prevailing  at 
times  in  the  meetings  of  the  association.  This  view  of  the  case 
is  fully  confirmed  by  the  subjoined  action  at  the  session  of  1874: 

"Is  there  any  missionary  system  taught  in  the  Bible? — Ans- 
wer, *  Yes.  The  system  is  for  each  church  to  sustain  her  own 
pastor;  taught  in  Paul's  letters  to  the  churches.'  " 

For  several  years  there  was  a  manifest  lack  of  unity  in  this 
body,  during  which  time  but  little  progress  was  made.  In  1872 
there  was  a  laxity  of  sentiment  on  the  subject  of  confessions  of 
faith.  That  year  the  following  query  was  presented  touching 
this  matter : 

"  Does  the  Eock  Prairie  Association  recognize  a  church  as  le- 
gally organized  without  written  articles  of  faith? — Answer, 
'  Yes  ! '  " 

Subsequently  at  the  same  meeting  it  was 

"  Resolved,  That  as  a  matter  of  expediency  we  advise  our  min- 
isters to  organize  no  church  without  an  abstract  of  faith." 

This  resolution  was  manifestly  a  compromise  measure.  The 
year  following  the  same  question  was  again  introduced  and  dis- 
posed of thus : 

"  Can  the  association  recognize  or  hold  a  church  as  a  sister 
body  without  a  declaration  of  faith  ? — Answer,  <  No  !'  " 

From  this  time  forward  the  Dade  County  Association  had  a 
gradual  growth,  favoring,  though  not  doing  much  for,  Sunday- 
schools,  home  missions  and  foreign  missions.  On  this  last,  she 
declared  it  as  her  belief  that  "  according  to  the  '  commission  '  we 
are  under  obligations  to  send  the  gospel  to  the  heathen." 

Churches. — Sinking  Creek,  53;  New  Providence,  57;  Concord, 
30;  New  Friendship,  48;  Liberty,  82;  Pleasant  Hill,  65;  Mt. 
Pleasant,  83;  Limestone,  85;  Pleasant  View,  37;  Sharon,  30; 
Tabernacle,  12;  Cedarville,  36;  Pleasant  Grove,  115;  total  mem- 
bers, 733 ;  baptisms,  50. 

Ministers  in  1877.— X.  C.  Bradley,  J.  D.  Shelton,  B.  F.  Meek, 
Lewis  Hine,  Minor  Gentry  and  D.  G.  Young. 

In  1879  only  twelve  churches  reported  (New  Providence  hav- 
ing dropped  out)  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  704 ;  bap- 
tisms, 59;  and  7  ministers. 

The  session  in  1881  was  held  at  Cedarville.  There  were  then 
14  churches  and  644  members. 

THE  NEVADA  ASSOCIATION. 

This  is  a  moderatively  active  Baptist  fraternitj',  having  been, 
from  the  commencement  of  its    history,  in  sympathy  and  co- 


ROCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.      703 

operation  with  the  various  denominational,  benevolent  and  re- 
ligious enterprises,  such  as  home  and  foreign  missions,  Sunday- 
schools,  education,  &c.,  &c.  Its  churches  are  now  located  prin- 
cipally in  Vernon  and  Barton  Counties,  with  three  in  Cedar  and 
one  in  Bates. 

The  Nevada  Association  was  organized  in  1867.  We  state  this 
as  a  fact  upon  the  authority  of  the  title  page  of  the  minutes  of 
the  third  anniversary,  held  at  Marmaton  Church,  Sej)tember 
9-10,  1870.  It  was  then  composed  of  the  following  churches, 
viz.:  Nevada,  32;  Mt.  Hebron,  23  j  Olive  Branch,  25;  Marmaton, 
58;  Osage  Valley,  17;  Glade  Spring,  60;  Liberty,  96;  and  Sul- 
phur Spring,  53,  in  Vernon  County ;  Lamar,  31 ;  Pleasant  Val- 
ley, 6  ;  and  Harmony,  30,  in  Barton  County;  and  Clintonville, 
21,  in  Cedar  County ;  12  churches  in  all,  with  452  communicants. 

The  ordained  ministers  at  this  date  were,  G.  M.  Lamkin,  C. 
Ingram,  B.  W.  Harmon,  Jesse  Johnson,  James  Eoberson,  J.  B. 
Carrico,  A.  P.  Rogers  and  C.  Capron;  licentiates,  P.  Richey,  J. 
Wilhoite,  G.  JDrummond  and  M.  A.  Wolf. 

The  association  held  its  fourth  annual  meeting  at  Sulphur 
Spring  Church,  Vernon  County,  September  7-9,  1871.  Bethle- 
hem, Salem  and  Bethel  Churches  were  admitted  this  year,  which, 
together  with  the  baptisms,  increased  the  total  membership  to 
654.  Bids.  G.  M.  Lamkin  and  P.  J.  Collop  were  elected  messen- 
gers to  the  General  Association.  On  the  last  day  of  the  session 
a  Sunday-school  convention  was  organized,  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  this  interest  in  the  bounds  of  the  association.  At 
the  meeting  in  1870  the  constitution  was  so  amended  as  to  em- 
brace in  the  name  of  the  association,  the  appellation  "United." 
The  confession  of  faith,  commonly  called  the  ''ISTew  Hampshire 
Confession  of  Paith,"  previously  adopted  by  the  association,  was 
published  in  full  in  the  minutes  of  1871. 

Harmony  Church, — Barton  County,  though  not  long  a  mem- 
ber of  this  association,  is  among  the  older  Baptist  institutions 
in  this  part  of  the  state.  John  D.  Star,  clerk,  gave  in  1869  the 
subjoined  sketch  of  this  church  :  "  Harmony  Church  is  located 
twelve  miles  southeast  of  Lamar  ;  has  a  joint  church  house  and 
school-room,  now  almost  worthless,  but  proposes  soon  to  build 
a  new  house  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  the  present  site. 
J.  B.  Carrico  was  the  first  pastor,  having  organized  the  church  on 
22  members  in  1853,  and  has  continued  in  this  relation  ever  since, 
save  a  brief  interval  during  the  war,  with  no  salary  except  about 
$30  this  year.  He  is  very  enthusiastic,  but  without  an  education, 


704       ROCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

and  is  considered  somewhat  visionary.  We  do  not  'wash  the 
saints'  feet/  and  have  not  partaken  of  the  Lord's  Supper  for  eight 
months  or  more.  "We  have  never  had  a  prayer-meeting  nor  a 
protracted  meeting,'^  In  1879  this  church  numbered  48  mem- 
bers, and  M.  D.  Eamey  filled  the  pastoral  oifice. 

Nevada  City  Baptist  Church — was  organized  in  1869.  In  the 
fall  of  1876,  or  early  in  1877,  W.  J.  Brown  was  called  to  the  pas- 
toral office  in  the  church,  and  at  the  following  session  of  the  as- 
sociation they  reported  a  glorious  revival,  and  a  total  member- 
ship of  115,  being  an  increase  of  58  during  the  year.  Bro.  Brown 
has  continued  pastor  ever  since,  and  in  1879  the  church  number- 
ed 105  members. 

In  1873  the  Nevada  Association  met  with  Liberty  Church, 
Montevallo,  Vernon  County,  August  9.  The  list  of  churches 
was  increased  b}'  adding  the  following  :  Pleasant  Eidge,  Zion, 
Mount  Zion  No.  2,  Center  Baptist,  Little  Dry  Wood  and  Deer- 
field.  This  increased  the  number  of  churches  to  24,  and  the  com- 
municants to  737.  Under  the  auspices  of  the  executive  board 
not  much  itinerant  work  had  been  accomplished,  but  a  real 
revival  of  the  missionary  spirit  followed  the  reading  of  the  re- 
port of  said  board,  and  churches  and  individuals  contributed  in 
cash  and  pledges  the  sum  of  $243.50  for  this  purpose.  The  fol- 
lowing was  submitted  by  the  committee  as  the 

Report  on  Temperance. — "  Considering  the  use  of  ardent  spirits 
as  a  beverage  to  l)e  the  prolific  parent  of  many  vices,  the  great- 
est scourge  of  the  human  family,  carrying  its  thousands  j^early 
to  the  dark  river  of  death,  and  that  in  its  path  are  found  more 
tears,  anguish  and  sorrow  than  are  caused  by  war,  famine  and 
pestilence,  therefore  we  recommend  to  the  churches  and  individ- 
ual Christians,  to  discourage  the  sale  and  use  of  ardent  spirits  as 
a  beverage  in  every  laudable  way,  as  the  only  proper  and  con- 
sistent course  for  them  to  pursue. 

"J.   J.   Brining,         "| 
James  Eoberson,       V  Committee." 

W.   S.  WiLLOUGHBY,   ) 

The  twelfth  annual  session  of  the  association  was  held  at  Osage 
Yalley  Church,  commencing  September  26,  1879.  There  were 
then  26  churches  on  the  list,  4  of  which  sent  no  intelligence. 
The  22  reporting  aggregated  963  members. 

Ministers. — W.  J.  Brown,  I.  L.  Crow,  C.  Ingram,  E.  Eichie,  B. 
P.  Burdett,  M.  A.  Wolfe,  J.  B.  Carrico,  Jesse  Johnson,  W.  J. 
Scott,  J.  Eoberson,  E.  J.  Terrill,  J.  P.  Smith,  T.  Harvey,  W.  S. 


ROCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.       705 

Willoughby,  W.  J.  Lett,  M.  D.  Earaey,  S.  D.  Francis,  T.  B.  Free- 
man, W.  A.  Wilson  and  G.  M.  Lamkin. 

Since  writing  the  above  sketch,  we  find  the  records  of  the  as- 
sociation for  1869.  That  was  its  second  anniversary,  held  at  La- 
mar. Prior  to  this  meeting  the  association  numbered  only  three 
churches — Nevada,  Lamar  and  Marmaton.  Mt.  Hebron,  Pleas- 
ant Valley  and  Olive  Branch,  all  new  churches,  were  received  at 
this  session.  The  entire  membership  of  the  six  churches  was 
133.  Ministers'  names  were  not  given.  Jesse  Johnson  was  mod- 
erator. 

WEBSTER  ASSOCIATION. 

Messengers  from  9  churches  met  in  convention  July  3,  1868,  at 
Marshfield, Webster  County,  Missouri,  and  after  "mature  deliber- 
ation" organized  a  new  association.  Jacob  Grood  was  elected 
moderator  and  E.  A.  Mingus,  clerk.  The  constituent  churches 
were,  Mt.  Zion,  Fairview,  Cedar  Bluff,  Spring  Bluff,  Prospect, 
Good  Hope,  Antioch,  Marshfield  and  Good  Spring. 
CONSTITUTIOX— (£x!;mc^  From.) 

''Art.  I.,  Sec.  1.  The  name  of  this  association  shall  be  the  Web- 
ster Association  of  United  Baptists. 

"  Sec.  2.  The  object  of  this  association  shall  be  to  promote 
Christian  fellowship,  to  spread  the  gospel  among  the  poor  and 
destitute,  and  to  foster  and  encourage  the  interests  of  Christian 
education. 

^^  Sec.  3.  The  membership  of  this  association  shall  consist  of 
the  ministers  and  delegates  from  regularly  organized  churches 
of  the  'United  Baptists,'  in  good  standing." 

"Art.  IV.,  Sec.  3.  No  political  test  shall  ever  be  instituted  as 
a  necessary  qualification  for  membership  in  this  association." 

The  first  regular  meeting  of  the  association  was  held  the  sec- 
ond and  third  days  of  the  following  October,  with  the  New 
Prospect  Church,  Webster  County.  Eight  of  nine  churches  were 
represented,  the  total  numerical  strength  of  which  was  324.  The 
ministers  of  the  association  were  Jacob  Good,  J.  H.Wommack, 
Peter  McCracken,  E.  A.  Mingus,  S.  P.  Hawkins,  and  B.  J.  Smith  ; 
licentiate,  John  Alford.  The  churches  were  mostly  in  Webster 
and  Wright  Counties.  "  Each  church  was  recommended  to  send 
a  missionary  to  preach  in  the  bounds  of  the  association  as  long 
as  she  felt  willing  to  sustain  him."  This  was  the  method  of  itin- 
erating at  that  time  with  these  descendants  of  the  primitive 
Baptists.  Correspondence  was  opened  with  the  Old  Path,  Zion 
and  Osage  Eiver  Associations. 
45 


706       EOCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Good  Hope  Church,  "Webster  County,  entertained  the  body  at 
its  second  anniversary,  October  8-11,  1869.  New  churches  uni- 
ted as  follows :  Harmony,  New  Salem,  Pleasant  Hill  and  Fellow- 
ship. A  resolution  was  adopted  declaring  the  Webster  Associa- 
tion auxiliary  to  the  General  Association,  and  $11  were  raised 
to  entitle  her  to  a  seat  in  that  body.  Eld.  Jacob  Good  was  elec- 
ted to  travel  as  an  itinerant  in  the  bounds  of  the  association  j 
and  Jno.  Hyde,  W.Letchworth,  L.  T.  Freeman,  W.W.Wommack 
and  F.  M.  Turner  were  appointed  as  an  executive  committee  to 
"  take  the  oversight  of  the  missionary  cause." 

New  churches  were  added  to  the  association  as  follows:  New 
Hope  in  1870  j  Little  Creek,  Friendship,  Pleasant  Grove  and 
Shiloh  in  1871  j  Henderson  in  1873;  Concord  and  St.  James  in 
1874;  Finley  Creek  and  Providence  in  1875;  Marshfield  and 
Hickory  Bluif  in  1877;  and  Mt.  Pisgah  and  Hartville  in  1878. 
The  whole  number  of  churches  on  the  roll  in  1878,  was  18,  with 
an  aggregate  membership  of  857,  leaving  out  Hickory  Bluff 
Church  that  sent  no  statistics. 

Good  Spring  Church  being  divided  sent  two  letters  to  the  as- 
sociation in  1875.  Both  letters  were  read,  after  which  the  case 
was  referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  W.  W.  Oliver,  T.  C. 
Dyche,  James  Newton,  L.  J.  Ellis  and  I.E.Brown.  The  said 
committee  reported  that  in  their  judgment  neither  party  could 
be  received  as  Good  Spring  Church,  and  recommended  that  the 
parties  get  together,  acknowledge  their  faults  and  try  next  year 
to  send  one  letter.  The  report  of  the  committee  was  adopted. 
The  next  year  the  church  was  enrolled  on  the  list  as  usual. 

By  the  year  1877  Baptist  sentiments  had  been  widely  dissem- 
inated over  the  field  of  Webster  Association,  new  churches  had 
been  planted,  and  at  this  date  the  Baptist  denomination  had  the 
ascendency  over  others.  At  this  meeting  it  was  wisely  decided, 
that  to  hold  the  ground  they  then  had  won  "  they  must  have  con- 
secrated work."  God  had  given  them  a  section  of  the  state  des- 
tined in  the  near  future  to  be  one  of  great  importance,  being  rich 
in  natural  resources,  both  mineral  and  agricultural.  The  Eom- 
ish  church  had  seen  all  these  advantages  and  was  striving  hard 
to  plant  her  seeds  of  error.  All  these  things  the  Baptists  have 
discovered,  and  are  putting  forth  ve,ry  commendable  efforts  to 
"possess  the  land." 

During  the  year  ending  October,  1878,  actual  cash  was  paid 
into  the  treasury  for  missionary  purposes  amounting  to  $183.70, 
aud,  the   ev^ingelist,  Solomon    Forrester,  reported   1,671   miles 


EOCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.       707 

traveled,  243  days  of  labor,  205  sermons  preached,  63  converts 
baptized  and  2  new  churches  organized.  The  pastors  in  1878 
were,  E.  A.  Mingiis,  J.  G.  Lemen,  Thomas  Foster,  Jacob  Good, 
J.  H.  Jackson,  W.  N.  Crane,  J.  S.  Bateman,  S.  P.  Hawkins,  E. 
W.  Webb,  D.  F.  Ellis  and  T.  Eichardson. 

Antioch  Church, — Wright  County,  is  not  an  old  church,  hav- 
ing been  formed  November  5, 1866,  by  J.  Wommack,  with  but  5 
members.  Jacob  Good  became  their  minister.  For  some  years 
the  church  worshiped  in  a  log-cabin,  18x20  feet. 

Cedar  Bluff  Church, — in  Greene  County,  not  now  a  member 
of  Webster  Association,  was  organized  with  8  members,  Septem- 
ber, 1858,  and  chose  D.  E.  Murphy,  who  was  the  father  of  it,  as 
pastor.  The  same  year,  at  a  cost  of  $600,  the  church  erected  a 
frame  meeting-house,  80x40  feet.  J.  W.  Williams  succeeded  D. 
E.  Murphy  as  pastor  ;  then  J.  H.  Wommack ;  and  after  him  came 
Jacob  Good. 

Fairview  Church — was  organized  March  24,  1867,  with  eight 
constituent  members,  and  is  situated  twelve  miles  west  of  the 
county  seat.  The  same  year  a  log-house  of  worship  was  built, 
valued  at  SIOO.  This  church  is  not  now  on  the  list  in  Webster 
Association. 

Good  Hope — is  located  in  Webster  County,  four  miles  east  of 
Marshfield.  In  1882  the  church  numbered  56  members,  with  J. 
Good  for  pastor,  and  had  a  frame  house  of  worship,  22x42  feet, 
valued  at  $500,  which  was  erected  in  1862. 

Good  Spring  Church, — also  in  Webster  County,  was  organ- 
ized August,  1866,  with  17  members,  and  built  a  frame  house  of 
worship,  22x32  feet,  in  1869.  J.  H.  Wommack  was  the  first  pas- 
tor, and  was  succeeded  by  B.  J.  Smith. 

Mt.  Zion, — a  church  of  94  members,  located  in  Wright  Coun- 
ty, ten  miles  west  of  Hartville,  the  county  seat,  was  formed 
August  9,  1856,  with  16  constituent  members.  In  1858,  a  hew- 
ed log  house  of  worship  was  built,  20x24  feet,  and  was  repaired 
in  1865,  and  then  valued  at  $150.  Jacob  Mingus  was  their  first 
minister. 

Jacob  Mingus, — son  of  Jacob  Mingus,  Sr.,  and  father  of  E.  A. 
Mingus,  was  born  June  10,  1796,  in  Elizabethtown,  Tennessee, 
but  grew  up  from  a  small  boy  in  the  state  of  North  Carolina. 
He  remained  with  his  parents  until  near  30  years  of  age,  with  the 
exception  of  two  years  spent  as  a  volunteer  in  the  war  of  1812. 
In  1823  he  married  Sarah  Seabolt,  settled  a  new  home  and  fol- 
lowed his  favorite  employment — farming — in  North  Carolina  for 


708       ROCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

a  number  of  years.  His  conversion  occurrecl  when  he  was  33 
years  of  age,  not  long  subsequent  to  which  he  entered  the  min- 
istry.    His  work  was  mostly  that  of  a  pastor. 

In  1852  with  his  large  family  he  moved  to  "Wright  County,  Mis- 
souri, soon  after  which  he  was  installed  pastor  of  Prospect  Church. 
He  became  also  the  father,  founder  and  first  pastor  of  Mt.  Zion 
Church  in  1856.  In  the  office  of  pastor  he  continued  until  his 
failing  health  compelled  him  to  retire,  which  was  in  1862.  For 
the  last  four  years  of  his  life  he  was  confined  most  of  his  time  to 
his  bed,  and  suffered  intense  agony  from  gravel.  Is^ot  long  prior 
to  his  death  he  called  his  son,  Ecv.  E.  A.  Mingus,  to  his  bed-side 
and  said:  "My  son,  take  care  of  the  churches;  my  labor  is  done 
on  earth  and  I  am  now  awaiting  the  sximmons  to  depart  and  go 
to  my  home  on  high."  On  the  2d  of  June,  1866,  his  sufferings  were 
ended,  and  his  spirit  took  its  flight  to  "  God  who  gave  it."  Thus 
closed  the  life  of  a  devoted  servant  of  Christ,  who  had  lived  70 
years,  lacking  8  days.     (Furnished  by  the  son,  E.  A.  Mingus.) 

Prospect  Church, — one  of  the  pioneer  Baptist  interests  of 
Webster  County,  twelve  miles  east  from  Marshfield,  was  organ- 
ized by  John  Aaron  and  Jonathan  Owens  with  8  members,  June, 
1844.  In  1850  the  church  erected  a  house  of  worship — a  frame 
structure,  20x40  feet.  The  same  was  rebuilt  in  1866  at  a  cost  of 
$800.  The  first  minister  was  John  Aaron,  and  Jacob  Good  was 
pastor  in  1882.  Sister  L.  S.  Dyche  is  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, which  is  under  the  control  of  the  church. 

B.  J.Smith, — who  was  identified  with  the  early  history  of 
Webster  Association,  is  a  native  of  "Virginia,  and  was  born  May 
11,  1828.  He  became  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  was  converted  at 
the  age  of  twentj^'-four  years,  began  preaching  about  the  year 
1860,  and  was  ordained  June  20,  1868.  He  has  been  pastor  of 
Good  Spring,  Harmony,  Good  Hope,  Pisgah  and  Spring  Grove 
Churches.  His  first  marriage  was  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Marks, 
Sej)tember  8,  1853.  His  second  marriage  was  with  Parthenia 
A.  Webb,  August  27,  1868.  The  following  incident  is  related 
of  him.  On  a  certain  occasion  during  the  war  a  man  left  him  in 
the  morning — a  professed  friend — promising  to  return  to  the 
same  place  in  the  afternoon,  and  Mr.  Smith  was  to  await  his  rC' 
turn.  Smith  soon  fell  asleep  and  in  a  dream  saw  himself  sur- 
rounded and  in  peril.  He  awoke,  interpreted  his  danger,  moved 
to  another  place  and  in  less  than  two  hours  learned  that  his 
friend  (?)  was  in  the  enemy's  camp  two  miles  distant  plotting  his 
capture.   He  regarded  the  dream  as  a  special  Providence. 


ROCK  PRAIRIE  (NOW  DADE  CO.)  ANDOTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.       709 

EzEKiEL  Alford  Mingus, — now  one  of  the  active  ministers  of 
the  Webster  Association,  was  born  in  Haywood  County,  I^orth 
Carolina,  in  1829.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  was  convert- 
ed and  became  a  Baptist.  In  company  with  his  father  and  fami- 
ly he  moved  to  Wright  County,  Missouri,  in  1852,  first  identified 
himself  with  Prospect  Church,  8  miles  distant  in  Webster  Coun- 
ty, and  in  1856  became  one  of  the  constituent  members  of 
Mt.  Zion  Church,  near  his  home.  He  commenced  preaching  in 
1860,  and  was  ordained  in  1868,  since  which  time  he  has  labored 
to  build  up  the  Baptist  interest  in  South  Missouri,  mostly  in  the 
pastorate  with  two  or  three  churches  all  of  the  time.  His  mar- 
riage was  with  Miss  Mary  A.  Bradshaw,  August  7,  1856.  His 
wife  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  and  with  her  father  emigrated 
to  Wright  County,  Missouri,  in  1855.  She  has  been  a  true  help- 
meet to  her  husband  and  a  fruitful  vine  in  his  household. 


CHAPTER   XI. 


NEW  PEOSPECT  ASSOCIATION. 

When  and  Where  Formed — Eld.  A.  May — ^Kecord  of  Meetings — The  Prefix  "Union" 
— The  Error  Corrected — Itinerant  "Work — Consolidation  "With  Sac  Kiver  Associa- 
tion— Union  Sunday-schools  vs.  Baptist  Sunday-schools — ^Dissolution  Considered. 

THIS  association  commenced  with  only  three  small  churches, 
which  were  organized  towards  the  close  of  the  war,  viz.: 
Union,  New  Prospect  and  Mt.  Comfort,  the  two  former  in  Greene 
and  the  latter  in  Lawrence  County.  Messengers  from  these 
churches  met  at  New  Prospect  Church,  October  22,  1864,  and  or- 
ganized an  association  as  above  named.  Eld.  A.  May  was  elected 
moderator  and  T.  B.  Youngblood  clerk.  Three  ministers  were 
present  in  the  organization,  namely:  A.  May,  J.  D.  Shelton  and 
Geo.  Long,  the  latter  of  whom  had  but  recently  come  from  Ar- 
kansas. Eld.  A.  May,  as  we  were  informed,  subsequently  died 
in  Newton  Cbunty,  but  of  the  facts  of  his  life  we  were  never  able 
to  gather  any. 

The  second  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Mt.  Comfort  in  Law- 
rence County,  September,  1865.  Liberty  Church,  having  been 
organized  the  previous  summer,  was  added  this  session. 

The  third  session  was  at  Union  Church,  when  Bethel  Church, 
then  recently  organized,  united.  Eld.  Geo.  Long  was  chosen 
moderator,  and  continued  in  this  office  from  year  to  year  up  to 
1878. 

Bethel  Church,  Newton  County,  was  the  place  of  meeting  in 
1867  ;  Union  Hall,  Greene  County,  in  1868  ;  Mt.  Comfort  Church, 
in  1869;  Mt.  View  Church,  in  1870;  Prospect,  Greene  County, 
in  1871 ;  Hopewell  Church,  Greene  County,  in  1872 ;  Mt.  Olive 
Church,  Polk  County,  in  1873;  Asher  Creek,  Greene  County, 
in  1877 ;  Mt.  Zion,  Polk  County,  in  1878;  and  Mt.  Comfort,  Law- 
rence County,  in  1879. 

For  the  history  of  the  organization  and  account  of  the  first 
meetings  of  this  association  we  are  indebted  to  Eld,  Geo.  Long, 
one  of  its  leading  ministers.  The  first  minutes  we  have  are  for 
1868.  At  that  time  her  title  was  "New  Prospect  Association  of 
Union  Baptists."  The  adoption  of  this  appellation  doubtless 
grew  out  of  a  disposition  towards  proscription  as  to  political 


NEW   PROSPECT    ASSOCIATIOI^.  711 

sentiments.  This,  of  course,  all  would  now  say  was  wfong.  The 
state  of  things  was  then  very  different.  When  the  title  was 
adopted  the  country  was  in  the  midst  of  terrible  civil  strife,  and 
many  things  were  done  in  the  heat  of  passion.  At  all  events  in 
a  few  years  the  association  saw  its  blunder  and  wisely  made  the 
correction.     In  1870  the  prefix  ''Union"  was  dropped. 

From  its  earliest  history  the  New  Prospect  Association  made 
slow  progress.  Her  boundary  was  somewhat  circumscribed, 
"  many  of  her  churches  being  intermixed  with  the  churches  of 
other  associations,"  as  she  herself  said  in  later  times.  There 
was,  however,  an  aggressive  spirit  manifest  in  her- proceedings ; 
while  at  times  there  was  a  lack  of  unity  as  to  "  plans  of  work." 

In  1868  the  missionary  board  was  discontinued,  and  in  1869  it 
was  re-appointed  and  the  association  became  auxiliary  to  the 
General  Association  of  the  state.  Eld.  Geo.  Long  as  evangelist 
spent  over  100  days  in  the  field,  reported  27  baptisms,  and  one 
new  church  organized,  namely  Philadelphia,  which  was  received 
into  the  union  this  year  (1869).  Through  him  also  the  associa- 
tion expended  $76  in  itinerant  work.  At  the  session  of  1870  the 
association  appointed  Eld.  Long  to  preach  for  two  weak  church- 
es, Hopewell  and  Mt.  Olive,  promising  him  $70  for  his  services 
therein.  Mt.  Olive  united  with  the  association  at  this  session. 
At  this  date  the  number  of  churches  in  the  association  was  9,, 
with  a  membership  of  298. 

From  1870  to  1879  the  association  made  progress  about  as  she 
had  done  in  the  past.  The  majority  of  her  churches  being  feeble,, 
she  could  do  but  little  towards  helping  others,  but  for  the  most 
of  this  period  an  intinerant  missionary  gave  a  part  of  his  time 
to  the  building  up  of  the  waste  places,  there  being  expended  in 
this  way  from  $40  to  $80  a  year. 

In  1877  the  consolidation  with  the  'New  Sac  Eiver  Association 
was  consummated  by  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  of  said 
association,  while  the  old  name  of  New  Prospect  was  retained. 

For  the  last  ten  years  of  its  history  the  New  Prospect  Associa- 
tion has  been  engaged  in  earnest  efforts  to  promote  Sunday- 
school  interests.  Upon  investigation  it  w^as  ascertained  that  all 
the  Sunday-schools  in  her  bounds,  existing  in  1871,  were  upon 
the  "Union  Sunday-school"  basis.  There  being  great  dissatis- 
faction at  this,  the  churches  were  strongly  urged  to  form  schools 
upon  the  Baptist  platform.  One  thing  that  greatly  contributed 
to  the  success  of  the  Union  Sunday-schools,  and  to  the  conse- 
q^uent   discouragement  of  the  Baptist  Sunday-schools,  was  the 


712  NEW   PROSPECT   ASSOCIATION. 

want  of  houses  of  worship,  the  majority  of  churches  being  de- 
pendent ujion  district  school-houses  for  places  of  worship.  See- 
ing the  evil  tendency  of  this  state  of  things,  the  association  in 
1872  urged  the  necessity  of  building  church  houses.  At  this 
date  there  were  but  three  Baptist  Sunday-schools  in  the  entire 
association. 

The  minutes  of  1879  present  the  following  summary  : 

Churches. — Asher  Creek,  Mt.  Zion,  Pleasant  Eidge,  Ozark  Prai- 
rie, Hopewell,  Mt.  Pisgah,  Mt.  Comfort,  Mt.  Olive,  Turkey 
Creek,  Thornhill,  Union  and  Union  Hall. 

Ministers. — J.  E.  B.  Justice,  G.  ^Y.  Kelley,  Geo.  Long,  J.  F. 
Williams,  D.  T.  Baucum,  W.  W.  Palmer,  W.  J.  Philips  and  J. 
Martain.  (Some  of  these  may  have  been  members  of  other  as- 
sociations, but  were  all  pastors  in  this  association.) 

There  were  37  baptisms  this  year  and  552  members,  showing  a 
loss  of  12  members  from  the  preceding  year.  At  this  meeting 
(1879)  steps  were  taken  towards  the  dissolution  of  the  associa- 
tion.    For  this  the  two  following  reasons  were  assigned  : 

1st.  The  greater  convenience  of  county  associations. 

2d.  The  fact  that  many  of  the  churches  were  intermixed  with 
the  churches  of  other  associations. 

The  question  of  dissolution  was  referred  to  the  churches  who" 
were  requested  to  send  messengers  to  a  meeting  at  Union  Hall, 
Greene  County,  Friday  before  the  third  Lord's  day  in  July,  1880, 
for  the  purpose  of  dissolving  the  association. 


PERIOD  EIGHTH. 

1870-1880. 


CHAPTER  I. 
LAFAYETTE  A^D  JOHXSOX,  AXD  OTHEE  ASSOCIA- 

TIOXS. 

Kise  of  Lafayette — Principles — Progress — ^Methods  of  Work — AV.  P.  C.  Caldwell — 
Jonathan  Gott— Wm.  C.  Ligon — Henry  Tsilbird — Lamine  A.ssociatiox — Biog- 
raphy of  T.  V.  Greer — A.  Machett  —  Meramec  Association  —  Conies  from 
Franklin — Progresses — Retrogrades — Biograjahical :  Hiram  Smith — R.  Hannon — 
R.  N.  Gaugh  —  G.  Seymour — Sketches  of  Churches :  Fourche  a  Renault,  White 
Oak  Grove — Mount  Zion  Association — Sketches  of  Churches:  Fayette,  Glas- 
gow, Chariton,  Mt.  Moriah  and  Rocheport. 

THE  subjoined  account  of  the  organization  of  this  fraternity 
is  from  the  minutes  of  the  first  meeting:  <'At  a  regular 
meeting  of  the  Blue  Eiver  Baptist  Association  of  Missouri,  when 
convened  with  the  Lone  Jack  Cliurch,  Jackson  County,  Septem- 
ber 24th,  1874,  it  was  agreed  to  call  a  meeting  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  expediency  of  forming  a  new  association, 

"Therefore,  a  convention,  composed  of  delegates  from  the  fol- 
lowing churches  of  Lafayette  and  Johnson  Counties  :  Aullville, 
Concord,  Chapel  Hill,  Elm  Spring,  Lexington,  Providence,  "VVav- 
erly,  Mt.  Hope,  Long  Branch,  Liberty,  Kingsville,  High  Point, 
Center  View  and  Mound  Prairie,  convened  with  the  Mound  Prai- 
rie Church  on  the  29th  of  October,  1874,  and  organized  by  call- 
ing Dr.  Henry  Talbird  to  the  chair,  and  electing  B.  F.  McElroy 
secretary. 

"  The  convention  decided  by  vote  to  form  a  new  association." 

The  chairman  and  secretary  of  the  convention  were  elected 
moderator  and  clerk  of  the  association,  and  M.  F.  Eoyle  was 
elected  treasurer.  Then  a  constitution  was  adopted,  the  first 
article  of  which  fixed  the  name  as  "'  Lafayette  and  Johnson 
Association,"  to  be  "  composed  of  delegates  from  regular  Bap- 
tist churches."     Its  object  is  thus  stated  in  the  same  instrument: 

"Art.  8.  The  business  of  this  association  shall  be  to  promote 
by  all  lawful  means  :  1st.  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  within  its 
own  bounds ;   2d.  Greneral  domestic  missions  in  Missouri,  and 


"l-t  LAFAYETTE    ANC    JOHNSON,    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

throughout  the  United  States;  3d.  Foreign  missions  ;  4th,  Sun- 
day-schools; 5th.  Religious  and  periodical  literature;  6th.  The 
cause  of  education  in  general,  and  of  such  young  men  for  the 
ministry  as  may  give  indications  of  decided  piet}^,  &c.,  &c." 

This  association  is  thoroughly  missionary.  At  its  first  meet- 
ing the  contributions  to  missions  amounted  in  cash  and  pledges 
from  churches  and  individuals  to  $433.50.  The  territory  of  the 
association  was  divided  into  four  districts,  and  the  executive 
board  was  required  to  hold  quarterly  meetings — one  in  each  dis- 
trict. The  churches  were  permitted  to  send  one  member,  and 
not  exceeding  two  lnenibei*s,  to  these  quarterly  meetings. 

The  method  of  appropriating  the  Jnoneyfrom  the  associational 
fund  was  :  1st.  To  aid  feeble  churches  to  sustain  regular  preach- 
ing; and  2d.  To  sustain  them  in  the  itinerant  work.  This,  we 
hesitate  not  to  say,  is  the  correct  theory  of  the  missionary  en- 
terprise— the  stronger  and  more  favored  helping  the  weaker  and 
less  favored. 

The  second  annual  session  of  the  association  was  held  at  Enon 
Church,  Pittsville,  Johnson  County,  commencing  August  25, 
1876.  The  14  original  churches  had  now  increased  to  22;  the 
aggregate  membership  was  1,489.  The  following  is  the  cor- 
rected list  of 

Ministers  in  187G.~D.  C.  Bolton,  A.  M.  Cockrel,  J.  S.  Caster- 
son,  J.  Gott,  B.  F.  Goodwin,  Amos  Home,  L.  M.  Home,  E.  H. 
Harris,  W.  C.  Ligon,  I.  N.  Newman,  E.  Roth,  G.  W.  Smith,  H. 
Talbird,  D.  D.,  C.  M.  Webster,  F.  M.  West,  S.  B.  Whiting,  C. 
White  and  C.  X.  Wester. 

The  churches  have  continued  to  grow  and  become  stronger, 
so  that  in  1879  the  association  was  composed  of  25  churches,  with 
a  total  membership  of  1,991.  All  the  churches  except  Corinth 
are  in  Lafayette  and  Johnson  Counties,  and  the  original  14 
formerly  belonged  to  the  Blue  River  Association.  In  1880  there 
were  26  churches,  with  2,291  members.  That  year  there  were 
133  baptisms. 

Sketches  of  the  older  churches  in  this  fraternity  have  been 
given  in  the  history  of  Blue  River  Association  and  need  not  be 
repeated  here. 

William  P.  C.  Caldwell — was  born  in  Russcllville,  K}-.,  Ju- 
ly 25,  1810.  He  subsequently  moved  to  Caldwell  County,  where 
in  January,  1832,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  S.  Jackson.  In 
1841  ho  professed  religion  and  was  baptized  by  James  Mansfield 
into  the  fellowship  of  Harmony  Church,  and  shortly  afterwards 


LAFAYETTE    AND    JOHNSON,    AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  715 

he  entered  the  ministry.  In  1845  he  emigrated  to  Missouri  and 
settled  in  Johnson  County,  where  he  lived  until  his  death;  the 
field  of  his  labors  embraced  quite  a  number  of  the  counties  south 
of  the  Missouri  Eiver,  as  he  was  frequently  employed  as  an 
evangelist  by  different  associations.  Having  been  actively  en- 
gaged in  this  field  for  thirty  years,  and  pushing  his  missionary 
labors  into  remote  and  sparsely  settled  neighborhoods,  he  is 
justly  entitled  to  be  numbered  with  the  pioneef  preachers  of 
Missouri.  In  many  respects  Bro.  Caldwell  was  a  remarkable 
man.  Every  trait  in  his  character  was  of  a  positive  nature.  He 
possessed  a  moral  courage  which  no  disaster  could  appal,  and  a 
buoyancy  of  spirit  which  no  misfortune  could  depress.  Learned 
in  Biblical  lore,  he  was  a  safe  and  able  expounder  of  the  Divine 
word.  "While  he  was  a  bold  defender  of  the  faith,  he  was  a  meek 
and  humble  Christian.  Strong  in  his  convictions,  he  was  an  un- 
compromising Baptist.  In  his  death  the  cause  of  Christ  has  lost 
one  of  its  most  faithful  advocates  and  the  church  one  of  its  most 
able  counselors.  While  we  lament  his  death,  let  us  strive  to  em- 
ulate his  virtues.  (From  the  Minutes  of  Lafayette  and  Johnson  As- 
sociations, 1876.) 

He  died  of  pneumonia,  December  14,  1876. 

Jonathan  Gott — was  born  December  24, 1820,  in  Warren  Coun- 
ty, Kentucky.  He  made  a  profession  of  religion  in  1832  when 
he  was  twelve  years  of  age,  and  united  with  Providence  Church 
located  in  the  county  of  his  nativity.  In  April,  1845,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  Ann  Still,  moved  the  same  year  to  Missouri,  and  in 
January,  1847,  united  with  Mound  Prairie  Church,  Lafayette 
County,  where,  at  the  request  of  the  church  he  was  ordained  to 
the  gospel  ministry  by  Elder  G-eorge  Minton  and  E.  Eoth.  He 
subsequently  located  near  Fayetteville,  Johnson  County,  where 
in  March,  1864,  he  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  death  of  his 
wife,  a  woman  whose  character  was  adorned  by  an  assemblage 
of  rare  Christian  graces.  In  February,  1869,  he  married  Cath- 
arine Farris,  his  second  wife,  who  still  survives  him.  He  was 
the  father  often  children,  seven  by  the  first  and  three  by  his  last 
wife.  He  died  in  the  triumphs  of  faith  at  his  home,  September 
15,  1878,  in  the  fifty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  Brother  Gott  was  an 
earnest  and  successful  minister  of  the  gospel.  He  labored  as  a 
missionary  for  different  associations,  in  all  about  ten  years,  and 
when  not  thus  employed  he  had  charge  of  three  or  four  churches. 
He  was  not  an  educated  man,  but  his  fine  natural  endowments 
and  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  supplied  in  part  his  lack  of 


716  LAFAYETTE    AND    JOHNSON,    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS. 

mental  culture  and  guided  liis  fiery  zeal,  so  that  he  was  not 
only  an  instructive,  but  a  safe  teacher.  Having  lived  an  earnest, 
Christian  life,  he  now  rests  from  his  labors,  and  his  works  do 
follow  him.  (From  the  Mbmtes  of  Lafayette  and  Johnson  Associa- 
tions, 1879.) 

William  Claiborne  Ligon — died  in  Dover,  Mo.,  April  13, 1877, 
at  the  residence  of  his  son.  Elder  Ligon  was  born  in  Prince 
Edward  County,  Va.,  December  18,  1796,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  in  his  eighty-first  year.  He  was  baptized  in  his  eigh- 
teenth year  by  Elder  P,  P.  Smith,  in  Jamestown,  Ya.,  the  place 
of  his  nativity.  In  his  fifteenth  year  young  Ligon  was  placed  in 
a  store  by  his  father,  to  train  him  to  a  mercantile  life,  but  upon 
reaching  his  majority  he  quit  the  store  and  entered  the  Golgotha 
Academy,  where  he  remained  two  years.  Shortly  after  leaving 
school  he  was  married  to  Miss  M,  E.  Bell,  with  whom  he  lived 
happily  for  about  seventeen  years.  After  his  conversion  Mr. 
Ligon  was  punctual  to  attend  all  the  services  of  his  church  and 
was  soon  recognized  as  a  leader  in  prayer  meeting,  and  was  often 
called  upon  to  publicly  explain  given  passages  of  Scripture, 
which  he  always  did  with  profit  to  his  hearers.  His  brethren 
believed  it  to  be  his  duty  to  enter  the  ministry,  and  often  urged 
it  upon  him,  but  feeling  his  unworthiness  and  inability  he  per- 
sistently refused. 

At  last  his  church  voted  him  license  to  preach  (in  his  absence 
and  without  his  knowledge),  and  that  act  of  his  church,  together 
with  his  own  convictions  of  duty,  decided  him,  and  he  at  once 
gave  himself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

In  a  few  months  he  was  ordained  by  Elders  P.  P.  Smith  and 
A.  W.  Clopton.  For  a  while  he  labored  zealously  in  his  native 
county,  but  was  soon  called  to  the  pastoral  care  of  the  church  in 
Lynchburg.  He  also  labored  for  some  years  in  the  Havana  Yal- 
ley,  where  at  one  time  he  baptized  over  one  hundred  and 
sixty  within  three  weeks. 

In  1837  he  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Carroll  County. 
For  thirty  years  his  labors  were  abundant  in  this  state — either 
as  pastor,  home  missionary,  or  agent  for  Wm.  Jewell  College. 
Among  the  churches  he  served  as  pastor  we  mention  Lexington, 
Dover,  Richmond,  Carrollton  and  many  country  churches  in 
Carroll,  Ray,  Lafayette,  Clay  and  Saline  Counties. 

He  also  did  more,  probably,  to  establish  Wm.  Jewell  College 
and  secure  its  location  at  Liberty  than  any  other  man. 

But  his  labors  are  now  closed.     For  ten  years  he  had  been 


LAFAYETTE    AND    JOHNSON,    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.         717 

rapidly  failing  both  in  body  and  mind,  and  the  decline  went  on 
until  he  died  apparently  without  disease,  simply  falling  asleep 
in  death,  and  as  we  fondly  hope,  in  Jesus. 

For  forty  years  the  fires  of  his  soul  had  burned  with  an  in- 
tense heat,  keeping  all  the  powers  of  mind  and  body  in  con- 
stant exercise  for  the  Master.  But  the  fire  was  so  intense  it  con- 
sumed his  powers — the  fire  remained,  but  the  worn  body  could 
not  give  vent  to  the  flame.  Only  a  few  months  before  his  death 
he  was  heard  to  say:  *'  If  I  only  had  my  powers  restored  so  that 
I  could  preach  for  six  months,  as  I  once  could,  I  would  be  per- 
fectly willing  to  die."  But  the  Master  had  said,  "  It  is  enough." 
(Rev.  G.  W.  Smith  in  Central  Baptist,  May  17,  1877). 

"  In  his  earlier  days  Brother  Ligon  was  favored  with  nothing 
more  than  a  good  English  education,  but  by  extensive  reading 
he  had  treasured  up  a  vast  store  of  knowledge.  He  was  famil- 
iar with  the  Bible,  and  though  a  great  admirer  of  the  learning  of 
Gill,  his  theology  was  formed  after  the  pattern  of  Andrew  Ful- 
ler. Possessed  of  a  brilliant  imagination,  he  had  cultivated  it  by 
the  study  of  the  old  English  poets,  such  as  Milton,  Young  and  Cow- 
per.  His  correct  diction  was  more  the  result  of  having  associ- 
ated with  the  cultured  and  refined,  than  his  familiarity  with  the 
principles  of  language.  His  devotion  to  '  Hervey's  Medita- 
tions'  in  his  early  days,  tended  to  the  formation  of  a  style  too 
florid  for  a  close  logical  reasoner.  "When  fully  himself,  his  pow- 
ers of  descrijation  were  not  excelled  by  Andrew  Broadus,  Ed- 
ward Baptist,  or  John  Kerr.  The  scenes  he  presented  before  the 
mind's  eye  were  pictures,  which  the  most  uncultivated  beheld 
without  confusion  in  the  outline.  He  was  graceful  in  his  man- 
ner, and  his  voice  was  smooth  and  tender,  while  his  countenance 
gave  expression  to  the  warmth  of  his  heart.  I  have  seen  on 
associational  occasions  vast  crowds  of  people  become  weary  un- 
der long  discourses,  with  those  on  the  outskirts  of  the  assembly 
gathered  in  groups  under  the  shade  of  the  trees  engaged  in  pro- 
miscuous conversation  ;  but  when  W.  C.  Ligon  would  rise,  all 
would  press  around  the  stand,  most  of  them  on  their  feet,  and 
would  listen  for  an  hour  to  his  glowing  discourse,  and  his  was 
a  callous  heart  that  was  not  moved  to  tears."  (Eld.  L.  A.  Al- 
derson  of  Atchison,  Kan.) 

The  foregoing  constitute  some  of  the  principal  elements  in  the 
life  and  character  of  Wm.  C.  Ligon,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Henry  Talbird.* — Though  only  a  few  years  in  Missouri,  such 

•    ^  Abridged  from  the  sketch  in  the  United  States  Biographical  Dictionary. 


718 


LAFAYETTE  AND  JOHNSON,  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 


have  been  tte  relations  of  Dr.  Talbird  to  Baptist  interests  and 
enterprises,  it  is  altogether  proper  that  the  following  sketch  of 
him  should  appear  in  this  connection. 

Henry  Talbird  was  born  November  7,  1811,  on  Hilton  Head 
Island,  Beaufort,  South  Carolina.  His  family  were  among  the 
earliest  settlers  and  most  prominent  citizens  of  the  state.  His 
grandfather  was  a  commissioned  officer  in  the  war  of  the  revo- 
lution. He  was  educated  at  Madison  University,  New  York, 
taking  a  full  collegiate  and  theological  course.  While  yet  a  stu- 
dent he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Baptist  church,  Tus- 
caloosa, Alabama, 


where  he  remained 
one  year  and  was 
there  ordained  to 
the  work  of  the 
ministry.  He  then 
removed  to  the  city 
of  Montgomery  in 
the  same  state, 
where  he  remained 
nine  years.  In  both 
of  these  pastorates 
h  i  s  ministrations 
were  greatly  bless- 
ed, resulting  in  the 
conversion  and 
baptism  of  an  av- 
erage of  over  100 
persons  per  an- 
num. While  at 
"N  v.:n$n  M  o  n  t g  o  m  e  ry  he 

REV.  KEKRY  TALBIRD,  D.D.  ^^g     ^^^^^    ^^    ^^^ 

professorship  of  theology  in  Howard  College,  Marion,  Alabama, 
and  he  removed  to  that  place  in  January,  1852.  In  October  of 
the  same  year  his  friend,  S.  S.  Sherman,  LL.  D.,  resigned  the 
presidency  of  the  college,  and  Dr.  Talbird,  at  his  suggestion, 
was  elected  in  his  place.  The  college  prospered  under  his  ad- 
ministration. It  greatly  increased  in  the  number  of  its  stu- 
dents ;  and  in  less  than  six  years  the  endowment  fund  had  grown 
from  $45,000  to  $225,000,  besides  $79,000  of  buildings  and  appa- 
ratus. In  1854  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was 
conferred  on  him  by  the  University  of  Alabama. 


LAFAYETTE    AND    JOHNSON,    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.         719 

The  college  was  virtually  broken  up  by  tbe  war  between  the 
states.  At  one  time  three  out  of  eight  professors  and  sixty -two 
of  the  students  volunteered  into  the  Confederate  army.  Dr. 
Talbird  being  a  southerner  by  birth  and  education,  embraced 
the  cause  of  the  South,  and  in  1861  entered  the  Confederate  ar- 
my with  the  rank  of  captain.  In  less  than  a  year  he  was  promo- 
ted to  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  organized  the  41st  Alabama  Reg- 
iment. While  in  the  army  he  was  engaged  in  a  number  of  bat- 
tles, and  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  his  superior  ofl&cers  and  the 
love  and  admiration  of  those  under  him.  After  two  years  of 
service  with  his  regiment,  his  health  having  completely  failed, 
he  resigned  his  commission.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  declin- 
ed the  proposition  of  the  trustees  ta  reopen  the  college,  his  state 
of  health  forbidding  it^  and  accepted  the  call  of  the  church 
at  Carlowville,  a  pleasant  and  highly  educated  community  in 
Dallas  County,  Alabama.  Here  in  a  little  over  two  years  he 
baptized  more  than  250  persons,  white  and  colored,  into  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  church.  His  health  continuing  delicate,  and 
thinking  that  he  might  derive  benefit  from  a  colder  climate,  he 
left  a  people  whom  he  loved,  and  who  almost  worshiped  him, 
and  accepted  a  call  to  Henderson,  Kentucky.  Here  again  his 
ministry  was  a  success.  He  won  the  confidence  of  his  people, 
and  in  his  two  years  and  a  half  pastorate  the  church  had  over 
100  accessions  by  baptism. 

In  1872  Dr.  Talbird  was  invited  to  assume  the  pastoral  office 
in  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Lexington,  Missouri.  Ten  years 
have  elapsed  since  he  took  charge  of  the  church.  He  has  bap- 
tized an  average  of  over  twenty  persons  per  annum  into  its  fel- 
lowship and  he  retains  the  respect  and  affection  of  his  people. 
During  the  entire  period  of  his  ministry  he  has  baptized  about 
two  thousand  persons  into  his  churches,  and  has  been  instrument- 
al in  the  conversion  of  about  as  many  more,  who  have  been  bap- 
tized by  other  ministers.  For  a  period  of  nine  j^ears,  with  an 
interval  of  one  year,  he  was  president  of  the  Alabama  Baptist 
State  Convention. 

Since  his  removal  to  Missouri,  his  brethren  of  the  state  have 
extended  to  him  the  highest  marks  of  confidence  and  apprecia- 
tion. His  personal  characteristics  are  very  marked.  He  is  over 
the  medium  height  and  size,  of  prepossessing  appearance  and 
benevolent  expression.  He  is  polished  and  graceful  in  manners, 
and  courtly  in  address.  While  he  does  not  shun  society,  he  is 
devoted  to  study.  Except  by  direct  invitation,  or  in  visiting  the 


720         LAFAYETTE   AND   JOHNSON,    AND   OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

sick  and  poor  of  his  charge,  he  seldom  allows  himself  the  pleas- 
ure of  social  entertainment,  but  when  in  the  company  of  friends 
few  can  be  more  agreeable.  He  preaches  from  copious  notes. 
His  preaching  is  sound  and  practical  j  his  logic  clear  and  con- 
vincing; his  sermons  exhibit  laborious  study  and  research  ;  and 
he  always  secures  the  attention  of  his  audience.  He  is  now  an 
old  man,  but  there  are  no  indications  of  mental  decay. 
LAMINE  ASSOCIATION. 

The  following  sketch  of  this  association  was  published  by  its 
authority,  in  the  minutes  of  1878. 

"  For  several  years  previous  to  1872,  those  churches  in  Cooper 
and  Morgan  Counties  belonging  to  Concord  Association,  felt  that 
the  work  of  missions — that  work,  primarily,  for  which  our  asso- 
ciations are  organized — was  very  much  neglected,  and  that  the 
immense  size  of  the  old  association  was  such  as  to  render  it  im- 
possible for  the  executive  board  to  supply  the  destitution.  They 
therefore  determined  to  withdraw  and  form  an  association  less 
unwieldy,  and  composed  of  churches  which  had  always  acted 
promptly  in  the  work  of  missions.  For  this  purpose  a  primary 
or  preliminary  meeting  was  held  at  Old  Liberty  Church,  Moni- 
teau Countj^  about  six  miles  southwest  of  Tipton,  on  the  third 
Saturday  in  September,  1872.  At  this  meeting  a  call  was  pub- 
lished for  all  churches  desiring  to  go  into  a  new  organization  to 
meet  by  delegation  at  Freedom  Church,  Morgan  County,  on  Fri- 
day before  the  foui-th  Sabbath  in  October,  1872. 

<'At  that  time  and  place  was  held  the  first  meeting  of  Lamine 
Association — taking  the  name  from  the  river  which  is  the  prin- 
cipal drain  of  the  country  embraced  within  its  limits.  About 
twelve  churches  were  represented  in  its  organization,  but  in  a 
year  or  two  the  number  was  swelled  to  more  than  twenty. 

"At  this  writing  the  Lamine  Association  has  just  adjourned  its 
seventh  annual  meeting,  and  the  brethren  have  gone  to  their 
homes  inspired  with  greater  zeal  than  at  any  time  preceding. 
During  these  six  years  there  has  been  a  steady  growth  in  the  in- 
terest of  missions,  and  though  at  times  the  plans  of  operation 
have  been  disconcerted  to  some  extent,  yet  the  spirit  of  missions 
is  graduall}^  increasing.  Elder  T.  V.  Greer,  who  was  for  nearly 
forty  years  identified  with  Concord  Association,  was  the  first 
missionary  of  this  body.  Elder  J.  E.  Sims  is  now  the  eflScient 
evangelist  under  emploj'ment.  Bro.  Greer,  in  his  work  for  the 
association,  has  been  very  successful  —  laying  the  foundation 
well  and  begetting  in  the  brethren  a  spirit  of  missions, 


LAFAYETTE  AND  JOHNSON,  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.     721 

"  The  following  shows  the  time,  place  and  other  things  in  con- 
nection with  the  meetings  of  the  association  : 

"  1.  In  1872  the  association  met  in  the  first  annual  session,  at  Freedom  Church, 
Morgan  County,  on  Friday  before  the  fourth  Sabbath  in  October.  B^-o.  B.  G.  Tutt 
preached  the  introductory  sermon  ;  T.V.  Greer  was  moderator ;  B,  G.  Tutt  and  J.V. 
Allee  were  clerks.     Baptisms  reported  this  year  to  Concord  Association. 

"  2.  1873.  The  association  met  with  Bethlehem  Church,  Morgan  County,  on  Fri- 
day before  the  fourth  Sunday  in  October.  T.  V.  Greer  preached  the  introductory 
sermon  from  Matthew  16 ;  18.  T.  V.  Greer  was  elected  moderator  ;  B.  G.  Tutt  and 
G.  W.  Hyde,  clerks.    Baptisms  reported  130.    Kaised  for  missions.  $277.50. 

"  3.  1874.  Mt.  Nebo  Church,  in  Cooper  County,  Friday  before  the  fourth  Sunday 
in  October.  Introductory  sermon  by  N.  T.  Allison,  John  14 ;  6.  T.  V.  Greer,  mod- 
erator ;  N.  T.  AUison,  M.  L.  Laws,  clerks.  Baptisms  reported,  65.  Eaised  for  mis- 
sions, $235.60. 

"4.  1875.  Concord,  Cooper  County,  Friday  before  the  fourth  Sunday  in  Octo- 
ber. Introductory,  J.  C.  Davidson,  Eph.  5;  16.  M.  L.  Laws,  moderator;  G.  "W". 
Hyde  and  N.  T.  Allison,  clerks.    Baptisms  reported  68.  Eaised  for  missions,  $113.70. 

"5.  1876,  Flat  Creek,  Pettis  County,  Friday  before  second  Sunday  in  October. 
Introductory,  M.  L.  Laws.  M.  L.  Laws,  moderator ;  N.  T.  Allison  and  T.V.  Greer, 
clerks.    Baptisms  reported,  90.     Eaised  for  missions,  $275.35. 

"  6.  1877.  Otterville  Church,  Cooper  County,  Friday  before  second  Sunday  in  Oc- 
tober. Introductory,  John  Letts,  Acts  2  ;  42.  M.  L.  Laws,  moderator;  D.  C.  Dale 
and  N.  T.  Allison,  clerks.    Baptisms  reported  109.     Eaised  for  missions,  $191.15. 

"7.  1878.  Pilot  Grove,  Cooper  Covmty,  Friday  before  second  Sunday  in  Octo- 
ber. Introductory,  G.  W.  Hyde,  Dan.  2 ;  31,  35.  M.  L.  Laws,  moderator ;  JST. 
T.  Allison  and  D.  C.  Dale,  clerks.  Baptisms  reported,  100.  Eaised  for  missions, 
$209.50. 

"At  this  meeting,  Bro.  L.  B.  Ely,  Financial  Agent  of  William 
Jewell  College,  raised  for  that  school  $310.  The  association  also 
raised  for  foreign  missions  SIO ;  and  for  Sunday-school  work 
$14;  for  printing  the  minutes,  $20.30;  for  its  own  work,  $209.50; 
making  in  all,  $563.80 — by  far  more  than  was  raised  at  any  pre- 
vious meeting. 

"  During  these  seven  years,  there  has  been  a  growing  interest 
in  the  Bible  school  work.  The  Lamine  Bible  School  Institute 
has  been  organized,  and  it  has  done  good  work.  To  Bro.  M.  L. 
Laws  we  are  indebted,  in  the  main,  for  the  idea  under  which  the 
institute  operates — Bible  study.  Not  simply  a  Sunday-school,  but 
gathering  the  people  together  to  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord." 

In  1881,  October  7th,  the  association  convened  at  Mt.  Carmel 
Church,  Morgan  County.  The  meeting  was  full  of  enthusiasm. 
Many  good  things  were  said,  and  more  or  less  money  was  raised 
for  almost  all  our  denominational  enterprises.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  churches  on  the  list  was  20,  with  1,434  members. 

Thomas  Yining  Greer* — was  born  near  McMinnville,  Warren 

*  From  N.  T.  Allison,  of  Southwest  Baptist  College, 
46 


722     LAFAYETTE  AND  JOHNSON,  AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

County,  Tennessee,  August  13,  1813.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Ireland,  and  he  inherited  from  him  a  strong,  impulsive  nature, 
which,  while  modified  by  a  life  of  unfeigned  piety  and  true  Chris- 
tian devotion,  was  the  prominent  characteristic  of  the  man  while 
he  lived.  He  came  to  Missouri  while  only  a  boy,  his  parents 
having  died  when  he  was  a  child.  He  was  converted  when  about 
twenty  years  old,  and  after  resisting  the  call  to  the  ministry  for 
about  seven  years,  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  a  preacher 
and  minister — a  work  to  which  he  devoted  his  best  thoughts,  and 
in  which  he  enjoyed  many  precious  tokens  of  Grod's  immediate 
favor.  Many  will  there  be  who  will  hail  him  with  gladness  in 
the  other  life  for  having  pointed  them  to  the  Savior. 

Bro.  Greer,  like  many  others  of  his  day,  had  only  the  rudi- 
ments of  an  education ;  yet  so  strong  were  his  natural  powers, 
that  he  was  enabled  to  attain  an  easy  and  gentle  manner  of  ad- 
dress as  a  speaker,  which,  coupled  with  his  zeal  and  burning 
earnestness,  gave  him  great  power  over  his  hearers.  He  was 
an  orator,  without  aiming  at  oratory;  and  he  was  a  man  of  learn- 
ing, though  be  knew  very  little  of  popular  literature.  As  an  ex- 
pounder of  Scripture  he  was  safe,  as  a  preacher  he  was  eloquent 
and  profoundly  serious,  as  a  minister  he  was  faithful  and  devo- 
ted. He  was  especially  sound  on  the  great  doctrines  of  repent- 
ance and  faith,  and  took  his  chief  delight  in  pointing  men  to  the 
way  of  salvation  through  a  Mediator. 

After  a  ministry  of  forty  years,  most  of  which  was  spent  in 
Central  Missouri,  a  ministry  producing  many  happy  and  blessed 
results,  he  died  at  his  home  in  Cooper  County,  December  17, 
1879,  in  his  sixty-seventh  year. 

Because  of  his  true  worth  as  a  man,  his  devotion  as  a  minister, 
his  love  for  humanity  and  his  unshaken  trust  in  God,  I  loved  him 
as  a  brother.  Because  of  his  fatherly  care  over  me  in  the  begin- 
ning of  my  ministry,  and  his  constant  concern  for  my  personal 
welfare,  I  cannot  but  cherish  his  memory  with  most  profound 
respect  and  tenderest  love. 

Alexander  Machett. — This  brother  was  born  in  St.  Charles, 
Mo.,  November  30,  1835.  He  was  educated  at  Westminister  Col- 
lege, Fulton,  Mo.,  where  he  graduated  in  1859.  He  then  spent 
two  years  at  the  Presbj'terian  Theological  Seminary  at  Alle- 
ghany City,  Pa.,  and  Chicago,  and  entered  upon  the  active  work 
of  the  ministry  under  Presbyterian  auspices  in  the  fall  of  1861, 
at  Westport,  Mo.  Not  being  satisfied  with  his  baptism  he  united 
with  the  Westport  Baptist  Church  in  May,  1874,  whereupon  he 


LAFAYETTE    AND    JOHNSON,    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  723 

was  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  the  Baptist  denomination.  Rev. 
James  E.  Welch  administered  the  ordinance  of  baptism  and 
preached  the  ordination  sermon.  With  the  exception  of  brief 
intervals,  his  labors  for  nearly  twenty  years  were  within  the 
limits  of  Clay  and  Jackson  Counties,  and  about  half  of  that  time 
at  Westport. 

Some  unhappy  utterances  on  the  subject  of  communion  in  1875 
brought  about  an  unfortunate  episode  in  his  history,  which  lasted 
until  1878.  He  did  not,  however,  forfeit  the  regards  of  his  breth- 
ren during  this  period,  and  was  warmly  welcomed  back  to  their 
fellowship  in  the  last  named  year.  In  1882  his  field  of  labor  was 
at  Boonville,  Cooper  County,  Missouri. 

MERAMEC  ASSOCIATION. 

"  We,  the  Oak  Hill,  White  Oak  Grove,  Cross  Roads,  Little 
Spring,  Mount  Vernon  and  Fourche  a  Renault  Churches  in  Christ, 
having  been  at  our  request  regularly  dismissed  from  the  Frank- 
lin Association  of  the  state  of  Missouri,  by  our  representatives, 
at  the  Oak  Hill  meeting-house,  in  Washington  County,  Missouri, 
do  now  unite  ourselves  in  forming  an  association  of  churches. 
Our  object  in  this  union  is  to  promote  the  edification  of  our 
souls,  the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  glory  of  God."  Such  is 
the  first  paragraph  of  the  preamble  to  the  constitution  of  the 
Meramec  Association,  adopted  at  the  place  aforesaid,  November 
11, 1870.  J.  R.  Hamlin  was  elected  moderator  and  M.  T.  Walker 
clerk,  of  this  first  meeting.  The  aggregate  membership  of  the 
churches  was  143.  W.  O.  Gibson,  J.  R.Hamlin  and  H.  M.  Smith 
were  the  pastors.  Contributions  amounted  to  $12.  Private  and 
public  collections  for  missions,  in  cash  and  pledges,  amounted 
to  $59.63.  The  territory  of  this  association  embraces  a  large 
tract  of  country  in  the  counties  of  Washington  and  Crawford, 
with  the  churches  of  Franklin  Association  on  the  south  and  those 
of  the  Jefferson  County  Association  on  the  north  and  northeast. 
At  the  time  of  its  organization  it  was  one  "  vast  field  of  des- 
titution." So  the  committee  on  domestic  missions  reported.  An 
executive  board  of  three  members  was  appointed,  to  whom  was 
entrusted  the  missionary  work  and  the  employment  of  d  mis- 
sionary. 

The  second  meeting  was  held  at  Oak  Hill  also,  September  30, 
1871,  at  which  time  S.  W.  Marston  visited  them.  Being  request- 
ed, he  addressed  the  body  on  the  subject  of  Sunday-schools, fol- 
lowing which  a  Sunday-school  convention  was  organized.  R.  S. 
D.  Caldwell,  agent  of  the  General  Association  was  present  at  this 


724  LAFAYETTE    AND    JOHNSON,    AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS. 

session  and  was  cordially  invited  to  a  seat.  A  contribution  of  $10 
was  made  through  him  to  the  missionary  work  of  that  body. 
The  executive  board  had  paid  to  Elds.  Gibson  and  Hamlin,  evan- 
gelists, ^138.  Five  new  churches  were  received  into  the  union, 
viz  :  First  Church  Cuba,  The  Eock,  Sullivan,  New  Hope  and 
Rock  Spring.     There  were  11  churches  and  302  members  in  all. 

The  association  held  regular  sessions.  In  1872,  September  10, 
it  met  at  Cuba,  Crawford  County ;  in  1878,  at  Fourche  a  Ee- 
nault,  October  2  ;  in  1874,  at  Cross  Eoads,  October  1 ;  in  1878,  at 
Fairview,  Crawford  County,  October  4;  and  in  1879,  at  Boone 
Creek  Church. 

The  list  of  ministers  in  1878,  as  published  in  the  minutes,  was 
as  follows:  J.  E.  Hamlin,  E.  N.  Gaugh,  E.  J.  Gibson,  Joseph 
Shanks,  J.  B.  Dodd,  William  Kitchens,  E.  E.  Fort  and  Green 
Bay;  licentiates,  Z.  H.  Smith  and  S.  W.  Smith. 

In  1879,  G.  Seymour,  James  Eose  and  G.  M.  Ashlock  appear  in 
the  list  of  ministers.  The  minutes  of  this  year  show  the  follow- 
ing summary : 

Churches. — Cross  Eoads,  47  ;  Boone's  Creek,  22  ;  Lost  Creek, 
33;  New  Hope,  46;  Oak  Hill,  31;  Fairview,  44;  Oak  Grove, 
18;  Fourche  a  Eenault,  34 ;  Friendship,  16;  Mt.  Olivet,  28 ;  to- 
tal membership  of  the  ten  churches  319,  and  30  baptisms  during 
the  year. 

In  the  past  five  years  the  association  seems  to  have  lost 
ground,  not  numbering  as  many  churches  now  as  it  did  in  1871. 
The  reasons  for  this  state  of  the  case  cannot  be  culled  from  the 
records  further  than  the  fact  that,  of  late  but  little  has  been  do- 
ing in  the  behalf  of  evangelistic  labor  by  the  churches,  hav- 
ing expended  for  missions,  all  told,  for  the  year  ending  Septem- 
ber, 1879,  no  more  than  $64  in  itinerant  service,  and  the  most  of 
this  was  collected  by  the  missionary  on  the  field,  from  individu- 
als. 

Hiram  M.  Smith, — an  old  veteran  of  the  Cross,  and  one  of  the 
permanent  members  in  the  organization  of  the  association,  died 
during  the  year  intervening  the  sessions  of  1878  and  '79. 

Eeuben  Harmon. — This  brother  also  had  died  during  the  year. 
He  was  the  oldest  member  of  the  association. 

E.  N.  Gaugh, — another  of  the  constituent  members  of  the 
Meramec  Association,  was  born  August  19, 1835,  in  the  state  of 
Ohio.  When  he  was  a  year  old  his  father  moved  to  Jackson 
County,  Missouri,  with  the  Mormon  emigration,  thence  to  Iowa, 
•^here  young  Gaugh  was  raised  under  Mormon  influence.    The 


LAFAYEfTE    AND    JOltNSON,    AND  OTHER  ASSOCIATIONS.  725 

home  of  the  Gaughs  was  just  across  the  river  from  Nauvoo  at 
the  time  of  the  Mormon  excitement  and  the  death  of  Joe  vSmith. 
When  the  Mormons  left  Nauvoo,  in  consequence  of  the  spirit  of 
polygamy  then  being  agitated  amongst  them,  Mr.  Gaugh  re- 
fused to  follow  them.  Young  Gaugh  grew  up  under  the  circum- 
stances, and  says  of  himself,  "I  was  a  wicked  young  man,  and 
so  remained  until  after  I  was  married,"  which  occurred  in  June, 
1861,  in  Washington  County,  to  which  place  he  had  made  his 
way  soon  after  his  maturity.*  In  January,  1861,  for  the  first 
time  in  his  life  he  heard  the  Baptists  preach  the  gospel.  Soon 
after  this  he  was  converted  under  the  preaching  of  Thomas 
Mothershead,  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  Indian  Creek 
Church.  For  five  or  six  years  he  was  called  to  act  as  clerk  for 
this  church.  He  was  called  to  ordination  by  the  Fourche  a 
Eenault  Baptist  Church  in  1871,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
preaching  to  destitute  churches  and  neighborhoods,  and  riding 
as  evangelist  in  the  Meramec  Association,  in  which  work  he  has 
exhibited  a  commendable  degree  of  zeal  and  devotion. 

Gideon  Seymour, — one  of  the  living  preachers  of  Meramec 
Association,  and  son  of  Selah  and  Mary  (Brown)  Sej^mour,  was 
born  at  Utica,  New  York,  March  23, 1804.  He  was  baptized  April 
13,  1819.  He  learned  blacksmithing  at  Cooperstown,  state  of 
New  York.  He  was  raised  principally  by  his  aunt,  Mrs.  James 
Custis,  by  whom  he  had  been  adopted  at  his  father's  death  which 
occurred  when  he  was  quite  young.  In  1827  he  moved  to  Wes- 
tern New  York,  and  two  years  after  he  married  Nancy  Irwin  of 
Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  settled  in  Wheeling,  Virginia.  In 
1832  he  lost  his  property  by  the  high  water  in  the  Ohio  Eiver. 
He  moved  thence  to  Harrison  County,  Ohio,  and  followed  his 
trade  until  1841,  when  he  commenced  school  teaching,  and  uni- 
ted with  the  Baptist  church  called  Pine  Eun. 

About  two  years  after,  he  commenced  preaching,  and  Novem- 
ber 2,  1846,  he  was  ordained  and  became  pastor  of  Norristown 
Church,  in  the  state  last  named.  He  also  served  as  pastor  Jef- 
ferson, Salem  and  Alliance  Churches  in  Ohio;  and  Zion,  Mt. 
Hope  and  Peter's  Creek  Church,  Pennsylvania;  and  came  thence 
to  Missouri  in  March,  1866,  as  a  missionary  under  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  and  has 
been  in  this  state  ever  since,  contributing  his  influence  to  the 

*  Mr.  Gaugh  was  at  this  time  hving  on  Indian  Creek  in  Franklin  County,  and  re- 
mained here  until  1868,  when  he  moved  to  Washington  Countj^,  his  present  resi- 
dence, near  Fourche  a  Renault. 


7-26         LAFAYETTE   AND   JOHNSON,    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

Wilding  Tip  of  the  Baptist  cause,  laboring  for  the  most  part  in 
So'Uth  Missouri,  and  a, portion  of  the  time  in  the  Meramec  Asso- 
ciatio'n,  of  whi«h  'h6d^  he  was  clerk  in  1880. 

FouRCHE  A  Eenault  Church, — This  is  now  one  of  the  oldest 
churches  in  South  Missouri,  and  certainly  by  far  the  oldest  in 
Washington  County,  having  been  organized  January  10,  1829, 
under  the  appellation  of  Mt.  Zion,  which  name  it  bore  until  1834. 
The  pioneer,  James  Williams,  preached  for  these  primitive  dis- 
ciples from  1829  to  1840.  Two  men  and  four  women  was  the  to- 
tal number  of  constituents.  The  house  of  worship  is  a  log- 
house,  weather-boarded,  20x32  feet,  which  was  built  in  1844,  re- 
built in  1858,  and  was  valued  in  1870  at  $150.  The  old  pioneer, 
John  M.  Peck,  used  occasionally  to  visit  this  church  in  the  wil- 
derness and  preach  for  it;  so  also  did  Green,  Longan  and  others. 

White  Oak  Grove. — This  church,  too,  is  in  Washington  Coun- 
ty, reaching  back  very  nearly  to  the  jjioneer  days.  It  bears 
date  April  9,  1842,  and  was  ministered  to  by  E.  R.  Fort.  A  log- 
house  for  worship  was  built  not  long  after  its  organization,  and 
in  1852  it  was  enlarged  by  adding  frame-work,  making  it  24x40 
feet.     In  1882  the  church  had  no  pastor. 

Rock  Spring  Church  was  organized  in  1869  ;  Sullivan  Church 
in  1871;  Rock  Church  in  1871;  Mt.  Vernon  in  1870;  New 
Hope  Church  in  1871 ;  Little  Spring  Church  in  1870 ;  Cuba 
Church  in  1871;  and  Cross  Roads  Church  in  1870. 

MOUXT  ZION  ASSOCLA.TION. 

This  association  is  a  daughter  of  the  old  Mt.  Pleasant.  On  the 
5th  of  October,  1880,  pursuant  to  appointment,  a  meeting  was 
held  at  Mt.  Zion  Church,  Howard  County,  Missouri,  and  after  an 
introductory  sermon  by  W.  Pope  Yeaman,  the  following  commu- 
nication was  read  by  B.  F.Jackson,  the  clerk  : 

*'  To  all  wliom  it  may  concern :  Know  ye,  that  at  our  regular  meet- 
ing in  September,  1880,  held  at  Shiloh  Church,  the  following 
churches,  to  wit:  Mt.  Moriah,  Fayette,  Mt,  Vernon,  Glasgow, 
Bethlehem,  Mt.  Zion,  Zion,  Mt.  Ararat,  Walnut  Grove,  Mizpeh, 
Mt.  Gilead  and  Mt.  Pleasant,  were  granted  dismission  from  this: 
association,  at  their  own  respective  requests,  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  another  and  separate  association ;  and  may  grace,, 
mercy  and  peace  be  with  our  sister  churches,  and  with  the  new 
association  when  formed. 

"By  order  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association, 

"  S.  B.  Yancy,  Clerk." 

The  above  named  churches,  together  with  the  church  at  Roche- 


liAfAYETtt:    AND   JOHNSON,    AND   OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.         727 

port,  were  enrolled  and  the  new  association  was  formed  by  the 
adoption  of  a  constitution  and  the  election  as  permanent  officers, 
of  W.  Pope  Yeaman  for  president,  and  B.  F.  Jackson  for  clerk. 
The  purposes  of  this  new  fraternity  are  set  forth  thus  in  its  con- 
stitution: 

1.  "  This  association  shall  be  known  as  'Mt.  Zion  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation.' 

2.  "The  objects  of  this  association  are,  to  promote  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  churches  and  the  membership  thereof;  to  promote 
the  spread  of  Divine  truth  and  the  work  of  missions  in  its  own 
immediate  field,  in  the  state  of  Missouri  and  in  regions  beyond. 
For  the  furtherance  of  these  objects  this  association  and  the 
churches  composing  it  will  use  all  lawful  means  by  prayer,  per- 
sonal effort,  and  by  the  consecration  of  talents  and  fortune  to 
God,  for  promoting  missions,  home  and  foreign,  Sabbath-school 
work.  Christian  and  ministerial  education,  and  the  circulation  of 
pure  religious  literature  in  Jiarmony  with  the  faith  and  practice 
of  the  churches  composing  this  body." 

There  were  present  as  visitors,  G.  W.  Morehead,  W.  E.  Paint- 
er, J.  C.  Maple,  D.  O.  Morris,  G.  W.  Ford,  R.  S.  Duncan  and  S. 
B.  Yancy.  The  total  membership  of  the  13  churches  was  968. 
Contributions  were  made  as  follows:  to  state  missions  $121.30; 
to  foreign  missions  $22.10;  associational  missions,  cash  and 
pledges,  $180. 

September  13,  1881,  the  association  met  at  Mt.  Gilead  Church, 
Howard  County.  P.  T.  Gentry  was  elected  president,  and  Thos. 
G.  Deatherage  and  Thos.  H.  Moss  secretaries.  The  number  of 
churches  had  increased  to  19,  and  Bethlehem,  Boone  County, 
with  242  members,  was  the  largest.  42  baptisms  were  reported, 
and  $118.40  were  sent  up  by  the  churches. 

Fayette  Church, — Howard  County,  was  constituted  in  this 
county  seat,  September  12,  1839.  In  January,  1840,  Addison  M. 
Lewis  was  elected  pastor.  Lucy  Franklin  was  added  to  the 
church  by  letter  in  March,  1840,  which  was  the  first  addition  to  the 
church.  The  present  house  of  worship,  45x30  feet,  was  erected 
in  1841.  Succeeding  A.  M.  Lewis  have  been  the  following  as  pas- 
tors or  as  temporary  supplies  :  A.  B.  Hardy,  Fielding  Wilhite, 
A.  R.  Macey, W.W.  Keep,  T.  C.  Harris,  Noah  Flood,Wm. Thomp- 
son, B.  T.  F.  Cake,  Thos.  Fristoe,  S.  H.Olmstead,  X.  X.  Buck- 
ner,  Y.  R.  Pitts,  W.  R.  Painter,  E.  D.  Isbell,  and  M.  J.  Breaker. 
This  church  at  times  has  numbered  as  high  as  200  members.  In 
1869  the  colored  members  were  formed  into  a  separate  church, 


728  LAFAYETTE    AND   JOHNSON,    AND    OTHER    ASSOCtATIONS. 

which  reduced  the  membership  at  that  time  to  45.  Total  member- 
ship in  1881  was  69. 

Glasgow. — This  church  was  first  formed  at  old  Chariton,  a 
short  distance  up  the  river.  The  date  of  the  organization  was 
1820.  Nineteen  members  signed  the  covenant,  and  they  were 
recognized  a  church  by  Elds.  Wm.  Thorp  and  David  McLain. 
Ebenezer  Rogers,  a  licentiate,  was  soon  afterwards  ordained  and 
became  first  pastor.  Some  time  subsequent  to  the  laying  off  of 
Glasgow,  which  was  in  1836,  the  old  Chariton  Church  was  moved 
to  the  new  town  which  grew  very  rapidly,  and  soon  absorbed 
old  Chariton  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  of  the  same  name.  Sev- 
eral years  after  the  removal  to  Glasgow  about  three-fourths  of 
the  members  were  lettered  off  and  formed  "New  Chariton 
Church,"  some  five  or  six  miles  northeasterly  from  Glasgow. 
This  is  now  called  Chariton  Church,  and  has  in  its  possession  the 
old  Chariton  church  book,  and  dates  its  organization  back  to 
1820.  The  Chariton  Church  worships  in  a  beautiful  frame  house 
worth  perhaps  about  $2,000.  The  Glasgow  Church  built  a  new 
brick  some  ten  years  ago  at  a  cost  of  S11,000. 

Mount  Moriah. — Elds.  E.  Eogers  and  Colden  Williams  or- 
ganized this  church  with  12  members  AugustSO,  1823.  Its  house 
of  worship,  a  brick  40x60  feet,  some  three  and  a  half  miles  south- 
west of  Fayette,  was  erected  in  1830,  and  was  valued  at  $1,000  sev- 
eral years  ago.  Its  pastors  have  been  E.  Eogers,  A.  J.  Bartee, 
Wra.  Duncan,  Wm.  Thompson,  B.  T.  F.  Cake,  Y.  R.  Pitts,  W.  R. 
Painter,  E.  D.  Isbell  and  M.  J.  Breaker.  The  membership  in 
1881  was  64. 

RocHEPORT. — This  Baptist  church  was  formed  the  3d  Saturday 
in  July,  1851,  with  20  members,  by  Elds.  F.  Wilhite  and  Tyree 

C,  Harris.  It  is  located  in  Boone  County  on  the  Missouri  River, 
fourteen  miles  west  of  Columbia.  A  brick  house  of  worship 
was  erected  in  1860,  30x50  feet,  at  a  cost  of  S3, 000.  Among  its 
pastors  we  mention  the  following,  R.  H.  Harris  (first),  Bartlet 
Anderson,  Jno.  M.  Robinson,  N.  Flood,  J.  T.  M.  Johnson  and  J. 

D.  Murphy. 


CHAPTER  II. 


PLEASANT  GEOVE  AND  OTHEE  ASSOCIATIONS. 

A  New  Organization — When  Formed — Where — Constituent  Churches — Caleb  Bush 
Visits  the  Churches — Method  of  Sunday-school  Work — Present  Strength — Dry 
Fork  Association — Its  Location,  Origin,  Growth  and  Present  Strength — Dixon 
Association — How  and  When  Formed — Landmark — Sketch  of  F.  M.  Mathews — 
James  River  Association  (Now  Lawrence  County  Association) — H.  C.  Lollar 
— Charleston  Association. 

THIS  association  is  a  new  organization  embracing  churches 
mostly  in  Scotland  County,  and  formerly  belonging  to  the 
Wyaconda  Association.  The  new  organization  originated  in  an 
action  of  Wyaconda  in  1877,  when  the  following  churches  were 
given  letters  of  dismission,  viz. :  Pleasant  Grove,  Bear  Creek, 
Harmony  Grove,  Indian  Creek,  Little  Zion,  Memphis,  NewWood- 
ville,  Eichland,  Zion  and  Bethlehem.  These  churches,  except 
Bear  Creek,  sent  messengers  to  Pleasant  Grove  Church,  Scotland 
County,  where  the  Pleasant  Grove  Baptist  Association  was  or- 
ganized September  21,  1877,  J.  W.  Kittle  acting  as  moderator 
and  Theo.  Williams  as  clerk.  Two  other  churches,  Edinburgh 
and  Etna,  were  admitted  as  members  at  the  first  meeting,  mak- 
ing in  all  11  churches,  the  total  numerical  strength  of  which  was 
658.  The  constitution  and  articles  of  faith  adopted  were  the 
same  as  those  of  Wyaconda  Association. 

The  second  meeting  was  held  at  Memphis,  Scotland  County, 
commencing  September  20,  1878,  when  two  churches  were  added 
to  the  list,  viz.:  Greensburg  and  Providence.  The  officers  of  the 
preceding  year  were  re-elected.  Eld.  James  Pulliam  from  Beth- 
el Association,  and  Elds,  E.  Y.  L.  Wayland  and  Jerry  Wayland 
fix)m  Wyaconda  Association,  were  present  as  visitors. 

The  missionary  work  was  committed  to  an  executive  board, 
consisting  of  Eld.  J.  W.  Kittle  chairman,  G.  T.  Collins  secre- 
tary, D.  D.  Hustead,  C.  Moore  and  E.  J.  Howard.  The  method 
of  Sabbath-school  work  may  be  seen  in  the  following  action  : 

"  Resolved,  That  a  Sabbath-school  committee,  consisting  of  one 
member  from  each  church  in  the  association,  be  organized.  The 
following  were  appointed  said  committee:  A.  J.  Alexander,  H. 
N.  Smilling,  E.  Vaught,  J.  M.  Golden,  C.  Scirven,  I.  L.  Bounds, 


730        PLEASANT  GROVE  AND  OTHER  ASSOOIATIONS. 

Eichard  Hansen,  J.  Johnson,  J.  Clark,  W.  P.  Francis  and  Allen 
Crook." 

Eld.  Caleb  Bush  from  Wyaconda  Association  was  selected  to 
visit  the  churches,  preach  on  missions  and  make  collections  for 
that  purpose. 

The  third  session  was  held  at  Bear  Creek  Church,  Clarke 
County,  September,  1879.  The  report  of  the  executive  board 
shows  that  $125  had  been  expended  for  itinerant  labor,  W.  H, 
Pulliam  having  labored  as  missionary  two  and  a  half  months  at 
$50  per  month.  The  following  summary  is  from  the  records  of 
1879  :  Whole  number  of  churches,  15 ;  number  of  baptisms,  54 ;  total 
members,  855;  ministers,  3,  viz.:  J.  W.  Kittle,  John  Eowe  and 
J.  M.  Golden. 

The  whole  amount  of  cash  collected  and  new  pledges  for  home 
missions  at  the  session  of  1879  was  S175.05. 

In  1881  the  meeting  was  held  at  Eichland  Church,  when  16 
churches  were  on  the  roll,  reporting  781  members,  leaving  out 
one  church  (Bear  Creek)  which  had  not  sent  statistics. 
DRY  FORK  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Dry  Fork  Association  is  a  daughter  of  the  Gasconade 
Eiver  Association,  having  been  organized  by  a  colony  of  church- 
es sent  out  by  that  body,  namely' :  Nelson's  Branch,  Dry  Fork, 
Dry  Foi'k  Yalley,  Eock  Spring,  Boone's  Creek,  Pleasant  Valley 
and  Ilepsaida.     The  total  membership  was  347. 

These  churches  were  located  mainly  in  Dent  County,  through 
which  the  Ozark  Mountain  Eango  passes  east  and  west,  dividing 
the  waters  of  the  Missouri  Eiver  from  those  of  the  Arkansas. 

This  young  and  growing  institution  is  aggressive  and  deeply 
interested  in  the  prosperity  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  not 
alone  in  its  own  immediate  boundary,  but  throughout  the  entire 
state  and  the  world.  Foreign  missions,  home  missions,  Sunday- 
schools,  and  every  other  good  enterprise,  are  fostered  by  this 
association. 

Its  session  in  1879  at  Boone's  Creek,  was  well  attended,  and 
much  interest  was  manifested  throughout  the  proceedings.  It 
then  had  12  ordained  and  5  licensed  ministers,  twelve  churches, 
and  716  members,  showing  un  increase  in  two  years  of  a  hundred 
per  cent.  Two  of  its  churches  are  in  Texas  County,  one  in 
Phelps,  and  the  rest  are  in  Dent  County. 

Its  session,  September  24-26, 1881,  was  well  attended.  Sixteen 
churches  were  enrolled,  reporting  78  baptisms  and  a  total  of  855 
members.     There  were  18  ordained  and  5  licensed  ministers. 


PLEASANT    GROVE    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.  731 

DIXON  ASSOCIATION. 

"The  following  Baptist  churches  located  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
St.  Louis  and  San  Francisco  railroad,  in  Southwest  Missouri, 
namely:  Pisgah,  Mount  Zion,  Eolla,  Mt.  Olivet  and  New  Salem, 
being  impressed  with  the  belief  that  a  Baptist  association  is  ne- 
cessary for  the  convenience  of  churches  in  these  regions  of  Phelps, 
Pulaski,  and  other  adjacent  counties,  and  to  be  organized  upon 
strictly  Baptist  principles,  met  by  their  delegates  in  convention, 
at  Pisgah  Baptist  Church,  November  6,  1874. 

"  Eld.  F.  M.  Mathews  was  elected  moderator  and  Elder  Joseph 
Walker  clerk."    (From  the  Minutes  of  the  Convention  of  1874,  p.  1.) 

After  a  free  interchange  of  views  the  convention  proceeded  to 
organize  the  association  with  the  appellation  of  the  "Dixon  Bap- 
tist Association." 

The  two  following  items  from  the  constitution  and  faith  adop- 
ted, fix,  incontrovertibly,  the  status  of  this  body  : 

"Believers  in  Christ  are  the  only  proper  subjects  of  baptism, 
and  the  immersion  of  a  proper  subject  in  water,  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  a  regularly  baptized 
Baptist  minister,  is  the  only  scriptural  baptism.  Persons  thus 
baptized  are  the  only  ones  entitled  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  it 
will  be  deemed  as  disorderly  in  any  church  of  this  association, 
to  admit  to  her  communion  either  pedobaptists  or  Campbellites, 
or  to  allow  her  members  to  commune  with  these  and  other  her- 
etical sects." 

Again  :  "  This  body  shall  be  deemed  a  missionary  association, 
to  promote  as  far  as  practicable  both  home  and  foreign  missions, 
Sunday-schools,  temperance,  and  such  other  benevolent  enter- 
prises as  have  for  their  object  the  spreading  abroad  of  the  gos- 
pel of  the  Son  of  God." 

These  declarations  show  this  association  to  be  a  Baptist  insti- 
tution of  the  strictest  order,  without  any  admixture. 

The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Dixon,  Pulaski  County, 
commencing  October  9,  1875.  Eld.  F.  M.  Mathews  was  re-elec- 
ted moderator  and  E.  M.  Miller,  Jr.,  clerk.  Two  of  the  churches 
that  were  in  the  convention,  namely,  JSTew  Salem  and  Mount  Oli- 
vet, were  not  represented  this  year.  The  former  appears  in  the 
minutes  of  1879,  the  latter,  so  far  as  our  records  show,  never  sub- 
scribed to  the  constitution  nor  sent  messengers.  One  new  church, 
Pleasant  Hill,  Maries  County,  was  received  at  this  session. 

The  history  of  this  association  being  of  recent  date  we  cannot 
go  into  details.    True  to  her  fundamental  principles,  she  stood 


732  PLEASANT    GROVE    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATtONS. 

firm  on  the  Baptist  platform,  and  with  her  few  feeble  churches 
did  something  in  the  way  of  promoting  missions,  Sunday-schools, 
&c.  Ten  churches  appear  on  the  roll  at  the  session  of  1879, 
which  shows  an  increase  of  over  one  hundred  per  cent,  in  four 
years.  From  the  minutes  of  this  year  (1879)  we  glean  the  fol- 
lowing summary : 

Churches. — Beaver  Creek,  Corinth, Hopewell,  Mt.  Zion,  Phelps 
County;  Mt.  Zion,  Osage  County;  New  Salem,  Pisgah,  Pilot 
Knob,  Rolla  and  St.  James. 

Ministers. — ^Joseph  Walker,  G.  B.  Lee,  John  J.  Watts,  J.  C. 
Senne,  Wm.  M.  Miller,  J.  C.  Miller,  T.  A.  Jones,  H.  F.  Odom 
and  R.  M.  Miller,  Jr.;  licentiates,  B.  C.  Cox  and  Christian  Weck- 
er.     Baptisms,  9  ;  total  members,  429. 

Elder  Francis  Marion  Mathews,* — the  first  moderator  of 
Dixon  Association,  and  a  native  of  Pulaski  Count}^,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 28,  18.32.  He  grew  up  a  very  sprightly  and  obedient  boy, 
and  when  but  a  youngster  was  remarkable  for  his  manliness.  At 
the  age  of  20  he  was  converted  and  joined  the  Pisgah  Baptist 
Church,  then  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Eld.  Eichard  M,  Miller. 
He  soon  became  one  of  the  leading  members  and  so  continued  to 
tTie  end  of  his  life.  During  the  war  of  1861 — '65  he  served  four 
years  in  the  Southern  army,  making  a  good  soldier  and  main- 
taining a  consistent  Christian  character  during  this  period  of  his 
life. 

His  ministry  proper  commenced  in  August,  1870,  when  he  was 
ordained  at  the  call  of  Pisgah  Church.  Bro.  Mathews  was  an 
earnest  preacher,  a  thorough-going  Baptist,  and  gave  the  heart- 
iest support  to  missions,  ministerial  education  and  whatever 
contributed  to  Baptist  progress. 

During  his  short  ministerial  career  he  did  considerable  work  as 
a  voluntary  evangelist,  and  labored  as  a  pastor  of  Little  Rich- 
woods,  Mount  Olive  and  Pisgah  Churches.  As  a  citizen,  Chris- 
tian and  minister  he  was  greatly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 

He  was  married  March  11,  1855,  to  Miss  Mary  Case,  who,  to- 
gether with  six  children,  survived  him  at  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred March  11,  1876,  the  21st  anniversary  of  his  married  life. 
He  left  a  blessed  memory  behind  him,  and  was  in  his  prime 
when  he  died. 

JA^ffiS   KrVER   ASSOCIATION   (NOW    LAWRENCE   COUNTY  ASSO- 
CIATION). 
Pursuant  to  the  action   of,  and  by  messengers  from  churches 

*  By  Eld.  R.  M.  MUer,  Jr. 


PLEASANT    GROVE    AND    OTHER    ASSOCIATIONS.  733 

mostly  dismissed  from  Southwest  Bethel  Association,  a  conven- 
tion was  held  at  Mount  Pisgah  Church,  Lawrence  County,  com- 
mencing September  llj  1871,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  new 
association. 

The  constitution  was  adopted  on  the  first  day  of  the  meeting, 
the  second  article  of  which  reads  : 

This  association  shall  be  known  as  the  "James  Eiver  Associ- 
ation of  Baptists."  The  following  churches  were  present  and 
went  into  the  new  organization :  Aurora,  Bethel,  Charity, 
Crain  Creek,  Marionville,  Mt.  Olivet,  Mt.  Pisgah,  Mt.  Vernon, 
Pleasant  Ridge,  Prosperity  and  Round  Grove.  The  ministers 
were  E.  Neece,  H.  Elliott,  J.  T.  Wheeler,  James  Spain,  H.  C. 
Lollar  and  J.  A.  Land. 

The  preceding  year  had  been  a  prosperous  one  and  the 
churches  repoi'ted  102  baptisms  and  an  aggregate  membership  of 
756.  The  churches  are  located  mainly  in  Lawrence  County. 
The  entire  management  of  the  missionary  enterprise,  including 
the  selection  of  a  missionary,  was  committed  to  an  executive 
board  composed  of  G.  W.  Brim,  Harrison  Neece,  Laman  Pruit, 
W.  C.  Smart  and  Reuben  Poland. 

The  second  meeting  was  held  at  Round  Grove  Church  in  Sep- 
tember, 1872.  H.  C.  Lollar  was  re-elected  moderator  after  hav- 
ing preached  the  introductory  sermon.  Pilgrim's  Rest,  a  new 
church,  was  admitted  to  membership  in  the  association.  An 
executive  board  was  organized  on  a  new  plan,  as  follows : 
any  Baptist  who  should  contribute  one  dollar  to  said  board  was 
thereby  a  member  one  year,  or  contributing  five  dollars  would 
be  a  member  for  life. 

The  third  session  was  composed  of  messengers  from  fifteen 
churches  who  assembled  at  Mt.  Olivet  in  Lawrence  County,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1878.  Committees  reported  on  Sabbath-schools, 
home  destitution,  ministerial  support,  education,  temperance, 
&c.,  &c.  The  membership  of  the  association  had  increased  to 
914,  which  was  a  net  increase  of  nearly  one  hundred  a  year. 
Only  50  baptisms  this  year.  By  unanimous  concurrence  the 
name  was  changed  from  James  River  to  "Lawrence  County  Asso- 
ciation." This  is  the  name  it  now  bears,  being  located  mostly  in 
the  county  of  the  same  name. 

Marionville  was  the  place  of  meeting  October  9-11,  1880, 

In  1881  the  association  met  at  Pilgrim's  Rest  Church.  Hope- 
well Church  was  admitted  at  this  session.  There  were  in  all  19 
churches  and  1;197  members.    Among  the  pastor^  we  note  the 


734 


PLEASANT    GROVE    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 


following:  Z.  T.  Eaton,  Levi  Allen,  Isaac  Stanlee,  S.  B.  Kirby, 
W.  S.  Jones,  L.  E.  Cannady,  H.  C.  Lollar,  F.  M.  Bowman,  D.  T. 
Baucum,  Levi  Jordan,  Joel  Martin,  J.  C.  Sills  and  Hiram  Helms. 
Some  of  these,  we  think,  lived  in  the  bounds  of  neighborhood 
associations. 

Henry  Clay  Lollar. — The  subject  of  this  notice  was  pastor  at 
Mount  Yernon,  Lawrence  County,  in  1882.  He  is  a  native  Mis- 
sourian  and  was  born  in  St.  Louis  County,  Sept.  22, 1828.  He  was 
baptized  and  became  a  member  of  Calvy  Church,  Franklin  Coun- 
ty, in  1851, 
soon  after 
which  the 
church  licens- 
ed  him  to 
preach, and 
the  following 
year  he  re- 
moved to 
Lawrence  Co. 
where  he  en- 
gaged active- 
ly in  the  min- 
istry. He  was 
ordained  in 
^  1854.  Largely 
through  h  i  s 
influence  the 
Baptists  of 
Old  Spring 
Eiver  Associ- 

REV.   H.  C.   LOLLAR.  ation     WCTC 

awakened  to  the  importance  of  denominational  education.  It 
was  finally  determined  to  establish  an  institution  of  learning  at 
Xeosho,  and  the  board  of  trustees,  in  the  spring  of  1861  voted 
to  place  him  at  the  head  of  the  proposed  school,  but  the  war  be- 
ing at  hand  the  enterprise  was  abandoned.  The  Pierce  City 
College  is  regarded  as  an  outgrowth  of  this  movement.  Mr. 
Lollar  has  been  from  the  beginning  an  active  friend  of  this  col- 
lege, and  in  1882  was  president  of  its  board  of  trustees. 

In  1866  ho  assisted  in  the  organization  of  a  few  Baptists  into 
a  church  at  Mt.  Vernon,  the  county  seat  of  Lawrence,  ever  since 
which  he  has  been  their  pastor.     Under  his  ministration,  the 


PLEASANT    GROVE    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS.  735 

church  has  enjoyed  a  good  degree  of  prosperity.  They  have  a 
commodious  house  of  worship  which  was  built  largely  through 
the  liberality  of  Mr.  Lollar. 

In  1871  the  Lawrence  County  Association  was  formed,  when 
he  was  elected  moderator,  and  has  for  years  been  honored  with 
the  same  position.  Truly  may  it  be  said  that  "  his  praise  is  in 
all  the  churches  ;  "  called  by  many  ^'  the  beloved  disciple  ;  "  an 
enthusiastic  Baptist ;  and  a  fearless  defender  of  "the  faith  which 
was  once  delivered  to  the  saints." 

CHAELESTON  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  is  an  offshoot  of  the  Cape  Girardeau,  and  was 
organized  in  1876  with  four  small  churches,  viz.:  Morley,  New 
Hope,  Eichwoods  and  Sylvania,  most  or  all  of  which  were  situ- 
ated in  the  lowlands  of  Scott  County.  So  far  as  we  can  now  as- 
certain, these  four  churches  alone  formed  the  association.  Their 
total  membership  at  the  time  was  one  hundred  and  forty-six. 
These  facts  have  been  culled  from  the  minutes  of  the  Cape  Gi- 
rardeau Association  for  1876. 

The  third  annual  session  was  held  at  Concord  Church,  Missis- 
sippi County,  September  13-15,  1879.  Eev.  J.  G.  Shearer  was 
the  moderator,  and  J.  M.  Brazeal  the  clerk.  Of  the  nine  church- 
es reporting,  three,  viz.:  Diehlstadt,  Hopewell  and  New  Provi- 
dence, were  recent  organizations.  The  aggregate  membership 
of  the  nine  churches  was  239.  Two  only  reported  baptisms — 
Eichwoods  7,  and  New  Hope  1.  According  to  its  constitution, 
this  association  is  "  auxiliary  to  the  Baptist  General  Association 
of  Missouri,"  and  its  "objects  are  to  promote  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  and  the  spread  of  Divine  truth  in  its  bounds."  "  The 
business  of  the  association  during  its  recess  is  conducted  by  an 
executive  board,  consisting  of  a  chairman,  secretary,  treasurer 
and  seven  other  members."  The  officers  are  required  to  perform 
their  duties  gratuitously,  except  the  secretary,  who  may  also  act 
as  general  agent  and  receive  such  compensation  as  the  board 
may  allow.  The  ministers  at  this  time  were  I.  E.  Anderson, 
Lewis  Dickinson,  J.  G.  Shearer,  W.  K.  Eainbolt  and  W.  B.  Eich- 
ardson ;  licentiates,  W.  C.  Darby,  J.  H.  Welch  and  Wesley 
Gregory. 

In  1880  the  session  was  held  at  Blodgett,  Scott  County,  Sep- 
tember 10-12.  There  were  now  ten  churches  as  follows:  Concord, 
30  members ;  Mt.  Moriah,  7  ;  Hopewell,  67  ;  Blodgett,  18  ;  Diehl- 
stadt, 53 ;  Morley,  46  ;  New  Hope,  14 ;  New  Providence,  24 ; 
Eichwoods,  42  ;  Sylvania,  12;  in  all,  313,  Three  of  these  church- 


736  PLEASANT    GROVE    AND    OTHER   ASSOCIATIONS. 

es  are  in  Mississippi  County,  one  in  New  Madrid,  and  the  remain- 
ing six  in  Scott  County.  Large  accessions  had  been  made  to  the 
churches  during  the  year  by  baptism;  in  all  94.  Eev.  W.  B. 
Eichardson  had  labored  58  days  as  an  itinerant,  and  Eev.  T.  A. 
Bowman,  of  the  state  board,  had  given  some  of  his  time  to  this 
field. 


CHAPTER  m. 


SHOAL  CEEEK  ASSOCIATION. 

Formation  of — Its  Pioneers — Prevalence  of  Baptist  Sentiments — Views  of  Pastoral 
Support,  Missions  and  Education — Alien  Baptism — Excluded  Members — Biograph- 
ical :  Hezekiah  Dobbs — E.  W.  Downing. 

THE  Shoal  Creek  Association  was  formed  from  a  division  of 
the  Spring  River  in  1871  of  22  churches,  located  in  McDon- 
ald, Barry  and  Newton  Counties,  hence  embracing  the  territory 
in  the  extreme  southwest  corner  of  the  state,  some  thirty  by 
thirty-five  miles.  She  retained  the  familiar  appellation  of  her 
mother,  viz. :  "United  Baptists." 

The  second  annual  meeting  was  held  at  New  Hope  Church,  Bar- 
ry County,  in  October,  1873.  Eld.  D.  P.  Morris,  one  of  the  old 
pioneers,  was  elected  moderator,  and  Eld.  J.  K.  Northcutt  clerk. 
The  churches  had  increased  to  33  in  number,  with  nearly  1,900 
members.     153  baptisms  were  reported  the  past  year. 

Churches. — Friendship,  Good  Hope,  Beaver  Springs,  Prosper- 
ity, Liberty,  New  Hope,  "Washbourne  Prairie,  Macedonia,  New 
Salem  No.  1,  Pleasant  Grove,  Rock  Spring,  Independence,  Elm 
Spring,  Cassville,  Gran  by,  Swath's  Prairie,  New  Salem  No.  2, 
Neosho,  Newtonia,  Roaring  River,  Mill  Creek,  Concord  No.  1, 
Enterprise,  Concord  No.  2,  Point  Pleasant,  Baladan,  New  Site, 
Pleasant  Hill,  Rock  Creek,  Union  Grove,  Bethlehem,  Antioch 
and  Yerona. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted  unanimously: 
^'■Resolved,  That  we  will  not  hold  in  our  fellowship  any  church 
that  knowingly  receives  excluded  members  from  other  churches, 
or  corresponds  with  any  association  that  tolerates  it." 
Under  date  of  1874  our  correspondent  wrote  as  follows: 
"  The  total  membership  is  now  nearly  2,000,  and  we  have  some 
20  ministers,  all  of  whom,  with  one  exception,  work  week-days 
to  support  their  families, and  preach  Sundays  and  nights; — men 
who  love  their  Master  and  His  cause,  and  some  of  them  the  old- 
est settlers  in  the  country.     I  might  mention  the  names  of  D.  P. 
Morris,  James  Bell  and  others.     The  Baptists  in  this  field  are 
very  numerous,  numbering,  I  think,  in  the  bounds  of  Shoal  Creek 
Association,  more  than  all  other  denominations  combined." 
47 


738  SHOAL   CEEEK   ASSOCIATION. 

In  1876  the  association  met  at  Swar's  Prairie  Church  in  Sep- 
tember. The  subjects  of  ministerial  support,  missions  and  edu- 
cation were  all  reported  upon,  and  a  lively  interest  was  manifest- 
ed  in  them.  On  ministerial  support  she  put  upon  record  the 
following  sentiments  : 

"  Believing  in  a  Divine  call  to  the  ministry,  we  believe  it  our 
duty  to  support  and  sustain  our  ministr}^,  that  they  may  have  all 
their  time  to  study  and  show  themselves  workmen  approved. 
We  believe  that  no  minister  should  serve  a  church  that  will  not 
aid  in  his  support.  We  would  advise  that  each  church  pay  their 
pastor  monthly." 

On  missions  the  association  expressed  the  following  senti- 
ment : 

'*  The  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  had,  and  the  church 
now  has,  a  mission  to  fulfill,  and  that  mission  is  to  go  into  all 
the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God." 

On  alien  baptism  she  said  : 

"We  will  not  retain  in  this  body  any  church  that  receives  alien 
baptism,  nor  open  up,  nor  continue  correspondence  with  any  as- 
sociation whose  churches  do." 

From  the  table  it  is  imjiossible  to  make  out  a  list  of  ministers; 
hence  wo  are  compelled  to  omit  them.  In  this  respect  we  find 
many  associational  records  at  fault.  121  baptisms  were  repor- 
ted, and  an  aggregate  membership  of  1,938. 

Hezekiah  Dobbs — was  one  of  the  veterans  of  Southwest  Mis- 
souri. His  name  first  appears  in  the  minutes  of  Spring  Eiver 
Association  in  1851  as  a  messenger  from  Elk  River  Church,  and 
the  following  year  as  pastor  of  the  same  church.  For  many 
years  he  labored  in  the  ministry  in  McDonald  and  adjacent  coun- 
ties, and  under  his  labors  manj^  souls  were  added  unto  the  Lord. 
From  the  time  of  the  division  of  Spring  Eiver  he  was  a  member 
of  Shoal  Creek  Association,  and  his  obituary  is  published  in  its 
minutes  in  1876.  He  was  esteemed  as  a  brother  well  beloved — a 
good  man,  strong  in  faith  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  His  death, 
which  occurred  in  1875  or  '76,  Avas  the  triumph  of  a  living  faith. 

E.  W.  Downing. — This  young  man  had  barelj'  an  opportunity 
to  make  full  proof  of  his  opening  ministry,  having  died  in  the  25th 
year  of  his  age.  He  was  regarded  as  a  young  man  of  great  prom- 
ise. We  have  no  material  for  a  sketch  of  his  life.  He  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus  March  5,  1876,  and  these  facts  were  published  in  the 
minutes  of  his  (Shoal  Creek)  association  for  that  year. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


SOUTHWEST  MISSOUEI  BAPTIST  CONYENTION.* 

Organization— Real  Aims — A    Co-worker  with  the  General    Association — College 
Founded — Trustees — Churches  Aided— Jas.  Schofield — B.  MeCord  Roberts. 

THE  propriety  of  organizing  this  convention  was  first  agita- 
ted through  the  Baptist  Herald,  of  Lebanon,  Missouri,  in 
1876.  The  first  action  taken  in  regard  to  it  was  by  the  Zion  As- 
sociation, which  met  with  the  Union  Church,  Camden  County, 
September  21,  1876.  The  following  resolutions  were  then  dis- 
cussed and  adopted,  viz. : 

"  Resolved,  That  we  advise  the  churches  within  the  bounds  of 
the  Zion  Association,  at  their  next  meeting  to  select  at  least  two 
delegates  to  meet  at  Lebanon  on  the  second  Saturday  in  Novem- 
ber next  at  1  o'clock,  P.  M.,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  Bap- 
tist Convention  for  Southwest  Missouri. 

"  Besolved,  That  we  request  sister  associations  with  which  we 
correspond  to  take  like  action." 

The  first  meeting  held  in  accordance  with  the  above  resolu- 
lutions  was  a  solemn  and  an  impressive  one.  Eld.  Joseph  Walk- 
er, then  of  Eolla,  was  elected  president;  Eld.  Jacob  Good,  of 
Marshfield,  vice-president;  Eld.  J.  G.  Lemen,  secretary;  and 
Bro.  J.  H.  Gray,  treasurer.  Eld.  Good  preached  the  opening 
sermon  from  Matt.  28  ;  19,  20. 

The  aims  of  the  convention  are  thus  set  forth  in  its  constitu- 
tion : 

"Art.  2.  The  object  of  this  convention  shall  be  to  promote 
brotherly  love  and  fellowship,  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ  in  its  purity  and  the  dissemination  of  Bible  truth.  T'Oj 
this  end  the  convention  shall  seek  to  promote — 1..  Domestic- 
missions;  2.  Denominational  colportage;  3.  Denominational  ed- 
ucation ;  4.  Denominational  literature ;  5.  Home  and'  Jtoreign; 
missions." 

At  the  same  meeting  in  which  this  constitution  was  adopted, 
at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  Eld.  James  Schofield,  church  ex- 
tension was  made  a  part  of  the  legitimate  work  of  the  conven- 
^  By  Eld.  J.  G.  Lemen,  first  Secretary  of  the  Convention. 


740  SOUTHWEST    MISSOURI    BAPTIST    CONVENTION. 

tion,  and  a  collection  of  $16  was  taken  and  appropriated  to 
Lebanon  Church  debt.  Of  this  department  of  its  work  the  re- 
cords of  the  convention  say  :  "  The  great  object  is  to  build  up 
important  points  that  they  may  not  be  captured  and  held  by  the 
forces  of  error  to  the  great  injury  of  the  cause  throughout  the 
whole  land.  This  work  is  of  vast  importance.  By  it  the  Bap- 
tists of  the  Southwest  will  speak  the  same  thing,  we  will,  have 
neat  and  commodious  houses  of  worship  all  over  this  section  of 
the  state,  and  the  cause  of  Christ  will  prosper  as  never  before. 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  its  design  is  not  to  supplant  our  great 
missionary  organizations,  but  to  do  a  local  work  which  they 
can  never  do  for  us.  Art.  9  of  the  constitution  reads:  'This 
convention  will  at  all  times  be  willing  and  ready  to  correspond 
and  co-operate  with  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Missouri, 
or  to  correspond  with  any  other  missionary  organization  of  the 
Baptist  denomination,  the  objects  of  which  arc  in  harmony  with 
this  convention.'  " 

From  the  beginning  the  convention  has  been  a  missionary 
body.  Many  precious  souls  have  been  converted,  and  waste 
places  have  been  built  up  by  its  missionaries.  Eld.  Charles  In- 
gram, of  the  Nevada  Association,  has  for  a  time  traveled  as  an 
itinerant  under  the  patronage  of  the  convention  •  and  Eld.  J.  W. 
Haynes,  of  Bolivar,  has  devoted  much  time  to  the  spread  of  de- 
nominational literature  and  the  circulation  of  the  word  of  God. 
In  church  extension  it  has  aided  six  churches  to  comj^lete  houses 
of  worship  to  the  amount  of  about  $213.50.  Altogether  in  the 
past  four  years  the  convention  has  expended  S600  in  missionary 
and  church  extension  work  alone.  Since  its  organization  alien 
baptism  has  been  blotted  out,  the  churches  and  associations  are 
fast  becoming  active  missionary  bodies,  and  the  educational  sen- 
timent was  never  so  high  in  this  country. 

At  Lebanon,  November  7,  1878,  the  college  interest  was  ten? 
dercd  by  Prof.  J.  E.  Maupin  and  Eld.  J.  G.  Lemen  to  the  con- 
vention, which,  after  much  prayerful  consideration,  adopted  the 
institution  then  recently  founded.*  Trustees  were  elected  and 
the  whole  matter  placed  in  their  hands.  A  liberal  charter  was 
secured,  a  beautiful  site  of  six  acres  was  donated,  and  on  the  18th 
of  April,  1879,  the  corner  stone  of  a  commodious  building  was 
laid,  which  has  been  since  completed. 

The  Southwest  Baptist  Convention  is  a  working  body  and  has 
a  grand  field  to  occupy.     Baptist  sentiments  prevail  and  others 

*  See  Southwfbt  Baptist  CoUegt' — Sketch  of. 


SOUTHWtlST   MiSSOtRI   BAPTIST   CONVENTION.  741 

are  envious  of  their  invincible  success.  The  ministers  are  real- 
ly a  unit  in  doctrine,  and  are  generally  able  to  cope  with  the 
errors  of  the  day.  Among  the  standard  bearers  we  mention 
the  names  of  Elders  James  Schofield  and  B.  McCord  RobertS) 
whose  influence  is  felt  throughout  the  convention  and  whose 
presence  and  co-operation  almost  insure  success.  Scores  of 
Dthers,  ministers  and  private  members,  might  be  named,  whose 
consecration  in  the  interest  of  Baptist  sentiments  is  quite  suf- 
ficient to  awaken  the  highest  expectation  as  to  the  future  in  the 
evangelization  of  the  field  being  cultivated  by  the  convention. 


CHAPTER  Y. 


WATN"E  COUNTY  AND  OSAGE  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Wayne  County  ABSociation,  Origin  and  History  of — Oeage  Association — Curious  Ac- 
tion on  Domestic  Missions. 

IN  1875  it  was  found  that  the  St.  Francois  Association  was  en- 
tirely too  large  for  convenience,  its  territory  extending  near- 
ly a  hundred  miles  from  east  to  west. 

In  September  of  this  year  the  following  churches  in  Wayne 
County  were  dismissed  from  said  association  to  form  a  new  as- 
sociation, viz.:  McKenzie  Creek,  Philippi,  Oak  Grove,  Good 
Hope,  Black  River,  Bethel,  Lebanon,  Logan's  Creek,  Big  Lake 
Creek,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Liberty  Hill  and  Pleasant  Grove.  These 
churches  met  at  McKenzie  Creek  Church,  October  16,  1875,  and 
organized  the  "Wayne  County  Baptist  Association."  The  aggre- 
gate membership  of  the  churches  was  444.  The  ministers  pres- 
ent were  Elds.  Isaac  Lane,  A.  R.  L.  Meador,  J.  W.  Wilson,  J.  B. 
Wallace,  M.  A.  Taylor  and  David  Sheets. 

From  the  beginning  there  has  been  some  discord  on  the  sub- 
ject of  missions,  and  but  little  has  been  accomplished  in  this 
way  by  the  association.  At  its  session  in  1878,  resolutions  were 
adopted  expressing  gratification  at  the  success  of  the  itinerant 
brother  A.  R.  L.  Meador,  and  also  at  the  increase  of  the  mission- 
ary spirit  and  growing  intelligence  of  the  members. 

Bro.  B.  P.  Settle  offered  the  following  : 

"  Be  it  resolved,  that  we  accept  the  proposition  of  St.  Fran- 
cois Association  to  aid  in  building  an  institute  of  learning  at 
Smithville,  in  Bollinger  County,  Mo.,  to  be  under  the  control  of 
trustees  appointed  by  said  association." 

The  following  churches  have  been  added  to  the  association 
since  1875:  Greenville,  Otter  Creek,  Pleasant  Valley,  Little 
Lake,  Little  Flock,  Mount  Zion,  Des  Arc  and  Mill  Creek.  The 
last  five  were  admitted  at  the  session  in  1878.  The  year  ending 
September  6,  1878,  was  a  rather  prosperous  one,  there  having 
been  145  baptisms  during  the  year.  The  total  membership  was 
then  678, 

The  report  of  the  itineran.t.  Eld.  Meador,  indicates  that  there 
are  not  a  few  who  are  interested  in  the  work.     It  was  as  follows : 


WAYNE    COUNTY   AND    OSAGE    ASSOCIATIONS.  743 

"  Spent  118  days,  preached  188  sermons,  witnessed  56  conver- 
sions, received  $131.15."  Bro.  Meador  was  continued  in  the 
raissionarj'  work. 

There  is  an  element  in  this  association,  even  in  the  ministry, 
opposed  to  missions  at  least  beyond  the  borders  of  the  associa- 
tion, seemingly  ignoring  the  terms  of  the  commission, "  Go  ye  in- 
to all  the  world,"  and  simply  confining  all  or  most  all  the  efforts 
in  this  direction  to  Wayne  County.  All  the  history  of  the  past 
shows  this  policy  to  be  a  mistake.  "  He  that  watereth  shall  be 
watered  himself,"  and  "  there  is  that  scattereth  and  yet  in- 
creaseth." 

OSAGE  ASSOCIATION. 

In  1870  the  Tebo  Association  granted  letters  of  dismission  to  five 
churches,  "for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  new  association  south 
of  the  Osage  Eiver,  viz. :  Wright's  Creek,  Liberty  First,  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  Prairie  Grove  and  Hogle's  Creek;"  and  the  association 
went  further  and  "appointed  Elds.  W.  A.  Gray  and  Thomas 
Briggs  to  meet  said  churches  at  Wright's  Creek  Church,  St. 
Clair  Countj'-,  on  Friday  before  the  first  Sunday  in  September," 
of  that  year  (1870),  "and  assist  in  the  organization."  In  accord- 
ance with  this  action  the  aforesaid  churches  met  and  organized 
an  association,  and  adopted  the  name  "Osage  Association  of  Uni- 
ted Baptists." 

The  churches  that  composed  this  new  interest  were  in  St.  Clair 
and  Benton  Counties,  and  one  in  Henry,  in  the  Osage  River 
country.  "At  first  they  had  some  little  promise  of  success  in 
supplying  a  felt  want  in  their  immediate  bounds.  There  were 
four  ordained  ministers  (mostly  illiterate)  and  one  licentiate  to 
supply  them  with  preaching ;  but  within  two  or  three  years  after 
their  organization  one  Wm.  M.  Love,  a  leading  character,  who 
desired  pre-eminence,  introduced  into  the  churches  a  resolution 
declaring  non-fellowship  for  Freemasonry  and  kindred  institu- 
tions. This  of  course  produced  a  harvest  of  strife,  discord  and 
divisions,  and  a  number  of  their  churches  died  out,  and  the  asso- 
ciation went  down.  In  1876  four  small  churches,  none  of  which, 
save  one,  were  connected  with  this  association,  met  and  pretend- 
ed to  revive  the  old  body.  They  met  annually  and  styled  them- 
selves the  'Osage  United  Baptist  Association,'  but  are  generally 
known  as  'Loveites,'  and  'Anti-Mason  Baptists.'  They  are  not 
recognized  by  our  denomination  as  orderly,  nor  can  they  get 
correspondence  with  other  associations.  They  now  (1880)  have 
five  churches,  with  a  total  membership  of  170,  and  they  have  nine 


744  WAYNE    COUNTY   AND   OSAGE    ASSOCIATIONS. 

men  ordained  as  ministers,  and  so  far  as  supplying  their  desti- 
tute field  is  concerned,  they  are  doing  comparatively  nothing. 
There  are  some  noble  brethren  among  them,  men  who  love  the 
cause  of  Christ,  but  they  are  so  crippled  and  hampered  by  prej- 
udice and  their  leaders,  that  they  are  doing  little  or  nothing." 
(Thomas  Briggs'  MS.  sketch.) 

The  Osage  Association  of  1870  was,  in  spirit,  opposed  to  mis- 
sions. This  fact  is  fully  demonstrated  in  the  following  "Eeport 
on  Domestic  Missions,"  made  and  adopted  in  1872,  two  years  af- 
ter its  organization  : 

"  Whereas,  We  believe  the  mission  system  in  its  present  form  is 
detrimental  to  our  denomination,  causing  strife  and  dissension; 
therefore  be  it 

"Resolved,  By  this  body,  that  we  take  no  steps  in  the  work, 
but  would  recommend  to  the  churches  that  they  loose  the  hands 
of  their  pastors,  that  they  may  be  given  fully  to  the  work ;  also 
that  the  churches  take  cognizance  of  the  poor  in  their  bounds. 

"W.  F.  Parker,  Chairman." 

Those  brethren  may  have  been  honest  in  their  opinions — far 
be  it  from  us  to  intimate  otherwise  of  them.  But  one  thing  is 
certain :  the  above  is  a  complete  dodge  as  to  the  missionary  en- 
terprise. 

The  old  argument  of  the  opposition  has  ever  been  professedly 
against  the  "present  system  of  missions,"  but  the  conclusion  in 
the  end  always  is,  that  such  have  ever  been  really  opposed  to  the 
missionary  work  itself. 


CHAPTER   VI. 


MISSIONAEY  SOCIETIES  OF  MISSOUEI. 

The  Missionary  Society  of  Missouri  Baptists — The  Missouri  Baptist  Wo- 
MAx's  Missionary  Society — Mrs.  0.  P.  Moss — The  Woman's  Baptist  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  of  Missouri. 

THE  ]\nSSIO]S"AEY  SOCIETY  OF  MISSOURI  BAPTISTS.* 

PURSUANT  to  a  published  call  of  many  Baptists,  a  mass 
meeting  was  held  at  Hardin,  Eay  County,  Missouri,  com- 
mencing November  20,  1880,  to  form  a  basis  of  an  organization 
for  purely  missionary  purposes.  E.  O.  Hill  was  elected  presi- 
dent 2^0  tern.,  and  J.  B.  Weber,  clerk  pro  tern.  Eld.  D.  B.  Eay 
preached  a  discourse  on  missionary  work  and  explained  the 
objects  of  the  meeting,  after  which  names  were  enrolled  as  fol- 
lows : 

Thos.  Porterfield,  P.  O.  Sullivan,  L.  M.  Huffman,  G.  F.  Frazier, 
J.  G.  Yates,  E.  O.  Hill,  G.  B.  Hinman,  M.  M.  Spurlock,  W.  J. 
Eowland,  Joseph  Wolf,  J.  T.  Bradley,  C.  N.  Eay,  D.  H.  Gillaspy, 
D.  B.  Eay,  H.  H.  Beeson,  J.  E.  Elliott,  J.  B.  Weber,  J.  O.  An- 
derson, A.  J.  Green  and  M.  A.  Summers  ;  in  all  20. 

A  permanent  organization  was  then  effected  on  the  date  above 
named,  by  the  election  of  E.  O.  Hill  as  president,  J,  B.  Weber 
clerk,  and  J.  O.  Anderson  vice-president,  after  which  a  constitu- 
tion was  adopted.  As  the  objects  and  aims  of  the  society  can  be 
best  learned  from  that  instrument  we  give  it  in  full,  as  follows: 

CONSTITUTION. 

"Art.  I.  Name. — This  body  shall  be  called  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  Missouri  Baptists. 

"Art.  II.  Members. — Any  church  or  individual  (Baptist)  con- 
tributing to  the  funds  of  this  body  during  the  associational  year 
previous  to  its  annual  meeting,  shall  be  entitled  to  representa- 
tion J  but  in  no  case  shall  there  be  more  than  five  messengers  from 
one  church. 

"Art.  III.  Object. — To  have  the  gospel  preached  among  the 
destitute.     1.  By  raising  funds  at  the  least  possible  cost,  and  by 

*  From  the  Minutes  in  American  Baptist  Flag,  December  1,  1880,  we  gather  the 
facts  concerning  the  first  meeting  of  this  body. 


746  MISSIONARY   SOCIETIES    OF    MISSOURI. 

sending  only  godly  men  into  the  field  who  are  willing  to  make 
sacrifices  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  destitute.  2.  By  having  and 
keeping  this  purely  a  missionary  body,  without  any  organic  con- 
nection with  any  enterprise  save  missions. 

"Art.  IV.  Missionaries. — The  missionaries  sent  out  by  this  body 
must  be  members  in  good  standing  in  a  regular  Baptist  church. 

"Art.  Y.  Meetings. — This  society  shall  meet  annually  at  such 
time  and  place  as  the  body  may  decide. 

"Art.  VI.  Officers. — The  officers  of  this  society  shall  be  a  pres- 
ident and  vice-president,  secretary  and  assistant  secretary  and 
treasurer. 

"Art.  VII.  Sow  Elected.  —  The  president,  vice-president  and 
secretary  shall  be  elected  by  private  ballot;  the  treasurer  to  be 
elected  by  the  executive  committee. 

"Art.  VIII.  Term  of  Office.  —  No  president  or  vice-president 
shall  be  eligible  to  the  same  office  more  than  two  successive 
years;  the  secretary,  assistant  secretary  and  treasurer  as  often 
as  they  may  be  elected. 

"Art.  IX.  Organization. — This  body  shall  be  organized  as  fol- 
lows :  1.  The  enrollment  of  members.  2.  The  election  of  pres- 
ident and  vice-president,  secretary  and  assistant  secretary,  as 
per  Art.  7. 

"  Art.  X.  Order  of  Business. — The  order  of  business  shall  be  : 
1.  Divine  service.  2.  Invite  visiting  brethren  to  seats.  3.  Hear  a 
statement  from  all  messengers  willing  to  give  it,  about  the  con- 
dition and  needs  of  their  part  of  the  field.  4.  Hear  reports 
of  missionaries,  and  a  statement  from  each  one  present  as  to  the 
condition  and  wants  of  their  immediate  fields.  5.  After  all  in- 
formation thus  gained,  we  shall  then  have  a  general  discussion 
of  missions. 

"Art.  XI.  Collections. — No  public  collections  for  any  object  save 
missions  shall  be  taken  by  this  body  during  the  sitting. 

"Art.  XII.  The  Interim. — During  the  interim  between  the  an- 
nual meetings  of  this  society  the  business  shall  be  conducted  by 
an  executive  committee  composed  of  five  members  convenient- 
ly located  for  the  transaction  of  business,  and,  if  practicable, 
one  from  the  bounds  of  each  district  association  in  the  state. 

"Sec.  1.  They  shall  elect  their  chairman,  corresponding  secre- 
tary and  treasurer. 

"  Sec.  2.  Any  three  members  of  the  above  number,  including 
the  president  and  secretary,  shall  be  a  quorum  for  the  transac- 
tion of  business. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETIES    OF    MISSOURI,  747 

"  Sec.  3.  They  shall  meet  as  often  as  they  think  their  business 
demands. 

"Sec.  4.  All  funds  committed  to  their  hands  for  mission  work 
shall  be  faithfully  expended  on  missions,  and  not  on  agents. 

"Art.  XIII.  In  case  of  interruption  in  the  regular  meetings  of 
this  body,  the  executive  committee  shall  be  authorized  to  call  a 
meeting. 

"Art.  XIY.  Committees. — The  following  committees,  each  to  be 
composed  of  three  members,  shall  be  appointed  annually  by  the 
president  to  report  at  the  same  meeting  :  1.  On  enrollment. 
2.  On  religious  exercises.  3.  On  arrangement  of  business.  4. 
On  nomination  of  executive  committee.  5.  On  gospel  destitu- 
tion.    6.  On  foreign  missions.     7.  On  Sunday-schools. 

"Art.  XV.  Duty  of  Executive  Committee. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of 
the  executive  committee,  1.  To  secure  the  raising  of  missionary 
funds  by  appointing  collectors  on  principles  of  strict  economy. 
2.  To  appoint  and  sustain  suitable  missionaries  in  fields  of  des- 
titution. 3.  To  appoint  a  collector  to  raise  funds  for'  foreign 
mission  purposes,  and  forward  the  same  according  to  the  direc- 
tion of  the  donors.  4.  To  appoint  a  Sunday-school  missionary,  if 
deemed  proper.  5.  To  combine  religious  colportage  with  the 
mission  work  when  deemed  practicable. 

"Art.  XVI.  Amendments. — This  constitution  may  be  amended  at 
a  regular  annual  meeting  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members 
present,  provided  due  notice  of  such  amendment  be  given  one 
year  previous." 

The  following  from  the  committee  on  resolutions  were  adopted : 

"  Whereas,  Some  good  brethren  have  evidently  misunderstood 
the  design  of  this  missionary  organization;  therefore,  be  it 

''Resolved,  1.  That  we  most  earnestly  disclaim  any  intention  or 
design  on  our  part  to  oppose  or  hinder  the  missionary  work  of 
the  G-eneral  Association  of  Missouri  Baptists  in  giving  the  gospel 
to  sinners. 

''Resolved,  2.  That  we,  as  a  body,  are  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
work  of  all  our  denominational  schools  and  colleges  in  giving 
religious  education  to  the  rising  generation,  and  especially  would 
we  encourage  increased  liberality  on  the  part  of  all  Baptists  in 
aiding  our  colleges  to  educate  our  rising  ministry." 

The  executive  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  D.  H. 
Gillaspy,  J.  T.  Bradley,  J.  B.  Weber  and  D.  B.  Ray,  with  D- 
J.  Hancock,  as  treasurer.  On  Sunday  pledges  of  $115,  and  cash 
amounting  to  $3.70,  were  raised  for  missionary  purposes. 


748  MISSIONARY    SOCIETIES   OP   MISSOU&L 

"The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  society  was  held  at  Mt.  Salem 
Church,  Eandolph  County,  Missouri,  beginning  August  6,  1881. 
Bev.  Jehu  Robinson,  in  the  absence  of  the  appointee,  preached 
the  opening  sermon  and  was  afterwards  elected  president.  About 
fifty  names  were  enrolled  as  members  of  the  society,  and  on  Sun- 
day Eld.  D.  B.  Eay  conducted  the  collection  for  missions,  amount- 
ing to  $1,000  in  cash  and  pledges.  $200  were  ah'eady  in  the  hands 
of  the  treasurer."  (From  American  Baptist  Flag,  Aug.  10,  1881.) 
THE  MISSOUEI  BAPTIST  WOMAIs^'S  MISSIONAKY  SOCIETY. 

In  October,  1876,  at  Hannibal,  Missouri,  preliminary  steps  were 
taken  which  resulted  subsequently  in  the  permanent  organiza- 
tion of  the  Missouri  Baptist  Woman's  Missionary  Society.  The 
meeting  for  this  purpose  was  held  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church 
house,  Liberty,  Missouri,  April  8,  1877.  The  society  is  auxiliary 
to  the  foreign  mission  board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion. Its  object  is  to  enlist  the  active  sympathy  and  co-opera- 
tion of  the  sisterhood  of  the  state  in  the  work  of  foreign  mis- 
sions. "To  accomplish  this  a  system  of  life  memberships  and  lo- 
cal or  auxiliary  societies  in  the  churches,  has  been  adopted. 
Twenty  dollars  given  at  one  time  constitutes  the  giver  a  life 
member.  The  leading  feature  in  the  local  societies  is  the  collec- 
tion of  one  cent  a  week  from  the  entire  membership  of  the  church- 
es for  foreign  missions. 

The  following  were  chosen  officers  at  the  first  meeting:  Mrs. 
O.  P.  Moss,  president  and  treasurer;  Miss  Maggie  Emerson, sec- 
retary; and  Mrs.  R.  B.  Semple,  Mrs.  R.  S.  Adkins,  Mrs.  Flora 
Thompson  and  Miss  Sallie  Stone,  directors. 

The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Lexington^  Mo.,  October 
25,  1877,  which  was  the  second  day  of  the  session  of  the  "General 
Association.  At  that  time  over  30  auxiliary  societies  were 
reported  as  having  been  formed,  and  25  life  members  enrolled. 
There  were  in  1881  over  60  local  societies  reporting  to  the  treas- 
urer of  this  society,  which  had  contributed  during  the  year  clos- 
ing October  21,  $1,123  for  the  objects  of  this  society. 

Mrs.  Oliver  Perry  Moss, — the  first  president  of  the  society, 
was  born  in  Clay  County,  Missouri,  July  2,  1823,  Her  father, 
the  late  Col.  John  Thornton,  was  a  distinguished  pioneer  of 
Northwest  Missouri.  She  was  carefully  reared  and  educated, 
and  supplemented  during  her  early  years  of  womanhood  the 
work  of  the  schoolmaster  with  varied  reading.  She  was  from 
maturity  a  close  reader  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  works  of  a 
religious  type. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETIES    OP    MISSOURI. 


749 


She  became  the  wife  of  the  late  Captain  Oliver  Perry  Moss 
December  21,  1837,  and  was  to  him  a  faithful  and  affectionate 
helpmeet  for  forty-four  years.  She  was  converted  under  the 
preaching  of  Dr.  A.  P.  Williams  and  united  with  the  Second 
Baptist  Church  of  Liberty,  Clay  County,  Missouri,  July  7,  1844, 
after  which  event  her  obligations  to  Christ  absorbed  the  larger 
portion  of  her  thoughts,  while  at  the  same  time  her  duties  growing 
out  of  the  different  relations  of  life  were  enthusiastically  dis- 
charged. Her  activity  and  zeal  have  given  her  prominence,  and 
she  is  widely  known  in  the  Baptist  churches  in  the  state. 

Some  years  be- 
fore the  forma- 
tion of  the  gen- 
eral society,  she 
was  agent,  at  Lib- 
erty, for  both  the 
foreign  and  the 
home  boards  of 
the  Southern 
Baptist  Conven- 
tion, and  she  was 
made  president 
of  the  foreign 
missionary  soci- 
ety at  Liberty  at 
its  organization 
in  1869.  This  was 
the  first  society 
in  Missouri,  aux- 
iliary  to  the 
Southern  Baptist 
Convention,  and, 
wethink,  the  first 
foreign  missionary  society  among  the  Baptists  in  the  state.  In 
October,  1876,  she  was  chosen  temporary  president  of  the  Missouri 
Baptist  Woman's  Missionary  Society  in  its  preliminary  meeting, 
and  in  the  following  April,  when  the  organization  of  the  society 
was  consummated,  she  became  its  permanent  president,  and  has 
filled  that  position  ever  since. 

With  her  husband  she  has  been  the  constant  friend  of  William 
Jewell  College,  and  one  of  their  latest  acts  was  a  gift  to  that  in- 
stitution of  a  large  collection  of  books,  valued  at  over 


MRS.    0.    P.   MOSS, 


750  MISSIONARY    SOCIETIES   OP    MISSOURI. 

Mrs.  Moss  has  two  strong  elements  of  character — intense  en- 
thusiasm and  great  tenacity  of  purpose.  Hence  she  abandons  a 
design  only  when  its  impracticability  becomes  apparent.  At  the 
same  time  she  is  womanly  and  pursues  her  plans  with  a  persua- 
sive courtesy  that  often  wins  where  argument  would  fail.  She 
is  highly  emotional,  very  sympathetic,  essentially  romantic  in, 
temperament,  of  a  lively  fancy,  wishing  kind  things  to  all  and 
evil  to  none.  She  is  now  verging  on  her  threescore  years,  look- 
ing at  the  setting  and  no  more  at  the  rising  sun,  and,  with  un- 
wavering faith  in  the  promises  of  the  Eedeemer,  she  awaits  His 
call  to  enter  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  no  one  more  fervently  sings 

"  Rock  of  ages  cleft  for  me. 
Let  me  bide  myself  in  thee." 

Always  willing  to  excuse  or  palliate,  there  are  in  her  history 
but  few  contests  and  little  bitterness.  Of  gracious  manners,  full 
information,  quick  appreciation,  facile  and  clear  expression  of 
thought,  she  has  at  all  times  been  a  welcome  person  in  social  life. 

THE  WOMAN'S  BAPTIST  FOEEIGN  MISSIONAEY  SOCIETY  OF 
MISSOURI.* 

This  society  is  auxiliary  to  the  Woman's  Baptist  Missionary 
Society  of  the  West,  located  at  Chicago,  Illinois. 

This  society  met  in  the  parlor  of  the  Third  Baptist  Church, 
St.  Louis,  October  21,  1881,  Mrs.  W.  A.  McPhail,  state  secretary 
of  the  society  of  the  West,  acting  as  President,  and  Mrs.  Dr. 
Cooper  as  recording  secretary.  This  new  society  organized  for 
business,  and  the  above  name  was  adopted,  and  it  was  decided 
that  hereafter  the  society  hold  its  meetings  in  connection  with 
the  General  Association. 

The  following  was  adopted  as  the  constitution.  [Here  follows 
nine  articles  defining  the  name  of  the  society,  its  objects,  officers, 
their  duties,  &c.] 

"Art.  II.  Object.  This  society  shall  have  for  its  object,  confer- 
ence and  correspondence  between  the  different  associational  so- 
cieties of  the  state,  seeking  to  obtain  and  impart  information  as 
to  the  best  methods  of  foreign  missionary  work  in  the  home  de- 
partment, and  planning  work  for  the  year,  including  arrange- 
ments for  time,  place  and  programmes  of  the  annual  meeting." 

The  society  proceeded  to  the  election  of  officers  as  follows: 

President. — Mrs.  C.  W.  Tolfree,  of  Springfield,  Mo. 

Vice-president. — Mrs.  J.  F.  Cook,  La  Grange,  Mo. 

Corresponding  Secretary. — Miss  Theodosia  Ray,  St.  Louis. 

*  From  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  XVI,  No.  44. 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETIES    OF    MISSOURI.  751 

Recording  Secretary. — Mrs.  E.  M.  Coggeshall,  St.  Louis. 

Executive  Committee. — Mrs.  D.  J.Hancock,  Mrs.  C.  C.  Mallonee, 
Mrs.  ]Sr.  C.  Hudson,  Mrs.  W.  A.  McPhail  and  Mrs.  A.  C.  Avery. 

The  society  adjourned  to  meet  with  tlie  General  Association 
at  Springfield,  Mo.,  October,  1882. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


THE  GEEMAN  BAPTIST  CHUECHES  OF  MISSOUEI. 

First  German  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis — C.  Schoemaker — F.  W.  Glatfeld — E.  S. 
Kupfer — C.  West — J.  S.  Gubelmann — J.  C.  Haselhuhu — C.  Ohlgart — J.  M. 
Hoefflin — First  German  Baptist  Church,  Concordia,  Lafayette  Coimty — C.  Kresse 
— Chr.  Werner — A.  Hausler — First  German  Baptist  Church,  Pin  Oak  Creek — A. 
Kauschenbusch — A.  Hoffman — First  German  Baptist  Church,  Higginsville,  Lafay- 
ette County— F.  W.  Greife. 

THE  state  of  Missouri  has  but  four  German  Baptist  churches 
within  its  limits.  The  oldest  one  is  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis, 
and  is  known  as  the 

First  German  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis. — This  church  is  lo- 
cated on  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  and  Carr  Streets.  It  was  or- 
ganized in  the  month  of  January,  1850,  with  19  constituent  mem- 
bers, partly  of  the  Dutch  and  partly  of  the  German  nationality ;  all 
of  whom  were  at  the  time  members  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church. 
Two  brethren  of  this  number  were  ordained  to  the  gospel  minis- 
try on  the  same  day  that  the  church  was  organized.  F.  W.  Glat- 
feld was  to  preach  in  German  and  C.  Schoemaker  in  Dutch. 

A  happy  occurrence  for  the  infant  church  took  place  about  the 
same  time.  A  number  of  German  families  who  had  come  from 
Germany  together,  had  just  organized  themselves  into  a  Presby- 
terian church,  and  extended  a  call  to  Eev.  A.  Eauschenbusch  (an 
old  acquaintance  to  most  of  them,  a  Lutheran  minister,  and  at  the 
time  colporteur  for  the  American  Tract  Society)  to  become  their 
pastor.  On  a  visit  to  this  state  some  time  after,  Mr.  Eauschen- 
busch came  to  the  city  and  visited  this  band  of  Presbyterians 
and  held  conference  with  them ;  but  instead  of  talking  with  them 
regarding  the  matter  of  becoming  their  pastor,  he  spoke  with 
them  concerning  his  conviction  of  the  scriptural  mode  of  bap- 
tism by  immersion.  He  was  not  yet  himself  baptized.  Much 
taken  by  surprise  at  the  new  departure  of  their  friend  and  spir- 
itual adviser,  it  led  them  to  search  the  Scriptures  more  prayer- 
fully, and  very  soon  13  heads  of  families,  26  in  all,  left  the  Pres- 
byterian ranks  and  were  baptized  by  Eev.  C.  Schoemaker.  This 
number  may  be  considered  the  actual  original  nucleus  of  the 
German  Baptist  church  of  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


THE    GERMAN   BAPTIST   CHURCHES   OP   MISSOURI. 


753 


About  the  month  of  May,  the  same  year,  Eev.  E.  S.  Kupfer,  a 
Swiss  by  birth,  came  to  St.  Louis  from  Newark,  N.  J.,  upon  the 
advice  of  Eev.  Eauschenbuseh,  and  preached  to  the  German 
church  for  about  eight  months.  He  baptized  a  number  of  per- 
sons, among  whom  was  also  Eev.  A.  Eauschenbuseh.  According 
to  some  of  the  old  church  minutes  it  seems  that  Eev.  C.  Schoe- 
maker,  hitherto  pastor  of  the  Dutch  portion  of  the  church,  be- 
came pastor  of  the  G-erman  church  and  remained  such  until  the 
fall  of  1852. 

In  May,  1853,  Eev.  C.  "West  settled  with  the  church  and  re- 
mained about  tvvo  years.  Prom  March,  1855,  until  May,  1857, 
the  church  was  with- 
out a  pastor,  when 
Eev.  A.  Hausler  be- 
came pastor  and  re- 
mained until  the  fall 
of  1860. 

Again  it  seems  that 
the  church  was  with- 
out a  pastor  for  some- 
thing over  two  years, 
when  Eev.  J .  S.  Gubel- 
mann  became  the  pas- 
tor and  remained  with 
the  church  until  Sep- 
tember, 1868.  Under 
the  leadership  of  Eev. 
J.  S.  Gubelmann  the 
present  house  of  wor- 
ship was  built. 

Eev.  J.  G.  Hasel- 
huhn,  at  present  ed- 
itor of  Der  Sendbote,  a 
periodical  of  the  German  Baptists  of  North  America,  was  pastor 
of  the  church  from  January,  1869,  until  December,  1871.  From  this 
time  on  until  June,  1876,  the  church  was  supplied  by  the  Breth- 
ren C.  Eoos,  C.  Eabe,  E.  Tschirch  and  H.  Gellert,  upon  which 
Eev.  C.  Ohlgart  became  pastor  and  remained  over  three  years. 

Eev.  J.  M.  Hoefflin  was  pastor  in  1882.  The  church  has  a  member- 
ship of  about  145  and  has  been  doing  a  precious  mission  work  at 
two  mission  stations  and  at  three  Sunday-schools.     The  church 
property  is  worth  about  $15,000. 
48 


From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia." 
REV.  J.  S.  GUBELMANN. 


754  the  german  baptist  churches  of  missouri. 

First  German  Baptist  Church,  Concordia,  Lafayette  Coun- 
ty,— was  organized  July  13,  1851.  Eev.  C.  Kresse  was  instru- 
mental in  leading  quite  a  number  of  his  German  kinsmen  to 
Christ.  The  little  church  at  the  time  of  the  organization  num- 
bered 13  members.  Eev.  C.  Kresse  remained  pastor  of  this  lit- 
tle flock  until  1864,  when  Eev.  Chr.  Werner,  who  had  recent- 
ly come  from  Germany,  took  charge  of  the  church,  but  remain- 
ed only  a  few  months.  After  this  the  church  was  without  a  pas- 
tor for  about  two  years,  when  in  May,  1866,  Eev.  A.  Hausler  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church,  and  labored  with  them  until  April  1, 
1870.  From  this  time  until  September,  1872,  the  church  was 
supplied  again  by  Eev.  C.  Kresse. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  1872,  Eev.  C.  Schoemaker  tookcharge 
and  was  still  the  active  and  beloved  pastor  in  1882,  the  church 
numbering  122  members.  They  have  one  mission  station  and 
two  Sunday-schools. 

The  church  property  is  worth  81,800. 

First  German  Baptist  Church,  Pin-Oak  Creek,  Missouri,— 
was  organized  in  1855  under  the  leadership  of  Eev.  A.  Eausch- 
enbusch,  professor  of  the  German  department  of  the  Eochester 
Theological  Seminary.  He  remained  with  the  church  three 
years,  after  which  the  church  ordained  A.  Hoffmann,  who  was 
at  the  time  one  of  their  number,  to  the  gospel  ministry.  He  has 
been  the  pastor  up  to  the  present  time  (1882),  a  period  of24  3'ears. 
Eev.  A.  Hoffman  is  a  devoted  minister  of  Christ.  The  church 
numbered  47  members  in  1882. 

First  German  Baptist  Church,  Higginstille,  Lafayette 
County,  Missouri, — was  organized  in  May,  1868,  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Eev.  A.  Hausler,  pastor  at  the  time  of  the  church  in 
Concordia,  Missouri.  The  church  numbered  23  at  the  time  of 
its  organization.  Eev.  A.  Hausler  served  the  church  from  1868 
until  1872,  Eev.  C.  Schoemaker  while  pastor  in  Concordia, 
served  them  from  1872  until  1877,  after  which  Eev.  F.  W.  Greife, 
was  called  as  pastor  of  the  church  and  was  in  that  office  July  9, 
1882.  The  church  has  a  membership  of  72.  The  church  prop- 
erty is  worth  81,500. 

While  the  growth  of  the  German  churches  seems  slow,  it  has 
nevertheless  been  a  healthful  one.  A  heartier  co-operation  on 
the  part  of  the  English  speaking  churches,  especially  in  regard 
to  financial  aid,  would  prove  a  mighty  means  in  carrying  the 
cause  along  more  rapidly.* 

*  llev.  J.  M.  Hoeffliu,  paBtor  of  First  German  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis. 


CHAPTER  YIll. 


THE  AFEICAN  BAPTIST  CHUECHES  OF  MISSOUEI. 

First  African  Church,  St.  Louis — The  Little  Sunday-school — J.  B.  Meachum,  His 
Method  of  Emancipation — Second  African  Church,  St.  Louis — W.  P.  Brooks — 
North  Missouri  Association — Faith  of — First,  Second  and  Third  Districts  of 
— Eastern  and  Western  Divisions  of — Union  (Colored)  Association,  Beginning  of 
— Its  Churches — Emanuel  Cartwright. 

FIEST  African  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis.  —  "In  March, 
1818,  Messrs.  Peck  and  Welch,  missionaries  of  the  Baptist 
General  Convention,  organized  a  Sunday-school  in  the  village  of 
St.  Louis,  for  colored  people,  with  fourteen  pupils.  To  accom- 
modate the  feelings  of  the  slave-holding  community,  certificates 
were  required  from  their  masters  or  owners.  By  pursuing  a 
conciliatory  course,  the  approbation  of  the  influential  citizens 
of  the  town  and  vicinity  was  gained.  In  a  few  weeks  the  num- 
ber of  attendants,  adults  and  children,  averaged  from  90  to  100. 
They  were  taught  to  read  and  instructed  in  the  Scriptures.  A 
part  of  the  time  was  occupied  with  religious  worship.  Many 
became  hopefully  converted,  were  baptized  and  united  with  the 
church.  It  was  soon  found  expedient  and  profitable  to  hold  sep- 
arate meetings  for  this  class.  In  1822  they  were  formed  into  a 
separate  branch,  but  still  under  the  supervision  of  the  white 
brethren.  For  several  years  they  were  visited  monthly  by  J. 
M.  Peck,  who  exercised  supervision  over  their  meetings  and 
guided  them  in  discipline.  In  1827  they  erected  and  finished  a 
plain  and  comfortable  brick  house  for  worship,  in  which  they 
were  partially  aided  by  the  citizens.  The  same  year  they  were 
organized  into  a  separate  and  independent  church.  John  Berry 
Meachum,  a  free  man  of  color,  became  their  pastor,  with  several 
assistants,  who  exhorted  and  instructed  the  people. 
"J.  B.  Meachum — was  born  a  slave,  but  obtained  his  freedom  by 
his  own  industry.  The  next  step  was  to  procure  funds  by  labor, 
and  purchase  his  father,  a  slave,  and  a  Baptist  preacher  in  Vir- 
ginia. He  was  then  a  resident  of  Kentucky,  where  he  married 
a  slave,  and  where  he  professed  religion.  His  wife's  master  re- 
moving to  Missouri,  Meachum  followed  her,  and  arrived  in  St. 
Louis  with  three  dollars  in  1815.     Being  a  carpenter  and  cooper. 


756  THE    AFRICAN    BAPTIST    CHURCHES   OF    MISSOURI. 

he  soon  obtained  business,  purchased  his  wife  and  children,  com- 
menced preaching,  and  was  ordained  in  1825.  In  tbe  next  ten 
years  he  purchased,  including  adults  and  children,  about  twenty 
slaves :  he  never  sold  them  again.  His  method  was  to  place 
them  at  service,  encourage  them  to  form  habits  of  industry  and 
economy,  and  when  they  had  paid  for  themselves  he  set  them 
free.  In  1835  he  built  a  steamboat,  which  he  provided  with  a 
library  and  made  it  a  temperance  boat.  He  was  then  worth  about 
S25,000.  Nor  was  he  less  enterprising  and  successful  in  relig- 
ious matters.  Within  less  than  eight  years  from  the  time 
the  First  African  Church  became  an  independent  body  (in  1827) 
it  consisted  of  220  members,  of  which  about  200  were  slaves.  A 
large  Sabbath-school,  a  temperance  society,  a  deep-toned  mis- 
sionary spirit,  uncommon  order  and  correctness  among  the  slave 
population,  and  strict  and  regular  discipline  in  the  church,  were 
among  the  fruits  of  his  arduous  and  persevering  labor  in  St. 
Louis."  (From  Allen's  Begister,  1836,  pp.  279,  '80.) 

Meachum  continued  pastor  of  the  First  African  Church  for  38 
years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Emanuel  Cartwright;  he  by  Henry 
Thompson,  and  he  by  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  pastor  in  1880.  All 
the  colored  Baptist  churches  in  St.  Louis  are  the  outgrowth  of 
this  body. 

Second  Colored  Baptist  Church. — By  the  year  1846  the  old 
First  Church  had  increased  to  about  800  members,  and  the  same 
year  22  members  withdrew  from  it  and  formed  what  was  then 
called  the  Second  Colored,  but  now  the  Eighth  Street  Colored 
Baptist  Church.  The  first  pastor  of  this  new  interest  was  Eich- 
ard  Snethen,  once  owned  by  Mrs.  Dorcas  Duncan,  the  mother  of 
Eld.  Lewis  Duncan.  He  was  a  native  of  Virginia  and  was  brought 
to  Missouri  a  slave  about  the  year  1840  or  before.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  pastoral  office  at  the  expiration  of  one  j'ear  by  J. 
R.  Anderson,  who  continued  in  this  relation  until  his  death  in 
1862.  In  1852  the  present  church  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Eighth 
Street  and  Christy  Avenue  Avas  erected,  its  first  cost  being  for 
the  lot  S500,  and  for  building  §3,000.  In  three  years  the  church 
had  increased  to  195  members,  and  by  the  year  1872  it  numbered 
991.  One  of  the  prominent  constituent  members  was  Wm.  P. 
Brooks,  who  subsequently  became  a  preacher  and  traveled  over 
a  large  portion  of  the  state. 

William  P.  Brooks  —  was  born  in  Essex  County,  Virginia, 
December  26,  1826,  the  property  of  Thomas  Pitts,  and  moved  to 
Missouri  in  March,  1842.    He  united  with  the  First  African  Bap- 


THE   AFRICAN    BAPTIST    CHURCHES    OE    MISSOURI.  75t 

tist  Church,  St.  Louis,  then  under  the  pastoral  care  of  J.  B. 
Meachum.  In  September,  1864,  the  Northwestern  and  Southern 
Colored  Baptist  Convention  was  organized  in  the  Eighth  Street 
Colored  Baptist  Church,  for  the  "  evangelizing  of  the  western 
states  and  territories."  This  body  at  once  appointed  William 
P.  Brooks,  then  a  liccntate,  missionary  for  Missouri.  He  was  in- 
structed to  gather  the  colored  Baptists  of  the  state  into  churches. 
In  November  following  Mr.  Brooks  was  ordained.  From  his 
first  appointment  he  commenced  active  operations,  and  in  Sep- 
tember, 1865,  organized  the  First  Colored  Baptist  Church,  War- 
rensburg.  At  this  time,  outside  of  St.  Louis,  colored  churches 
were  known  to  exist  only  in  Hannibal,  St.  Joseph,  Jefferson 
City  and  probably  Lexington.  In  the  winter  of  the  same  year 
Eld.  Brooks  visited  Boonville  and  formed  the  First  Colored 
Baptist  Church  in  that  town,  of  20  members;  and  in  the  spring 
of  1866  Chesterfield  Church  was  gathered  by  him,  of  25  members. 
Then  followed  the  organization  of  the  First  Colored  Baptist 
Church  of  Columbia,  of  12  members,  in  July,  1866,  and  the  same 
month  the  First  Colored  Baptist  Church  of  Louisiana  was  formed 
with  the  same  number  of  constituents.  During  the  summer  of  1866 
Mr.  Brooks  organized  the  Mount  Zion  Church,  St.  Louis,  of  mem- 
bers principally  from  the  Eighth  Street  Colored  Church.  Tipton 
Colored  Baptist  Church  was  the  next  organized  in  the  same  sum- 
mer. In  the  fall  of  1866  he  gathered  into  an  organization  the 
Colored  Baptist  Church  of  Rocheport,  and  another  in  New  London 
in  the  early  spring  of  1867.  In  April,  1867,  he  formed  the  First 
Colored  Baptist  Church,  Huntsville,  being  assisted  by  W.  R. 
Eothwell.  Eld.  Brooks  had  been  preaching  at  this  point  about  a 
year,  during  which  time  near  100  had  been  added  to  the  Baptist 
numbers,  mostly  by  baptism.  Mexico  is  next  in  order.  The 
First  Colored  Baptist  Church  of  this  city  was  founded  in  the 
summer  of  1867,  by  Eld.  Brooks,  assisted  by  Eld.  S.  A.  Beau- 
champ,  pastor  of  the  white  church. 

Eld.  Brooks  prosecuted  his  missionary  labors,  being  from 
early  in  the  year  1866  under  the  appointment  of  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  He  thus  continued  until  the  close 
of  1867.  In  January,  1868,  he  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office 
in  the  Chambers  Street  Colored  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  to 
which  he  gave  three-fourths  of  his  time,  devoting  the  other 
fourth  to  itinerating.  He  continued  at  Chambers  Street  Church 
6  years  and  9  months,  when  he  returned  to  the  mission  field  and 
so  continued  until  1879. 


758  THE    AFRICAN    BAPTIST    CHURCHES    OF    MISSOURI, 

NOETH  MISSOURI  ASSOCIATION. 

This  was  the  first  association  of  African  Baptists  in  Missouri, 
having  been  formed  at  Chillicothe  in  September,  1866;  the -de- 
sign of  which  was  to  embrace  all  the  churches  of  this  order  in 
the  state.  (Up  to  this  writing  we  have  been  unable  to  procure 
the  names  of  the  churches  and  ministers  in  this  new  organiza- 
tion.) 

The  object  of  this  organization  is  thus  stated  in  its  constitu- 
tion : 

''Art.  2.  The  object  of  this  association  shall  be  to  promote 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  this  state,  and  the  thorough  evan- 
gelization of  the  race." 

The  North  Missouri  Association  continued  as  one  body  for  five 
years,  when  in  1871  it  was  divided  into  two  districts,  numbers 
one  and  two;  the  preliminary  meeting  for  the  formation  of  the 
second  district  having  been  held  at  Lexington,  during  the  ses- 
sion of  the  old  North  Missouri  Association,  in  1870,  at  which 
time  a  meeting  was  appointed  at  Independence  for  September 
21,  1871,  when  the  North  Missouri  Colored  Baptist  Association 
second  district,  was  fully  organized.  This  body  was  composed 
of  all  the  churches  of  the  old  North  Missouri  that  were  south 
of  the  Missouri  Eiver — 18  in  all,  with  2,537  members.  In  1878 
this  association  was  divided  and  another  body  formed  called 
The  third  district  of  the  North  Missouri  Colored  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation. This  was  consummated  November  8, 1878,  at  Cape  G-irar- 
deau.  Its  territory  was  all  that  portion  of  the  state  south  of 
St.  Louis  County  and  east  of  Franklin  County.  The  Frederick- 
town,  Charleston,  Cape  Girardeau,  Wolf  Island,  Texas  Bend, 
Bird's  Point,  Big  Lake  and  Potosi  colored  Baptist  churches  were 
the  constituents  of  this  association  ;  in  all,  nine,  with  144  mem- 
bers.    The  money  collected  was  $27. 

The  North  Missouri  Association,  District  No.  1,  gained 
strength  rapidly  and  numbered  42  churches  in  1872,  only  one 
year  after  the  division.  In  1880  having  grown  to  73  churches, 
it  again  divided  into  the  Eastern  and  Western  Divisions. 

The  Eastern  Division  of  the  North  Missouri  Association  was 
formed  at  Columbia,  September  13, 1880,  at  the  close  of  the  16th 
annual  session  of  the  old  North  Missouri.  Its  territory  em- 
braced the  counties  of  Schuyler,  Adair,  Macon,  Eandolph,  Scot- 
land, Knox,  Shelby,  Monroe,  Audrain,  Boone,  Callaway,  Clarke, 
Lewis,  Marion,  Pike,  Ealls,  Lincoln,  Warren,  St.  Charles,  Mont- 
gomery, Putnam  and  Sullivan. 


THE    AFRICAN    BAPTIST    CHURCHES    OF    MISSOURI.  759 

The  Northwestern  Division  of  the  North  Missouri  Baptist 
Association  was  organized  at  the  close  of  the  session  of  the  North 
Missouri  Association  at  Columbia,  September  13,  1880,  em- 
bracing all  the  counties  in  Missouri  north  of  the  Missouri  River 
and  west  of  the  territory  of  the  Eastern  Division. 

IINTOX  (COLORED)  BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION. 

This  fraternity  was  organized  in  1869 — most  likely  in  the  old 
First  African  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis.  It  was  composed  of 
churches  mainly  in  Eastern  Missouri  and  south  of  the  Missouri 
Eiver.  Rev.  Emanuel  Cartwright  was  the  leading  spirit  and 
moderator  of  this  body  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  attend  its  meet- 
ings. In  1871  this  association  was  composed  of  25  churches, 
Pleasant  Hill  and  Harrisonville,  Cass  County,  being  the  only 
two  west  of  Jefferson  City. 

In  1880  the  colored  Baptists  of  the  state  furnished  the  follow- 
ing statistics  :  total  number  of  churches,  147 ;  ministers,  70 ;  com- 
municants, 10,980. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
BIOGEAPHICAL. 

David  Anderson — Samuel  Boone — J.  C.  Armstrong — Xathan  Aatcs — ^L  J.  Breaker 
— S.  Driskoll— Josiah  Duncan— B.  F.  Edwards— W.  L.  T.  E^ans- Wm.  Euqua 
— Henry  Farmer — Joseph  Flood — Jno.  P.  Glover— J.  N.  Griffin — Jno.  C.  Hern- 
don— Tyree  C.  Harris— Jesse  A.  Hollis— E,  C.  Hill— ■\\'ade  JM.  Jackson— J.  P. 
Jesse — K,  M.  Jones — Wm.  M.  Jones — J.  T.  M.  Johnson — W.  P.  Lanier — Evan 
Lawler— E.  Landers—,!.  H.  Luther— :Nr.  P.  IMatheny- A.  G.  Jlitchell— John  S. 
Major — Walter  j\IcQuie — Jno.  E.  Moore — David  Orr — Joab  Powell — Thos.  Pitts 
— J.  W.  Kenshaw — Wm.  Rice — James  Schofield — A.  Sherwood — A.  B.  Snethen 
— Elisha  Sutton— William  Thompson— Thos.  Taylor— M.  A.  Taylor— O.  Tomp- 
kins—Leonard  Turley  —  0.  C.  Tipton— E.  Towler — James  Walker — Anderson 
AYoods— A.  Baker— Peter  Browi— :M.  T.  Bibb— R.  F.  Babb— B.  Baker— J.  W. 
Bradley— J.  B.  Fuqua— W,  R.  Green— John  Greenalgh— R.  F.  Ellis— Wm.  Fer- 
guson— P.  iST.  Haycraft — S.  C.  Major — J.  F.  Smith — W.  H.  Vardeman — Jesse  B. 
Wallace — B.  F.  Lawler. 

KEY.  D.  Anderson — was  born  in  Nelson  County,  Kentucky, 
in  1806,  and  publiclj-  professed  Christ  by  baptism  when  27 
years  of  age.  In  1850  he  was  ordained  by  a  presbytery  com- 
posed of  Elders  T.  Ferguson,  M.  Cline  and  B.  Wheeler.  For 
twenty  years  he  labored  with  the  churches  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  Missouri,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  pastor  of  Mis- 
souri City  Church.  lie  died  near  Barry,  Clay  County,  July  5th, 
1870. 

The  last  year  of  Mr.  Anderson's  ministr}^  was  the  most  success- 
ful one  of  his  life.  Though  possessed  of  moderate  ability,  he  was 
"  sound  in  doctrine,  godly  in  walk,  loved  and  revered  by  all  who 
knew  him."  The  following  incident  that  occurred  during  the  last 
few  months  of  his  life,  ilhistratcs  his  faithfulness,  and  may  be 
here  recorded  as  a  warning  to  sinners: 

"While  engaged  in  a  protracted  meeting,  as  it  was  his  custom 
to  speak  personally  to  sinners,  he  approached  a  young  man,  and 
with  deep  earnestness  urged  him  then  to  make  his  peace  with 
God.  "Not  now,"  said  the  young  man.  "But,"  said  Bro.  An- 
derson, "  you  may  never  have  another  opportunity."  "  I'll  risk 
it,"  was  the  response  of  the  sinful  young  man.  It  proved  to  be 
the  last  invitation    and  last   opj^ortunity,  for  in  less  than  one 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


761 


month  the  young  man  sent  for  Bro.  Anderson  to  come  and  see 
him,  to  whom  he  said,  "  Mr.  Anderson,  I  missed  the  salvation  of  my 
soul ;  I  am  dying,  and  am  lost." 

Deacon  Samuel  Boone — was  an  early  pioneer  to  this  country. 
He  came  to  Missouri  when  it  was  a  wilderness,  and  was  for  fifty 
years  a  faithful  Baptist,  for  much  of  which  time  he  was  identi- 
fied with  the  Mt.  Horeb  Church,  Montgomery  County.  This 
church  was  organized  at  his  house  in  the  year  1833,  he  being  one 
of  the  constituent  members.  He  was  for  many  years  connected 
with  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Association,  being  identified  with 
it  in  its  darkest  hours  through  the  controversy  on  missions. 

Samuel  Boone  was  a  relative  of  Daniel  Boone,  the  pioneer  of 
Kentucky.  At  a  ripe  old  age  G-od  took  him  to  his  reward  above. 
His  death  occurred  in  the  year  1870. 

James  Clapton  Armstrong — was  boi-n  in  Franklin  County, 
Missouri,  November 
10,  1847.  The  teach- 
ing and  influence  of 
Christian  parents  did 
much  to  shape  his  af 
ter  life.  He  grew  up 
on  the  farm,  where  he 
labored  until  he  was 
twenty-one,  attending 
the  district  school 
three  months  each 
winter.  In  a  log  school- 
house  with  puncheon 
floor  and  split-log 
benches,  he  laid  the 
foundation  of  his  edu- 
cation.  In  August, 
1'867,  he  was  converted  V^ 
and  joined  the  New 
Hope  Baptist  Church. 
In  October,  1868,  he 
entered  "William  Jew- 
ell College,  compelled  by  the  lack  of  previous  advantages  to  be- 
gin with  the  preparatory  studies.  In  1874  he  took  the  degree 
of  A.  B.,  and  in  1875  the  degree  of  A.  M.  He  chiefly  supported 
himself  in  college,  partly  by  superintending  the  Students'  Board- 
ing Club,  and  partly  by  teaching  some  classes  in  Latin  and  Grreek, 


REV.  J.  0.  ARMSTRONG. 


762  BIOGRAPHICAL. 


In  June,  1875,  he  received  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Miami 
Baptist  Church,  and  was  ordained  the  month  following.  In  Oc- 
tober, 1877,  he  resigned  and  became  one  of  the  editors  of  the 
Central  Baptist.  December  26,  1877,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Em- 
ma B.  Pendleton,  of  Miami.  From  February,  1879,  to  October, 
1881,  he  was  pastor  of  the  Garrison  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  St. 
Louis,  in  connection  with  his  editorial  labors.  He  was  immedi- 
ately called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Mexico, 
and  severing  his  connection  with  the  paper,  he  moved  to  Mexico, 
May  1,  1882. 

Nathan  Ayres — is  a  member  of  the  pioneer  brigade — a  na- 
tive of  Kentucky,  born  February  22,  1808.  His  parents  were 
Baptists  and  members  at  Forks  of  Elkhorn.  "When  nine  years 
old  he  attended  a  meeting  conducted  by  Eld.  Jer.  Vardeman, 
then  in  his  prime,  and  was  deeply  convicted  of  sin,  seeing  the 
just  judgment  of  Grod  in  his  own  condemnation.*  He  prayed, 
sought  justification  by  the  law,  failed,  and  finally  gave  himself 
up  to  the  iiractice  of  many  abominable  sins.  Of  this  period  of 
his  life  he  says,  "I  cannot  understand  why  I  thus  acted  against 
light  and  knowledge.  It  seems  to  me  I  came  near  committing 
the  unpardonable  sin." 

He  continued  thus  to  live  until  about  15  years  of  age,  when, 
under  the  ministry  of  Eld.  Wm.  Rice  he  was  re-awakened  to  a 
sense  of  personal  guilt,  and  in  about  a  year  he  yielded  himself 
into  the  hands  of  a  perfect  Savior  and  found  peace  for  his  soul. 
He  soon  after  was  baptized  and  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church  at  Forks  of  Elkhorn.  A  very  large  crowd  was  attracted 
to  see  the  "  little  boy  baptized."  He  says :  "  I  felt  a  desire  to  tell 
others  what  a  dear  Savior  I  had  found  as  soon  as  I  had  an  evi- 
dence of  God's  pardoning  love.  I  talked  to  my  schoolmates  and 
exhorted  them  to  repent  of  their  sins." 

At  his  own  request  his  father  consented  to  give  him  his  portion 
of  the  estate  in  an  education.  Under  this  arrangement  he  was 
sent  to  O'Hara's  Woodford  Select  Seminary.  The  head  of  this 
institution  was  a  Catholic,  and  made  the  usual  promise  not  to  in- 
terfere with  the  religious  views  of  his  new  pupil,  but  did  all  he 
could  to  bias  the  mind  of  young  Ayres  notwithstanding.  No 
comments  are  needed.  Before  he  was  18  years  old  he  got  a  cer- 
tificate as  a  qualified  teacher  in  the  French,  Latin  and  English 
branches. 

His  church  licensed  him  to  preach  while  he  was  yet  at  school. 
His  pastor  made  an  appointment  for  him  at  the  evening  prayer- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  763 

meeting,  and  for  fear  of  being  made  a  gazing-stock  he  did  not  go. 
Subsequently,  however,  having  partially  overcome  his  timidity, 
he  went  forward  in  this  duty. 

In  the  fall  of  1828  he  came  to  Missouri  and  bought  land  in  Ma- 
rion County;  then  returned  to  Kentucky,  taught  school  for  a 
time,  and  married  Mary  E,  Eichmond  December  17,  1829,  with 
her  returning  to  Missouri  in  1830.  On  account  of  the  prevalence 
of  malarial  fever  he  went  back  to  Kentucky  the  same  year. 

His  wife  and  some  members  of  his  church  being  opposed  to  his 
preaching,  he  spent  much  of  the  next  ten  years  of  his  life  teach- 
ing school.  In  1841  he  removed  permanently  to  Missouri,  bought 
the  old  college  farm  near  West  Ely,  Marion  County,  and  united 
with  the  Pleasant  Hill  Baptist  Church  near  his  home.  Three  years 
afterwards  he  removed  near  Union  Church  in  the  same  county, 
into  which  he  and  his  wife  put  their  membership,  and  he  became 
much  more  active  in  church  work,  occupying  by  request  of  the 
church  one  Sunday  in  the  month  in  her  pulpit,  and  soon  after 
this  succeeded  Eld.  Jer.  Taylor  in  the  pastoral  oflSce,  he  having 
resigned  on  account  of  great  age.  Upon  his  election  to  this  office 
the  Union  Church  called  for  his  ordination,  which  service  was 
performed  by  Elds.  Wm.  Hurley  and  Jer.  Taylor  in  July,  1847. 
Immediately  after  his  ordination  he  baptized  one  of  his  little 
school  girls  who  had  been  converted  under  his  ministry.  He 
continued  in  the  pastoral  office  at  Marion  Church  for  ten  years, 
during  which  time  the  church  enjoyed  several  revivals  and  had 
many  ingatherings.  He  was  also  pastor  of  three  other  churches, 
which  he  visited  monthly  on  Saturdays  and  Sundays  after  the 
usual  custom,  and  returned  to  his  school-room  on  Monday,  all 
the  while  superintending  the  raising  of  a  large  family  and  the 
cultivation  of  a  farm  on  which  he  kept  a  hired  man  to  do  the 
work.  Mr.  Ayres  was  an  efficient  ininister  for  many  years  in 
Northeast  Missouri,  aided  in  oi'ganizing  a  number  of  new  church- 
es and  in  ordaining  many  preachers  and  deacons.  For  more  than 
a  year  he  traveled  as  missionary  of  the  General  Association  of 
the  state,  and  for  one  year  he  was  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
same  body,  with  headquarters  at  Palmyra.  The  method  of  work 
at  that  time  was  this :  The  state  was  divided  into  five  districts, 
three  on  the  north  side  of  the  Missouri  Eiver  and  two  on  the 
south  side,  in  each  of  which  there  was  a  general  missionary  re- 
porting to  the  corresponding  secretary  every  month.  During 
the  war  of  1861  he  spent  a  year  in  Kentucky,  and  while  there  was 
called  to  the  pastoral  care  of  old  Forks  of  Elkhorn  Church. 


764  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Brother  Ayres  is  now  an  old  man,  having  seen  seventy-four 
winters,  and  is  waiting  with  great  resignation  to  cross  the  river. 

Manly  J.  Breaker. — This  gifted  and  brilliant  young  pastor 
comes  of  a  family  of  Baptist  preachers.  His  grandfather  was  a 
Baptist  preacher;  and  his  father,  Eev.  J.  M.  C.  Breaker,  D.  D., 
highly  esteemed  and  well  known,  is  the  able  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  Houston,  Texas. 

The  subject  of  this  notice  was  born  in  New  Berne,  North  Caro- 
lina, March  9,  1850,  but  was  brought  up  in  South  Carolina,  as  his 
father  soon  returned  to  that  state.  He  was  converted  in  Septem- 
ber, 1865,  baptized  by  his  father,  and  united  with  Spartanburg 
Baptist  Church  in  South  Carolina.  His  education  was  pursued 
at  Woiford  College,  S.  C,  Washington  Universitj^,  Mo.,  "William 
Jewell  College,  Mo.,  and  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Sem- 
inary. At  this  last  institution  he  graduated  in  full  in  May,  1873; 
and  soon  after  married  Miss  Mary  Timms,  Liberty,  Mo.  His 
first  pastorate  was  at  Glasgow,  which  he  left  to  take  the  presi- 
dency of  Mount  Pleasant  College,  Huntsville.  This  he  resigned 
and  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Fayette,  Howard 
County,  Mo.,  to  which,  and  some  neighboring  churches,  he  has 
preached  ever  since,  except  three  months  that  he  spent  at  Aus- 
tin, Texas.  He  has  done  some  writing  for  the  press,  and  espe- 
cially has  he  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  the  editorial  work 
of  the  Central  Baptist,  having  for  some  time  conducted  the  Sunday- 
school  department  of  that  paper.  His  preaching  is  very  largely 
expository;  in  style  he  is  clear  and  forcible.  No  one  questions 
his  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  He 
is  fully  identified  with  the  work  of  the  Missouri  Baptist  General 
Association  and  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  As  a  the- 
ological thinker  he  is  independent  and  recognizes  no  Master  but 
Christ. 

Samuel  Driskoll — was  born  in  Rockingham  County,  North 
Carolina,  December  10,  1799.  His  early  religious  convictions 
were  deep  and  pungent,  and  followed  him  for  many  years.  At 
one  time  his  conviction  of  sin  was  so  heavy  as  to  cause  sick- 
ness, requiring  the  attendance  of  the  physician,  who  bled  him, 
but  to  no  purpose.  Getting  no  better,  he  removed  to  Tennessee, 
where  he  succeeded  in  partially  throwing  off  his  convictions  for 
three  years.  He  then  moved  to  Green  County,  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  only  four  years,  and  from  there  to  Morgan  County, 
Missouri. 

About  this  time,  at  thirty-five  years  of  age,  he  lost  two  chil- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  765 

dren,  which  added  affliction  to  his  burden  of  guilt  and  resulted 
in  the  conversion  of  himself  and  wife.  They  were  both  baptized 
at  the  same  time.  Five  years  of  hard  and  constant  struggling 
against  the  conviction  of  duU^  to  ^jreach  brought  Mr.  DriskoU 
into  a  state  oi"  mind  bordering  on  despair.  But  the  Lord  one 
evening  at  his  own  fireside  filled  his  soul  with  joy  and  his  mouth 
with  praise.  Doubting  the  genuineness  of  his  first  conversion, 
he  was  rebaptized  by  Elder  Greer,  and  began  to  preach.  His 
first  sermon  was  at  the  baptismal  waters.  He  was  now  licensed 
and  ordained,  and  continued  to  preach  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  was  opposed  to  a  paid  ministry,  and  labored  hard 
with  his  hands  to  support  a  large  family.  He  said  that  God  had 
called  him  to  preach  in  the  backwoods,  and  not  to  educated  peo- 
ple, and  yet  it  is  said  that  educated  people  were  delighted  and 
profited  by  his  preaching.  On  some  public  occasion  after  two  ed- 
ucated men  had  preached,  it  is  said  that  Eld.  Driskoll  followed  in 
exhortation  with  such  pathos  and  power  that  all  were  made  to 
weep  and  tremble.  On  another  occasion,  when  he  came  before  a 
large  audience  unexpectedly,  and  saw  the  people  clad  in  silks 
and  broadcloth,  he  looked  at  his  own  blue  jeans  clothes,  made 
by  the  hands  of  his  own  good  wife,  and  said,  "  These  clothes 
do  not  suit  here,"  and  immediately  left  the  house  and  mounted 
his  horse  and  rode  home.  His  last  hours  were  calm  and  peace- 
ful, and  he  died  as  a  child  would  go  to  sleep,  December  27, 1870. 
"  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord." 

JosiAH  Duncan. — This  brother  was  for  over  thirteen  years  a 
minister  among  the  Baptists.  He  was  born  in  Kentucky,  May 
10,  1808,  a  son  of  Rice  and  Jane  Duncan.  While  engaged  in  his 
daily  labor  he  was  converted,  and  soon  afterwards  joined  the 
Greenville  Church,  Wayne  County,  Missouri,  in  1836.  His  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Margaret  Miller  occurred  in  January,  1834.  In 
1845  he  was  ordained  a  minister,  from  which  time  he  did  much 
labor  in  the  gospel  in  the  St.  Francois  and  sister  associations. 
"  In  early  life  he  was  a  great  horse  racer  and  gambler,  but  after 
his  conversion  he  was  never  known  to  reflect,  by  word  or  deed, 
upon  his  Christian  character.  He  died  in  JN^ovember,  1858. 
(Eld.  M.  A.  Taylor's  MS.) 

Josiah  Duncan  was  distinctly  a  Baptist,  an  earnest  and  devo- 
ted gospel  minister. 

Dr.  Benjamin  F.  Edwards* — was  born  at  Darnestown,  Mary- 
land, July  2,  1797.     He  was  the  son  of  Benj.  Edwards,  who  was, 

*  By  William  Elmer,  in  Central  Baptist,  May,  1877. 


766  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

at  one  time,  member  of  Congress  from  Maryland  and  a  member 
of  the  convention  that  ratified  the  Federal  Constitution.  He 
was  described  by  Wm.  Wirt,  the  celebrated  attorney-general  of 
the  United  States,  as  being  "  one  of  nature's  great  men."  He 
possessed  great  oratorical  power,  which  on  several  occasions  he 
used  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

When  Dr.  Edwards  was  two  years  old  his  jiarents  removed  to 
Kentucky  and  settled  at  Bardstown,  where  his  early  life  was 
spent.  At  the  age  of  20  he  was  converted  and  united  with  the  Bap- 
tist church.  From  the  first  day  of  his  new  life  to  the  last  he  re- 
alized that  God  had  called  him  to  work,  and  he  immediately  en- 
tered upon  an  active  Christian  life.  In  1819  he  married  Miss 
Eliza  Green,  a  daughter  of  Willis  Green,  of  Danville,  Kentucky, 
and  soon  after  emigrated  to  Missouri,  where  he  joined  his  broth- 
er-in-law. Gen.  Duff  Green,  and  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Gov. 
Gamble  and  other  prominent  men  of  that  day. 

His  first  stay  in  Missouri  was  short;  it  lasted  only  a  year. 
He  then  returned  to  Kentucky  and  made  his  home  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Eussellville.  Here  he  practiced  medicine, the  study 
of  which  occupied  most  of  his  early  years. 

In  March,  1827,  he  removed  from  Kentucky  to  Edwardsville, 
111.,  where  his  skill  as  a  ^^hysician  soon  secured  him  a  large  prac- 
tice. His  rides  extended  so  far  from  home  as  to  make  five  relays 
of  horses  necessary  to  attend  to  his  professional  duties.  It  was 
while  a  resident  at  this  place  that  he  and  a  few  others  organized 
in  his  parlor  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Illinois  that  was  solemn- 
ly pledged  to  the  cause  of  missions.  He  also  advocated  and  with 
the  aid  of  Dr.  Peck  succeeded  in  organizing  the  first  Baptist  as- 
sociation in  Illinois  which  advocated  the  same  cause.  But  it  was 
not  in  missions  alone  that  he  was  interested.  He  realized  the 
power  of  an  educated  ministry  and  was  a  prime  mover  in  the  or- 
ganization of  Rock  Spring  Seminary. 

From  Edwardsville  he  removed  to  Alton  and  continued  to  re- 
side there  till  1846,  when  he  took  up  his  residence  in  St.  Louis. 
He  came  to  this  city  with  a  great  reputation  as  a  physician,  and 
immediately  entered  upon  a  large  practice.  Even  in  this  busy 
city  and  active  life  he  was  continually  seeking  to  promote  the 
good  of  the  Baptist  cause,  and  no  worthy  object  was  permitted 
to  pass  by  without  being  recognized  and  substantially  aided. 

In  1849,  during  the  height  of  the  gold  fever,  he  went  to  Cali- 
fornia and  spent  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  return- 
ed and  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  St.  Louis, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  767 

In  1866  he  purchased  his  beautiful  home  in  Kirkwood  and  re- 
moved there  to  enjoy  the  peace  and  quiet  of  a  country  life.  Find- 
ing no  Baptist  church  here,  he  soon  entered  upon  the  work  of 
organizing  one.  This  could  not  be  accomplished  for  some  time, 
but  at  last  his  work  was  rewarded,  and  his  dearest  wish  gratified 
when  in  1870  the  present  Baptist  church  was  founded.  Soon  af- 
ter, almost  alone,  aided  only  by  a  few,  he  entered  upon  the  work 
of  building  the  present  Baptist  house  of  worship,  and  this  neat 
brick  edifice  is  to-day  a  standing  monument  of  his  zeal  for  God 
and  his  devotion  to  His  cause.  We  realize  that  in  his  departure 
we  lose  an  earnest,  devoted  Christian,  a  thorough  Biblical  stu- 
dent and  an  earnest  worker  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  When  well, 
his  seat  at  church  or  prayer  meeting  was  never  vacant. 

The  family  of  Dr.  Edwards  comprised  Sarah,  Willis,  Benjamin, 
Frank  C.  and  Julia,  who  now  rest  with  him  in  Bellefontaine 
Cemetery;  and  Mrs.  Whittaker,  of  Kirkwood,  Mrs.  Ostrom,  of 
New  York,  Mrs.  Todd,  of  Columbia,  Mo.,  Presley,  of  Hillsboro, 
111.,  and  Cyrus,  of  Dennison,  Texas,  who  are  still  living,  besides 
many  grandchildren. 

His  death,  which  occurred  at  his  home  April  27,  1877,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  80  years,  covered  with  a  cloud  of  sorrow  the 
Baptist  church  and  community  of  Kirkwood. 

W.  L.  T.  Evans. — After  much  suffering  and  patient  endurance, 
this  man  of  God  died  of  dropsy,  at  his  home  in  Eandolph  Coun- 
ty, May  26,  1879. 

He  was  born  in  Maryland,  February  7, 1829.  His  parents  were 
John  E.  and  Catherine  Evans.  Four  years  of  his  early  life  were 
spent  in  Washington  City  with  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Ellen  Alexander, 
where  he  went  to  school. 

In  1855  he  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled  atLandmark,  Howard 
County;  thence  to  Milton,  where  he  died. 

Two  years  after  he  came  to  Missouri  he  professed  religion 
and  united  with  the  Methodists ;  three  years  thereafter,  being 
dissatisfied  with  his  baptism  and  with  the  government  of  said 
church,  he  united  with  the  Baptists  and  was  baptized  by  Elder 
W.  K.  Woods,  soon  after  which  he  was  ordained  to  the  min- 
istry by  Elds.  Jesse  Terrill  and  P.  T.  Gentry,  and  was  a  toiling 
minister  in  the  Baptist  denomination  for  nearly  twenty  years. 
His  name  is  associated  with  the  following  churches  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Howard,  Eandolph,  Monroe,  and  Shelby,  as  pastor,  viz  : 
Mount  Vernon,  Moniteau,  Friendship,  Eoanoke,  Enon,  Pleasant 
Hill,  Union,  Hickory  Grove,  Oak  Grove,  Mt.  Shiloh  and  Shiloh 


768  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

(now  Moberly).     For  several  years  he  rode  as  missionary  in 
Mt.  Pleasant  Association. 

Bro.  Evans  was  three  times  married — his  last  wife  (whom  he 
.survived  only  a  short  time)  being  the  daughter  of  the  lamented 
Eld.  Jesse  Terrill. 

He  was  a  successful  gospel  minister,  and  enjoyed  in  an  emin- 
ent degree  the  confidence  of  the  people  among  whom  he  labored 
and  died.  He  was  a  man  of  prayer,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  salvation  which  he  preached  was  through  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  He  had  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,  but  rested  sole- 
ly on  the  mediation  of  the  Son  of  God. 

The  folloAving  tribute  to  the  memory  of  Bro.  Evans,  is  from 
the  pen  of  Rev.  Jno.  C.  Shipp,  of  Kirksville,  Missouri : 

''The  sad  news  of  the  death  of  this  useful  servant  of  God,  will 
doubtless  cause  deep  feeling  in  many  a  heart.  It  occurred  on 
the  evening  of  the  26th  inst.,  and  the  funeral  took  place  on  the 
day  following  at  Hickory  Grove  Church,  Monroe  County,  Mis- 
souri. It  is  not  m}^  purpose  to  write  an  obituary,  but  say  a  word 
in  regard  to  the  elements  of  power  that  he  possessed  in  an  emi- 
nent degree. 

"That  Elder  Evans  was  a  successful  minister  of  the  gospel  we 
who  knew  him  know  quite  well.  No  man  enjoyed  more  the  con- 
fidence of  the  people  among  whom  he  lived,  labored  and  died. 
No  man  ever  exercised  a  more  commanding  influence  for  good. 

"  What  was  the  source  of  this  power?  What  secured  for  him 
the  confidence  of  the  people?  Was  it  unaided  human  wisdom  ? 
unsanctified  talent?  No;  unquestionably,  no.  It  came  of  his 
devotion  to  God,  and  truth  and  love  of  men.  Eev.  Jno.  G.  Swin- 
ney,  in  making  some  remarks  at  his  funeral  said,  '  He  was  a 
good  man  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost;'  which  was  certainly  true 
of  him. 

"He  believed  and  taught  the  religion  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He 
relied  on  Him  to  accomplish  the  work  of  salvation  both  in  him- 
self and  others,  and  not  anything  he  himself  might  say  or  do. 
He  was  an  earnest  believer  in  the  eflScacy  of  both  private  and 
public  prayer.  To  him  prayer  was  not  a  meaningless  form  ;  but 
a  source  of  divine  communion  and  a  means  of  grace.  He  was  a 
man  of  prayer. 

"In  his  preaching  he  embodied  in  warm  and  earnest  words 
the  simple  truths  of  God's  word.  Having  suff'ered  much  in  life, 
he  introduced  his  own  sorrows  into  prayer,  sermon  and  exhor- 
tation, and  that  gave  him  increased  power  over  his  hearers. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  769 

"  Socially  he  was  pleasant  and  kind,  and  always  had  a  kind 
word  for  every  one.  He  cultivated  this  element  of  success  that 
by  it  he  might  win  souls  to  Christ.  He  loved  fallen,  depraved 
men,  and  they  felt  he  loved  them.  By  these  elements  of  success, 
learned  from  God's  word,  he  secured  the  confidence  and  love  of 
all  who  knew  him.  It  may  not  be  amiss  for  me  to  say  thati  am  in- 
debted personally  to  this  departed  servant  of  God.  He  was,  of  all 
the  ministers  I  knew  in  childhood  and  youth,  first  to  drop  in  my 
ear  a  word  that  led  me  to  Christ.  He  it  was,  in  connection  with 
that  excellent  man  of  God,  Eev.  S.  Y.  Pitts,  that  most  of  all  en- 
couraged me  to  preach  the  riches  of  Christ.  He  it  was  who  pre- 
sided over  the  council  that  ordained  me.  He  it  was  who  took 
me  by  the  hand  when  just  struggling  into  spiritual  and  minister- 
ial life,  and  I  shall  embalm  his  memory  in  my  heart  and  by  the 
grace  of  God  follow  his  example  for  good  in  life." 

William  Fuqua — was  one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  Missouri. 
Of  him  Hon.  A.  P.  Miller,  of  Pike  County,  says:  "Bro.  Fuqua 
was  a  good  '  old  time '  preacher,  rather  above  the  medium  for 
talent,  in  his  day.  I  heard  him  preach  in  1836  at  Mount  Pisgah. 
I  took  him  to  be  then  about  75  years  old.  My  recollection  is 
that  he  was  a  member  of  the  Bethel  Association,  but  subsequent- 
ly left  and  became  identified  with  the  anti-mission  brethren." 

Henry  Farmer. — In  his  ancestral  relations,  this  very  worthy 
servant  of  the  Lord  and  minister  of  the  gospel  was  a  Virginian, 
but  by  birth  a  Tennesseean.  He  was  the  son  of  John  and  Sally 
Farmer;  the  grandson  of  Henry  and  Sally  Farmer;  the  great- 
grandson  of  Henry  and  Aggie  Farmer,  of  Halifax  County,  Vir- 
ginia; and  was  born  in  Anderson  County,  Tennessee,  September 
17, 1809.  In  1833  he  made  a  profession  of  religion,  was  baptized 
by  Daniel  Briggs,  of  Meigs  County,  Tennessee,  and  seven  years 
thereafter  entered  the  ministry,  having  been  ordained  July  18, 
1840. 

Bro.  Farmer  came  early  to  Missouri  and  traveled  many  thou- 
sands of  miles  in  Western  and  Southwestern  Missouri,  preaching 
the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  to  the  original  settlers  and  their 
descendants,  among  whom  he  was  highly  esteemed,  and  with 
whom  his  name  is  now  almost  a  sacred  word. 

He  died  January  30,  1870,  and  was  laid  unto  his  fathers. 

Eld.  Jeremiah  Farmer,  a  cousin,  furnishes  the  following  faets : 

Henry  Farmer  was  from  boyhood  remarkably  steady  and 
studious,  having  been  reared  on  a  farm  and  at  a  time  when  op- 
portunities for  education  were  not  good.  He  did,  however,  by 
49 


770  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

dint  of  hard  study  and  the  right  use  of  books,  succeed  in  making 
himself  a  very  respectable  scholar,  save  in  English  grammar,  in 
which  he  was  somewhat  deficient;  nevertheless,  from  his  con- 
stant familiarity  with  good  books  he  acquired  the  habit  of  using 
good  language. 

His  preaching  was  profound  and  logical,  and  at  times  eloquent 
beyond  anything  I  ever  heard,  holding  his  audiences  spell-bound. 
He  was  earnest,  but  not  boisterous,  and  often  so  pathetic  and 
tender  that  his  hearers  would  be  melted  to  tears. 

He  was  of  the  Andrew  Fuller  type  as  to  his  doctrines;  firm  in 
his  convictions,  amounting  at  times  almost  to  stubbornness.  He 
had  the  stuff  of  which  masters  are  made,  yet  he  was  courteous 
to  those  who  differed  from  him.  He  never  sought  controversy.  He 
was  eminently  successful  in  winning  souls  to  Christ.  All  his 
churches  grew  and  prospered  up  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  war. 

His  marriage  with  Miss  Clarinda  Jane  Boothe  occurred  March 
7,  1845.  She  and  four  children — two  sons  and  two  daughters — 
survive  him. 

He  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  the  spring  of  1839,  and  united 
with  the  Union  Baptist  Church,  Cass  County.  The  presbytery, 
at  his  ordination  the  year  after,  consisted  of  Joseph  White,  Wm. 
Ousley,  John  Jackson  and  John  Farmer. 

Soon  after  his  ordination  he  became  pastor  of  Union  Church 
and  continued  to  serve  it  until  within  a  short  time  of  his  death. 
He  and  Thomas  A.  Staton  organized  the  West  Fork  Church  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  year  1842,  and  soon  after  he  and  others  or- 
ganized the  Basin  Knob  (now  Lone  Jack)  Church,  Jackson 
County,  of  which  he  became  pastor  and  so  continued  until  the 
war.  About  the  same  time  he  became  pastor  of  the  Concord 
Church,  Lafayette  County.  He  served  the  Blue  Spring  Church 
as  pastor  for  many  years,  and  labored  in  the  same  relation  also 
at  Westport,  West  Fork,  Big  Creek,  Big  Cedar,  Elm  Spring, 
Grreenton  Valley  and  Harrisonville.  For  thirty  years  his  labors 
in  the  ministry  were  arduous,  traveling  from  church  to  church, 
often  twenty  miles  apart,  and  all  with  but  little  compensation,  for 
the  country  was  new  and  the  churches  for  some  years  were  real- 
ly mission  stations ;  and  as  soon  as  they  gained  suflicient  strength 
they  had  to  build  houses  of  worship.  Thus  did  he  and  his  co- 
temporaries  labor  that  others  might  enter  in  and  reap.  Few  of 
those  now  living  properly  appreciate  the  sacrifices  of  the  pioneer 
ministers  among  whom  Henry  Farmer  was  prominent.  The  ten 
churches  of  which  he  was  pastor  all  became  thriving  institU' 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


771 


tions,  and  during  his  career  he  baptized  near  2,000  persons.  He 
was  the  corresjDondent  of  David  Benedict,  the  Baptist  historian, 
and  gave  him  an  account  of  Blue  River  Association. 

Henry  Farmer  vv^as  one  of  tlie  most  useful  men  in  the  Baptist 
ministry  of  Western  Missouri,  and  his  memory  is  yet  fragrant 
among  thousands  in  that  section. 

Joseph  Flood — was  a  native  of  Shelby  County,  Kentucky,  a 
younger  brother  of  the  late  Noah  Flood,  and  was  born  October, 
10,  1813.  In  August,  1830,  he  married  Miss  Eliza  A.  Major  who 
survived  him 
at  his  death. 
He  removed  to 
Callaway  Co., 
Missouri,  in 
1846,  settling 
near  Fulton, 
where  he  resi- 
ded for  about 
twenty  years. 
He  removed  to 
Clay  County  in 
1868,  and  spent 
the  residue  of 
his  life  in  and 
near  Kearney. 

In  early  life 
he  became  a 
Christian  and 
united  with  the 
Baptists  at 
Christians  burg 
Ky.,and  while 
he  lived  he  was 
an  ornamentto 
his  profession. 

As  principal  of  the  preparatory  department  he  was  connected 
with  Westminster  College  in  1866,  and  held  a  like  position  in 
Stephens'  College  in  1867.  Few  men  surpassed  him  in  devotion  to 
Sunday-schools.  In  the  Richland  Church,  Callaway  County,  he 
was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  and  served  the  same 
church  as  deacon  for  years.  At  Kearney  he  also  was  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday-school,  ^nd  for  his  fidelity  therein  he  was  re- 


HON.  JOSEPH  FLOOD. 


772  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

warded  by  the  news  of  the  conversion  of  forty  souls  in  the  glori- 
ous revival  of  that  place  just  before  his  death,  many  of  whom 
were  from  the  school. 

Mr.  Flood  served  his  county  as  justice  of  its  court  for  some 
years,  and  was  a  member  of  the  state  convention  in  1861,  and 
wherever  he  served  was  regarded  a  man  of  sterling  worth. 

In  Kentucky  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  but  did  not  exercise 
in  that  way  after  he  came  to  Missouri.  His  death,  November 
14,  1878,  was  from  asthma  and  heart  disease,  and  he  left  behind 
him  a  fragrant  and  blessed  memory. 

John  P.  G-lover,  Sen.* — Though  not  a  minister  of  the  gospel 
this  pioneer  of  Montgomery  County,  Missouri,  deserves  a  place 
in  these  sketches. 

He  was  born  in  Charles  County,  Maryland,  July  17,  1770. 
Surrounded  by  Episcopal  and  Catholic  influences,  while  the 
Baptists  were  only  known  to  be  despised  and  treated  with  every 
indignity,  even  to  personal  violence  and  the  ducking  of  the 
ministers — one  of  which  scenes  he  witnessed  when  a  boy — nev- 
theless  he  attended  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  at  the  age 
of  19  the  grace  of  God  reached  his  heart.  He  was  made  to  "  re- 
joice in  hope  of  the  glory  of  G-od,"  and  by  a  public  profession 
of  faith  in  a  buried  and  risen  Savior,  he  united  himself  with  the 
reviled  and  persecuted  people  of  God. 

Although  his  walk  was  in  the  vale  of  poverty,  his  education 
extending  only  to  the  rudiments  of  his  native  tongue,  and  his 
talents  not  above  mediocrity,  he  felt  that  he  had  enlisted  for  the 
war,  and  he  engaged  as  a  good  soldier  for  Christ  with  heart  and 
mind  for  a  life-long  effort  in  his  Master's  cause.  He  sang,  he 
prayed,  he  exhorted  saints  to  walk  close  to  God  and  sinners  to 
flee  the  wrath  to  come.  He  took  a  deep  interest  in  everything 
calculated  to  advance  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  on  earth.  On 
one  occasion,  if  no  more,  he  walked  several  miles  to  a  ferry  on 
the  Potomac,  at  which  Eld.  E.  B.  Semple  was  to  cross  on  his 
way  to  a  meeting  of  the  missionary  board  in  Philadeljjhia,  that 
he  might  inform  Mr.  Semple  of  the  destitution  of  his  neighbor- 
hood and  entreat  him  to  '■^  send  us  a  preacher."  Mr.  Semple  was 
detained  on  account  of  high  wind  and  rough  water,  but  the 
watchman  of  Zion  was  not  thus  to  be  foiled.  He  awaited  the 
calm,  and  with  it  came  Mr.  Semple,  who  heard  his  solicitations 
and  promised,  if  possible,  to  supply  the  destitute  field.  Ho  did 
so.     Eld.  Sam'l  L.  Straughn  Avas  sent,  who  labored  successfully, 

*  By  D.  W.  Nowlm  in  Western  Watchman.  Vol.  XIL 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  773 

and  many  souls  were  added  to  the  church,  among  whom  were 
two  of  our  subject's  own  children.  In  his  old  age  he  used  to  re- 
late this  circumstance  with  far  greater  joy  and  delight  than  any 
old  soldier  can  feel  in  recounting  his  hair-breadth  escapes. 

About  the  year  1820  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  settled  in 
Montgomery  County,  just  by  what  is  now  the  site  of  Zion  meet- 
ing-house, at  which  place  he  resided  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

He  at  once  erected  an  altar  in  his  house  to  Israel's  God,  and 
constantly  maintained  family  worship  during  his  life.  In  his 
house  was  constituted  the  first  Baptist  church  in  this  region  of 
country,  he  being  one  of  the  most  efficient  movers  therein. 

He  never  found  the  weather  too  inclement  for  him  to  walk  to 
his  church  meetings,  although  the  meeting-house  was  four  miles 
off,  and  half  the  distance  a  prairie.  His  seat  was  always  filled 
if  his  health  permitted,  and  he  generally  enjoyed  very  good 
health.  He  was  always  ready  to  speak  a  word  of  consolation  to 
the  desponding,  and  to  point  the  penitent  soul  to  the  cross  of 
Christ.  His  relip-ion  was  his  meat  and  drink,  his  joy  by  day  and 
by  night. 

One  might  suppose  that  such  devotion  would  be  attended  by 
continuiil  joy  and  peace,  without  any  cloud  to  mar  or  distress. 
But  such  was  not  the  case.  After  seeing  the  church  constituted, 
and  his  house  flourish  and  increase,  and  the  greater  number  of 
his  children  added  thereto,  and  a  good  comfortable  log  edifice 
erected  as  a  place  of  worship,  in  1840  the  church  passed  resolu- 
tions strongly  condemning  missionary  operations  and  all  kin- 
dred enterprises,  and  declaring  non-fellowship  for  any  who 
might  engage  in  or  advocate  them.  This  was  touching  the  old  ser- 
vant of  Christ  in  a  very  tender  point,  and  it  was  a  sore  trial  to  his 
devout,  pious  soul.  On  the  one  side  was  the  church  of  which  he 
was  the  patriarch,  all  the  members  of  which  he  loved,  part  of 
whom  were  of  his  own  blood.  On  the  other  side  was  what  he 
conceived  to  be  the  best  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom.  He  hes- 
itated no  longer  than  to  reason  with  and  persuade  his  brethren  to 
abandon  so  suicidal  a  policy.  They  refused  to  take  his  admoni- 
tions. He  asked  for  a  letter  of  dismission,  which  was  refused. 
Other  members  of  the  church  were  alike  desirous  to  obtain  let- 
ters ;  none  were  granted.  At  length,  by  advice  of  Eld.  W.  Hur- 
ley, the  church  granted  to  Father  G-lover  and  others,  certificates 
of  character,  containing  a  statement  of  the  cause  of  their  dis- 
content. They  had  in  contemplation  the  constitution  of  a  church 
upon  more  liberal  principles,  and  Father  Grlover  was  greatly  ex- 


774  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

ercised  in  lirayer  to  God  for  grace  and  guidance.  But  before  the 
anticipated  constitution  was  realized  his  Master  bade  him  cease 
his  warfare,  lay  aside  his  armor  and  receive  his  enduring  reward. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath,  the  22d  of  November,  1840, 
just  before  the  dawn  of  day  (having  retired  the  night  previous  in 
usual  health),  he  arose  to  renew  his  fire,  and  spoke  to  his  wife 
pleasantly  of  his  family  comforts,  and  returned  to  bed  to  await 
daylight.  In  a  few  moments  he  arose  to  a  sitting  posture  in  the 
bed,  and  quietly  asked,  "  What's  the  matter  ?  What's  the  mat- 
ter ?"  and  lay  back  in  the  bed.  And  before  his  aged  companion 
and  fellow-pilgrim  from  youth  could  arise  and  light  a  candle,  he 
had  passed  from  this  state  of  trial  to  the  full  fruition  of  the  joys  of 
his  Lord,  having  lived  a  few  months  beyond  his  threescore  years 
and  ten,  over  fifty  of  which  were  spent  in  the  service  of  our  Lord 
Jesus,  in  assiduously  cultivating  and  using  the  talent  intrusted 
to  his  care,  and  in  realizing  the  promise,  "  Thou  shalt  come  to 
thy  grave  in  a  full  age,  like  as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his 
season." 

James  N.  Griffin* — born  in  Kentucky,  near  Crab  Orchard, 
June  12,  1809,  departed  this  life  July  12,  1880,  aged  71  years  and 
two  months.  Elder  Griffin  moved  to  Missouri  at  an  early  time, 
was  baptized  by  the  writer  in  February,  1845,  being  the  first 
hopeful  convert  ever  baptized  by  myself.  At  the  same  time  I 
baptized  his  wife  and  a  number  of  other  converts  who  were  or- 
ganized into  a  Baptist  church  some  eighteen  miles  below  Mexi- 
co, Missouri,  on  the  west  fork  of  Cuivre,  in  a  little  log  school- 
house.  Afterwards  they  united  with  other  brethren  and  formed 
what  is  now  known  as  the  West  Cuivre  Baptist  Church,  near  his 
place  of  residence,  where  he  spent  the  most  of  a  long  and  useful 
life,  raising  a  large  and  interesting  family  of  children.  Nine  of 
them  survive  him  with  their  mother  to  mourn  his  loss — two  sons 
and  seven  daughters — having  lost  one  son  in  early  life.  Sister 
Sarah  M.  Griffin,  his  wife,  was  the  daughter  of  my  father,  Elder 
Jeremiah  Yardeman,  and  the  only  surviving  sister  I  have.  Eld. 
Griffin  soon  after  his  baptism  manifested  great  zeal  in  his  Mas- 
ter's work,  was  licensed  by  the  church,  soon  after  was  ordained, 
and  preached  with  good  success  in  the  highways  and  hedges  and 
small  churches  in  that  then  vastly  destitute  region.  Bro.  Griffin, 
however,  lost  his  health  to  a  considerable  degree,  being  much 
distressed  with  a  severe  cough  that  lasted  him  for  manj^  years. 
But  still  he  did  all  he  could  to  promote  his  Master's  cause  while 

*  By  Rev.  W.  H.  Vardeman,  in  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  XV,  No.  33. 


iBIOGRAPHICAL.  776 

he  lived.  His  doors  were  always  open  for  the  entertainment  of 
ministers  and  visiting  brethren.  He  lived  highly  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him,  died  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  has  gone 
home  to  receive  the  welcome  plaudit,  "Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

I  preached  his  funeral  sermon  in  the  presence  of  many  mourn- 
ing friends  from  that  good  old  and  appropriate  text,  "  Blessed 
are  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord,"  etc. 

John  C.  Herndon* — was  born  in  Fauquier  County,  Yii-ginia, 
December  16,  1782.  His  parents  were  not  wealthy,  though  in 
comfortable  circumstances,  and  much  beloved  and  respected. 

When  about  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  professed  faith  in 
Christ,  was  baptized  by  Eld.  William  Grinstead,  then  pastor  of 
Long  Branch  Church,  and  was  soon  after  elected  a  deacon  in  that 
church. 

The  next  important  event  in  his  history  was  his  union  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Alice  Nutt,  the  daughter  of  Richard  and  Eliza- 
beth Nutt.  Alice  was  raised  a  Presbyterian,  though  when  mar- 
ried she  was  not  a  Christian.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before 
she  was  converted  and  united  with  the  same  church  as  her  hus- 
band. 

This  union  proved  to  be  one  of  great  happiness  to  both.  With 
mutual  attachment  as  husband  and  wife,  and  united  in  the  great 
princijiles  of  evangelical  truth,  they  were  bound  together  by  the 
strongest  ties.  For  about  twenty  years  after  his  marriage  he 
was  engaged  in  teaching  school,  during  which  time  he  educated 
most  of  his  children,  nor  did  he  change  his  location  or  his  school, 
such  was  his  popularity  as  a  teacher.  This,  with  a  small  farm 
which  he  had  purchased,  made  a  support  for  his  family. 

Elder  Herndon  and  his  wife,  Alice,  were  the  parents  of  twenty 
children — eleven  sons  and  nine  daughters — of  whom  four  sons 
became  ministers  of  the  gospel  of  the  same  denomination  with 
their  parents.  All  that  have  made  a  profession  have  joined  the 
Baptists. 

Eld.  Herndon  had  some  striking  features  in  his  character.  He 
was  a  very  decided  man.  He  governed  his  children  with  great 
firmness  and  affection.  The  words  of  his  mouth  were  the  law, 
ultimate  and  final.  .  .  .  His  religious  life  was  marked  by  firm- 
ness, consistency,  devotion,  zeal  and  benevolence.  A  custom 
with  him,  in  which  he  showed  the  deep  interest  he  felt  for  the 
religious  training  of  his  children,  was  to  assemble  them  every 

*  By  Rev.  E.  N.  Hemdon,  iu  Virginia  Baptist  Ministers,  M  Series,  p.  223. 


776  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Lord's  day  and  hear  them  read  the  Holy  Scriptures,  himself 
joining  in  the  service. 

The  following  incident  occurred  in  his  life.  He  and  his  asso- 
ciate deacon  (Brother  Love)  were  for  a  long  time  the  only  male 
members  who  attended  the  prayer  meeting,  and  very  frequently 
the  only  members  ;  but  they  were  not  discouraged.  On  one  oc- 
casion they  met  alone  at  the  house  of  God  and  covenanted  to- 
gether that  they  would  meet  there  as  long  as  life  and  health  were 
granted  them,  on  every  Lord's  day,  and  pray  for  the  prosperity 
of  Zion  and  the  blessing  of  God  on  their  families  and  their  neigh- 
bors. In  1828  and  1829  the  blessing  came  through  the  ministry 
of  Eld.  William  F.  Broadus.  More  than  one  hundred  souls  were 
gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ.  The  revival  continued  for  sev- 
eral years.  Not  long  after  the  church  ordained  to  the  gospel 
ministry  these  two  men  of  God,  after  they  had  filled  well  the  of- 
fice of  deacons  for  twenty-five  years.  Elder  Herndon  was  called 
to  the  church  at  Antioch,  in  Prince  William  County,  where  his 
labors  were  again  blessed. 

In  the  providence  of  God  he  conceived  it  to  be  his  duty,  for 
several  reasons,  to  remove  to  the  West.  One  was,  that  by  becom- 
ing surety  for  another  he  had  suflered  loss  in  property;  besides, 
he  thought  bis  children  would  be  benefited  b}^  a  removal  to  the 
fertile  West.  The  struggle  was  hard  to  cut  loose  from  brethren 
and  long-tried  friends. 

But  this  was  only  preparatory  to  severer  trials.  Stopping 
awhile  in  Kentucky,  with  an  onl}'  brother,  he  was  called  to  give 
up  the  companion  of  his  youth  and  riper  years,  the  mother  of  all 
his  children,  and  to  pursue  his  future  pilgrimage  in  life  alone. 
She  died  September  12,  1838,  with  a  firm  reliance  on  the  Savior. 

lie  purposed  to  go  to  Missouri  and  pursued  his  journey  with  a 
heavy  heart,  but  with  that  heart  fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord,  he 
reached  finally  his  destination.  Settling  himself  in  Missouri,  he 
commenced  preaching  the  gospel  to  some  destitute  churches. 
But  his  trials  were  not  at  an  end  ;  he  Avas  very  soon  called  to  fol 
low  several  of  his  children,  servants  and  other  connections  to 
the  tomb.  His  own  health  also  began  to  give  way.  He  became 
permanently  located  in  Lincoln  County,  near  Troy,  the  county 
seat,  still  laboring  in  the  gospel.  From  this  time  until  his  death, 
his  health  gradually  declined,  until  toward  the  close  of  the  year 
1847  he  was  called  to  his  reward  on  high.  He  died  as  he  lived, 
calmly  and  fully  persuaded  that  salvation  was  found  only  through 
the  mediation  and  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  777 

He  cordially  sympathized  with  the  great  benevolent  move- 
ments of  the  age  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel  at  home  and  abroad, 
and  cheerfully  contributed  his  substance  to  carry  out  these  de- 
signs. His  remains  sleep  in  Lincoln  County  at  his  late  residence, 
with  two  sons,  James  and  Samuel,  and  a  loved  daughter,  Ann,  to 
await  the  sound  of  the  last  trumpet. 

Tyree  C.  Harris.* — The  subject  of  this  short  sketch  was  the 
son  of  Tyree  Harris,  of  Boone  Co.,  Mo.,  and  was  the  tenth  of 
thirteen  children.     He  was  born  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1824. 

From  childhood  he  was  naturally  very  delicate.  Although  no 
marks  of  any  settled  disease  were  visible,  yet  he  was  unable  to 
perform  any  hard  physical  labor.  Possessing  a  playful  and  gen- 
tle disposition,  he  was  a  great  favorite  among  his  early  compan- 
ions— rarely,  if  ever,  known  to  be  out  of  humor,  or  in  the  least 
to  become  irritated,  as  was  common  with  boys  of  his  age.  He 
never  used  profane  language,  or  engaged  in  gross  wickedness  of 
any  kind. 

In  early  youth,  Tyree  Harris  possessed  extraordinary  spright- 
liness ;  at  the  age  of  six  years  he  commenced  school,  and  with  un- 
common aptness  he  comprehended,  as  with  instinct,  every  prob- 
lem presented  to  him.  Though  the  schools  of  that  day  were 
greatly  inferior  to  what  they  are  now,  yet  his  progress  was  re- 
markable. At  the  age  of  13  fears  were  entertained  of  his  early 
decline  with  consumption  ;  but  by  such  exercise  as  suited  his  in- 
clination his  health  was  restored. 

In  October,  1839,  he  attended  the  regular  monthly  conference 
of  the  Baptist  church  at  Mt.  Grilead,  in  Howard  County,  Mo.; 
and  under  the  faithful  preaching  of  Elder  Thos.  Fristoe,  he,  for 
the  first  time,  clearly  saw  himself  a  helpless  sinner  before  God. 
He  went  home  the  same  evening  in  deep  distress,  with  a  clear 
view  of  the  depravity  of  the  human  heart.  But  ere  long  the 
burden  was  removed ;  and  delivered  from  the  thraldom  of  sin, 
through  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  his  soul  was  enabled  to 
rejoice  in  His  redeeming  grace  and  dying  love. 

At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Bethlehem  Church,  in  Boone 
County,  in  November  following,  he  was  received  into  fellow- 
ship by  experience  and  baptism,  by  that  faithful  servant  of 
God,  Fielding  Wilhoite.  His  prayer  at  the  water  will  never  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  were  present.  His  whole  soul  was  drawn 
out  in  the  most  earnest  melting  appeal  and  supplication  to  the 
Divine  throne,  that  young  Tyree  Harris  might  be  qualified  to 

*  By  Eld.  X.  X.  Buokner,  in  Missouri  Baptist,  Vol.  I,  No.  37. 


778  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

dispense  the  word  of  life  and  become  an  eminent  minister  of  the 
gospel.  He  commenced  the  exercise  of  public  prayer  with  great 
acceptance.  In  December,  1841,  the  church  granted  him  license 
to  preach,  which  he  did,  to  the  astonishment  of  multitudes  who 
heard  him.  Shortly  after  this,  Eowland  Hughes  of  Howard 
County,  learning  the  future  promise  of  young  Tyree  Harris,  and 
hearing  him  on  one  occasion  himself,  proposed  to  take  him  into 
his  family  and  complete  his  education;  which  he  did  to  the  satis- 
faction of  all  concerned.  He  was  educated  in  Boonville,  under 
Professor  Kemper. 

His  youthful  aj^pearance,  together  with  his  bold  and  earnest 
manner,  his  untiring  zeal,  his  eloquent  and  pungent  appeals  from 
the  pulpit  soon  won  for  him  the  name  of  the  "  boy  preacher." 
His  style  was  forcible,  attractive  and  popular;  his  manner  easy 
and  graceful ;  his  voice  sweet  and  mellow.  With  a  clear,  strong 
mind,  he  possessed  great  vivacity  of  thought  and  versatility  of 
style.  Fluency  of  speech  and  lively  imagination  were  combined 
to  make  him  a  "  bright  and  shining  light."  His  manner,  both 
in  private  and  public,  in  the  pulpit  and  out  of  it,  was  such  as  to 
make  him  popular  both  with  the  church  and  the  world. 

In  December,  1843,  he  assisted  in  the  constitution  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  in  the  city  of  Boonville;  and  in  August  following 
he  commenced  his  labors  with  this  church  as  their  regular  pas- 
tor. Though  young,  he  commanded  an  influence  for  good  and 
attracted  great  congregations,  and  soon  succeeded  in  building  a 
large  and  commodious  house  of  worship.  Under  his  ministry 
the  church  enjoyed  a  high  degree  of  prosperity;  members  were 
added  almost  monthly  hy  experience  and  baptism,  until  they 
became  a  large  and  influential  body. 

With  the  brethren  in  Boonville  he  spent  the  prime  of  his  short 
life.  This  people  loved  him  dearly.  The  name  of  Tyree  Harris 
is  still  fresh  in  the  memory  of  those  who  enjoyed  the  labors  of 
this  eminent  divine.  Whilst  in  this  field  he  also  for  a  time 
preached  for  the  churches  at  Big  Lick  and  Nebo,  in  Cooper 
County,  and  after  eight  years  of  successful  toil  he  left  a  large 
church  and  took  charge  of  the  congregation  in  Fayette  in  1851. 

In  1852  he  commenced  his  labors  as  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Columbia,  Mo.,  where,  by  his  distinguished  pulpit  eff'orts  and  his 
Christian  and  gentlemanly  deportment,  he  endeared  himself  to 
a  large  circle  of  admiring  friends  and  acquaintances. 

During  his  pastorate  here  he  was  also  president  of  the  Colum- 
bia Female  Academy.     And  under  his  able  superintendence  the 


BIOGRAPHICAI,.  779 

institution  flourislied  beyond  a  parallel  at  that  time.  He  can- 
vassed the  state  in  behalf  of  the  institution,  presenting  the 
claims  of  female  education;  and  his  eloquent  appeals  met  a  lib- 
eral response,  for  around  him  were  _gatherod  125  young  ladies 
from  all  parts  of  the  state. 

In  1853  he  was  called  to  the  chair  of  English  Literature  in  Wil- 
liam Jewell  College,  but  did  not  accept  the  position. 

In  1854  he  was  called  to  take  charge  of  the  Female  College  at 
La  Grange,  in  Georgia,  but  did  not  accept. 

After  two  years  of  arduous  toil  in  the  pulpit  and  school-room, 
he  was  called  to  and  accepted  the  care  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Lexington,  Mo.  He  entered  upon  his  labors  in  this  field  with 
renewed  ardor  and  zeal,  and  determined  to  spend  his  life  with 
the  people  of  God  there.  He  was  soon  attacked  with  typhoid 
fever,  and  in  two  months  after  he  had  entered  upon  his  duties 
there  he  was  called  to  his  reward. 

Bro.  Harris  was  considered  by  all  who  knew  him  as  the  ablest 
and  most  promising  young  man  in  the  state.  Yiew  him  as  a  man, 
as  a  minister  of  the  New  Testament,  and  hear  his  earnest  appeals 
from  the  sacred  desk,  and  you  would  mark  him  as  a  man  of  no 
ordinary  talent.  As  pastor,  he  was  kind,  affectionate  and  pray- 
erful ;  as  a  reasoner,  clear  and  forcible ;  and  as  a  speaker  he  had 
strength,  beauty  and  eloquence.  Possessing  these  rare  gifts,  he 
was  successful  in  all  his  labors  on  earth,  and  now,  whilst  his 
works  do  follow  him  his  memory  is  fragrant  in  the  hearts  of 
many. 

Jesse  A.  Hollis* — was  born  of  English  parents,  in  Fairfield 
County,  South  Carolina,  December  13,  1824.  Being  left  by  the 
death  of  his  parents  an  orphan  at  the  early  age  of  twelve  years, 
he  was  while  a  mere  child  cast  upon  his  own  resources  in  life. 
Even  at  that  youthful  period  he  began  his  fortunes  in  the  world 
by  obtaining  a  position  in  a  mercantile  establishment  in  Colum- 
bia, South  Carolina,  and  laboring  persistently  therein  for  the  en- 
suing two  years,  the  earnings  of  which  time  he  appropriated 
to  defraying  his  expenses  at  school  in  the  same  city  for  the  two 
subsequent  years.  At  this  period  of  his  life — sixteen  years  of 
age — he  removed  to  TJtica,  Mississippi,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  business  for  several  years. 

Fired  with  a  noble  ambition,  by  unceasing  toil  he  accumula- 
ted enough  to  secure  for  him  a  thorough  collegiate  education  at 

*  From  the  Missouri  Statesman,  as  republished  in  the  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  II, 
No.  28. 


7S0  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Georgetown  College,  Kentucky,  where,  in  July,  1852,  he  gradua- 
ted with  honor.  In  the  September  following  he  entered  the  Bap- 
tist Theological  Seminary  at  Covington,  Kentucky,  and  remained 
there  until  the  suspension  of  that  institution  a  few  months  later, 
when  he  returned  to  Utica,  Mississippi,  where,  though  only  a  li- 
centiate and  but  twenty-nine  years  old,  he  received  a  call  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  church  of  which  he  had  previouslybeen  a  mem- 
ber. On  September  1,  1853,  he  married  Miss  Arzelia  Echols, 
daughter  of  Eobert  C.  and  Arzelia  Echols,  of  Jackson  County, 
Missouri.  By  her  he  was  the  father  of  seven  children,  four  of 
whom,  little  girls,  the  oldest  ten  years,  with  their  mother  sur- 
vive him. 

Shortly  after  his  marriage,  in  1854  he  was  regularly  ordained  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  in  Utica,  Mississijjpi.  In  1854  he  removed 
to  Jefferson  City,  Missouri,  where  until  1856  he  was  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  church,  and  together  with  his  wife  had  charge  of  a 
school.  During  the  winter  of  1855  and  1856  he  was  chaplain  of 
the  state  senate.  In  1856  he  was  elected  the  first  principal  of 
the  Baptist  Female  College,  Columbia,  and  held  this  position  for 
five  months,  when  Eev.  "W.  E.  Eothwell  was  chosen  president 
and  Mr.  Ilollis  assistant  professor,  which  position  he  held  till 
1859,  and  during  the  years  1858  and  1859  was  pastor  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  at  Fulton.  In  1859  he  was  called  to  the  presidency 
of  the  Baptist  Female  College  of  Lexington,  Missouri,  one  of 
the  finest  schools  in  Missouri,  where  he  remained  till  1863,  dur- 
ing which  period  he  was  pastor  of  the  Mound  Prairie  Church, 
Lafayette  County.  In  1865  he  was  a  second  time  elected  princi- 
pal of  the  Baptist  Female  College,  Columbia,  and  so  remained  to 
the  day  of  his  death.  Two  years  of  this,  from  1865  to  1867,  he 
was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  the  same  place.    • 

Few  deaths  have  fallen  with  more  suddenness  or  sadness  upon 
our  people,  and  the  grief  awakened  is  universal.  On  February 
1,  1870,  the  board  of  curators  of  the  college  adopted  the  follow- 
ing series  of  resolutions  relative  to  his  death  : 
^^  Whereas,  God,  in  his  wisdom  and  mercy,  has  taken  from  us 
suddenly  our  long  known  and  ardently  loved  president,  J.  A. 
Hollis,  of  The  Baptist  Female  College,  Columbia,  Mo.; 

"  Resolved,  1st.  That  in  the  death  of  president  J.  A.  Hollis, 
we  have  lost  one  of  our  best  educators  in  the  West;  he  has  been 
connected  with  this  institution  as  teacher  nine  years,  and  five 
years  as  president,  both  of  which  positions  he  filled  with  great 
acceptance. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  781 

''2d.  That  we  deeply  sympathize  with  his  bereaved  wife  and 
children  in  this  their  sad  bereavement,  and  commend  them  to 
the  protecting  care  of  our  common  Father. 

"  3d.  That  we  feel  his  loss  is  a  loss  not  only  to  them  and  us,  but 
to  the  church  and  community  at  large,  and  his  place  cannot  be 
easily  filled. 

*'  4th.  That  copies  of  these  resolutions  be  transmitted  to  the 
widow  of  our  deceased  friend,  and  to  the  Missouri  Statesman  for 
publication.  J.  M.  Eobinson,  President. 

"  Wm.  T.  Hickman,  Secretary." 

President  Hollis  was  emphatically  a  self-made  man.  Begin- 
ning in  childhood,  friendless  and  fatherless,  he  had  bravely 
trod  the  pathway  of  adversity  till  he  had  reached  one  of  the 
most  honored  stations  among  men.  But  while  he  was  distin- 
guished for  his  indomitable  energy  of  nature,  he  was  no  less  em- 
inent for  his  purity  of  heart  and  integrity  of  character.  De- 
termined, upright,  affectionate,  pious,  he  had  all  these  elements, 
which,  while  they  win  the  love  and  confidence  of  men,  they  lift 
their  possessor  above  the  common  ranks  of  society.  In  all  his 
relations  in  life  he  occuj^ied  a  foremost  and  important  rank.  In 
his  death  the  community  loses  a  useful  citizen,  the  church  an 
exemplary,  faithful  minister,  the  school-room  an  earnest,  for- 
bearing teacher,  and  the  family  a  loving  husband  and  father.  By 
his  spotless  example  he  was  an  unconscious  instructor  in  every 
avenue  of  society.  His  good  deeds  were  many  and  they  will 
live  after  him.  It  was  imperfect,  for  it  were  not  human  to  be 
otherwise  ;  but  his  influence  for  good  far  exceeded  his  influence 
for  evil.     Let  us  bury  his  faults — let  us  imitate  his  virtues. 

Egbert  C.  Hill. — The  following  sketch  is  from  the  pen  of  his 
daughter.  Miss  Hattie  Hill : 

My  beloved  father  died  about  9  o'clock  Tuesday  morning,  Jan- 
uary 13,  1874.  He  was  born  July  11,  1806,  in  Madison  County, 
Virginia;  professed  religion  November  4,  1832;  was  baptized  in 
the  Eoberson  Eiver  by  Elder  John  Garnettthe  second  Sunday  in 
November,  1832,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  January,  1833.  On 
the  16th  of  August,  1841,  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  gos- 
pel ministry  at  the  request  of  the  Mt.  Horeb  Church,  Callaway 
County,  Missouri.  The  presbytery  was  composed  of  the  follow- 
ing brethren,  viz.:  Elders  A.  B.  Snethen,  Joseph  Nicholls,  Field- 
ing Wilhite,  E.  S.  Thomas,  "Wm,  Stephens  and  Thomas  Fristoe. 
He  was  married  August  28,  1832,  to  Mary  J.  Hume,  of  Madison 
County,  Virginia,  moved  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  in  1835,  and  re- 


782  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

mained  in  Missouri  till  x^ovember,  1863.  He  then  moved  to  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  remained  till  March,  1867.  He  then  returned  to 
Missouri  in  the  spring  of  1865.  He  had  a  severe  spell  of  pleuro- 
pneumonia, from  which  he  never  entirely  recovered;  it  left  him 
with  a  severe  cough  which  the  physicians  said  terminated  in  con- 
sum  jition. 

I  never  saw  any  one  more  reconciled  to  the  will  of  God.  He 
did  not  fear  death;  but  often  expressed  himself  anxious  to  depart 
and  be  with  Christ.  The  day  before  he  died  he  talked  freely 
about  his  future  prospects  ;  said  if  it  was  the  Lord's  will  he  would 
like  to  be  carried  to  our  new  church  house,  sit  in  his  rocking  chair, 
and  preach  one  more  sermon  to  the  unconverted  from  the  text, 
"Prepare  to  meet  thy  God."  He  went  to  church  on  the  third 
Sunday  in  December  to  hear  Brother  T.  M.  Colwell  preach,  and 
during  the  discourse  he  was  made  to  praise  God.  Our  new  church 
house  was  dedicated  on  that  da}".  He  took  great  interest  in  rais- 
ing money  to  erect  a  church  edifice — said  he  wanted  to  live  to  see 
the  house  erected  and  the  church  worshiping  in  it — then  he  would 
be  ready  to  depart.  He  went  into  the  organization  of  the  Cot- 
tage Grove  Church  in  July,  1870,  and  was  a  member  of  it  at  his 
death.  His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  our  beloved  pas- 
tor, Elder  John  Harmon,  and  he  was  buried  by  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity. 

He  was  a  faithful  servant  of  Christ;  a  thorough  Baptist;  did  a 
great  deal  of  preaching  in  different  parts  of  Missouri;  was  pas- 
tor of  a  number  of  churches,  and  never  let  disagreeable  weather 
keep  him  from  his  appointments.  Ho  delighted  in  reading  his 
Bible.  The  14th  chapter  of  Mark  was  the  last  he  ever  read.  Ho 
died  sitting  in  his  rocking  chair.  He  leaves  an  affectionate  wife, 
seven  children,  a  brother  and  sister,  and  a  large  circle  of  friends 
to  mourn  his  loss.  Yet  we  mourn  not  as  those  who  have  no  hope, 
for  the  faithful  soldier  has  gone  to  receive  his  crown. 

Bro.  Hill  was  an  old  style  preacher,  somewhat  favorable  to 
Sunday-schools  and  missionary  work,  and  a  great  friend  of  tem- 
perance. At  the  beginning  of  the  war  he  lived  near  Kingston. 
He  refused  to  take  the  oath  and  went  to  Kentucky,  where  he  re- 
mained awhile  during  the  troubles.  He  was  a  man  of  good  sense, 
somewhat  timid,  and  had  not  preached  for  some  j'ears  prior  to 
his  death. 

Wade  Mosby  Jackson* — was  for  many  years  an  active  Baptist 
layman  in  Central  Missouri.     He  was  born  in  Fleming  County, 

*  B^  Key,  J.  M.  Robiusou,  in  Columbia  Herald,  March,  1879. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  783 

Kentucky,  December  3,  1797,  and  died  at  his  residence  in  How- 
ard County,  Missouri,  March  22,  1879,  being  81  years,  3  months 
and  19  days  old.  He  leaves  a  loving  wife  and  eleven  children 
to  mourn  over  their  loss.  He  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Judge  James 
Harris,  of  Boone,  and  a  brother  of  the  late  Gov.  Claiborne  F. 
Jackson.  He  moved  to  Howard  County,  Missouri,  in  1824,  and 
had  lived  on  the  farm  upon  which  he  died  48  years.  He  became 
a  Baptist  41  years  ago.  Ko  man  in  Central  Missouri  has  been 
more  useful  and  honored  as  a  citizen  and  Christian  in  his  rela- 
tions of  life  than  W.  M.  Jackson.  He  represented  his  county  in 
the  legislative  halls  of  his  state,  served  it  as  county  judge,  and 
then  as  magistrate  for  ten  years.  As  a  farmer  he  stood  in  the 
front  rank  in  his  county.  As  a  Christian,  from  the  time  he  be- 
came one,  he  took  hold  with  his  brethren  and  earnestly  and  vig- 
orously consecrated  his  intellect  and  means  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 
For  many  years  he  gave  his  time,  talent  and  means  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  mission  work  of  Missouri,  constantlystanding 
at  the  helm  of  the  mission  board  of  the  General  Association, 
while  located  at  Fayette.  Then  for  ten  years,  embracing  the  last 
years  of  his  life,  he  was  trustee  of  William  Jewell  College.  He 
also  assisted  in  drawing  up  the  present  charter  and  in  organizing 
and  projecting  said  school.  He  also  aided  largely  in  advancing 
Mt.  Pleasant  College.  His  head,  heart  and  hands  were  engaged 
in  every  good  work.  He  had  been  quite  feeble  for  months,  but 
was  taken  very  ill  while  sitting  up  and  eating  dinner,  and  died 
in  about  thirty  minutes.  He  for  some  months  had  been  quietly 
and  calmly  looking  to  and  desiring  this  hour  to  come. 

John  P.  Jesse — was  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Yirginia,  Oc- 
tober 8,  1820.  When  quite  young  he  professed  religion,  united 
with  the  Baptists  and  was  baptized  by  Eld.  Jenkins.  At  the  age 
of  13  he,  with  the  family,  moved  to  Missouri,  settled  in  Audrain 
County,  and  in  1836  went  into  the  constitution  of  Hopewell  Bap- 
tist Church,  near  Mexico.  He  commenced  preaching  in  1848,  and 
in  May,  1851,  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the  ministry  by 
Elds.  P.  H.  Steenbergen,  J.  IST.  Griffin  and  his  father,  William 
Jesse. 

He  was  a  man  of  considerable  culture;  as  a  preacher  he  was 
much  above  the  mediocrity,  and,  during  the  quarter  of  a  century 
of  his  ministry,  he  was  an  active  and  laborious  servant  of  Christ. 
He  died  November  8,  1876,  after  several  years  of  feeble  health. 

EiCHARD  M.  Jones. — One  of  the  most  remarkable  men  we  ever 
knew  was  he  whose  name  heads  this  brief  notice.    Although  he 


784 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


had  scarcely  reached  his  prime  when  he  was  cut  down,  he  had 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  six  languages,  five  of  which  (including 
the  English)  he  had  mastered  ;  and  all  this  was  done  hy  his  own 
resources. 

He  was  born  in  Culpepper  Count}',  Virginia,  July  15,  1821. 
His  father,  Stephen  Jones,  and  his  mother,  Mildred  Kinnaird, 
were  both  Yirginians.  "When  he  was  six  years  old  his  father 
and  the  family  removed  to  Missouri,  and  settled  first  in  Montgom- 
ery County,  where  Eichard  worked  upon  the  farm.  After  three 
years  the  family  moved  to  Lincoln  County,  and  in  1833  the  fath- 
er died;  after  which 
time  he  and  his  two 
brothers,  one  older 
and  one  younger, 
both  of  whom  rose 
to  eminence  in  the 
medical  profession, 
continued  to  culti- 
vate the  farm  to 
support  themselves 
and  their  mother, 
and  a  part  of  the 
time  attended  such 
neighborhood 
schools  as  the  coun- 
try then  afforded. 

From  1840-'l  he 
attended  school  in 
Lincoln  Academy, 
at  Troy,  Missouri. 
He  then  taught 
DR.  RICHARD  M.  joxEs.  school   for  scvcral 

years,  after  which  he  went  to  Kentucky  and  studied  medicine 
with  his  uncle,  Dr.  Joseph  Kinnaird,  near  Lexington.  During 
this  time  he  was  converted  and  joined  the  David's  Fork  Baptist 
Church,  and  in  1845  was  authorized  by  this  church  to  use  his 
gift  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  which  he  occasionally  continued 
to  do  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

In  the  year  1846  he  graduated  in  medicine  at  the  Transylvania 
University,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion near  Lexington.  From  exposure  and  overAvork  in  a  labor- 
ious practice  his  health  failed,  and  in  1848  he  went  to  Europe, 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


785 


hoping  by  the  change  to  impi-ove  his  health,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  improve  his  knowledge  of  the  medical  sciences.  He  spent 
two  years  in  Europe,  visited  many  countries  there  and  attended 
a  course  of  medical  lectures  the  first  winter  in  Paris,  and  anoth- 
er course  the  second  winter  in  Yienna.  In  his  preliminary  edu- 
cation he  had  made  himself  master  of  the  French  and  the  Ger- 
man, as  well  as  the  G-reek  and  the  Latin  languages. 

He  returned  to  the  United  States  and  practiced  medicine  and 
surgery  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  until  1856.  At  that  time  on 
account  of  failing  health  he  returned  to  Missouri  and  located  on 
higfarm — the  old  paternal  homestead — hoping  to  regain  his  health 
by  means  of  country  life.  But  nothing  availed  him  relief,  and 
on  July  28,  1858,  he  exchanged  his  mortal  tenement  for  the 
"  building  of  God,  the  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternalinthe 
Heavens." 

Through  childhood,  youth  and  manhood,  he  was  amiable  and 
affectionate,  faithful  and  true,  and  was  much  beloved  by  all  who 
knew  him. 

"William  Metcalf  Jones  —  was  a  descendant  of  "Welsh  and 
Scotch  ancestry, 
who  from  time  im- 
memorial were 
Baptists.  His  great- 
grandfather, Rich- 
ard Jones,  immi- 
grated to  America 
in  the  seventeenth 
century  and  settled 
in  Botetourt  Coun- 
ty, Virginia ;  and 
"William  Jones,  a 
descendant  of  Rich- 
ard, and  a  citizen 
of  Kentucky,  inter- 
married with  Miss 
Elizabeth  Metcalf 
of  the  latter  state, 
and  of  this  union  ^ 

William      Metcalf 
Jones  was  born  in 
Shelby     County, 
Kentucky,  October  6,  1816. 
50 


REV.  WM.  M.  JONES. 

The  family  nioved  thence  and  set- 


786  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

tied  in  Callaway  County,  Missouri,  in  1820,  where  they  resided 
many  years. 

Young  William's  parents  were  Baptists,  and  having  a  good 
home  and  servants  their  house  was  always  open  to  Christian 
people — as  indeed  to  all  who  came,  for  they  were  kind  and  hos- 
pitable— and  the  subject  of  Christian  life  and  experience  consti- 
tuted the  common  topic  of  conversation  there.  This  warm,  con- 
stant religious  influence  in  after  years  exhibited  its  power  in  his 
conversion  and  ministry.  At  his  majority  he  and  Elizabeth 
Wren  Jones,  daughter  of  Eobert  Payne  Jones,  were  married, 
and  their  bond  of  union  was  one  of  deep  and  unfeigned  devotion 
through  life. 

He  was  a  man  of  poetic  imagination,  ardent  affections,  candid 
and  upright  with  his  fellow  men,  and  of  cheerful  and  amiable 
disposition,  full  of  vigor  and  energj',  and  enjoyed  life  and  the 
world  with  all  its  beauties  and  attractions  ;  and  so,  although  he 
was  not  insensible  to  the  word  of  God  and  the  appeals  of  con- 
science, conviction  of  sin  did  not  come  upon  him  until  middle 
age.  But  when  the  Spirit  of  God  touched  his  heart  it  was  with 
irresistible  power,  and  in  his  forty-second  year  he  experienced 
a  bright  and  joyful  conversion.  Thenceforward  his  theme  was 
the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord ; 
and  he  entered  into  it  and  discussed  it  with  all  the  ardor  of  his 
nature. 

He  made  a  public  profession  of  religion  in  1858  and  connected 
himself  with  the  Eegular  Baptists — called  Old  School  Baptists — 
by  joining  the  Siloam  Church  in  Pike  Count}",  then  under  the 
ministry  of  Elder  Wm.  Davis;  and  in  1861  he  was  ordained  to 
the  ministry  in  that  church  by  Elds.  Davis,  Rogers  and  Wright. 
He  entered  at  once  upon  his  ministerial  duties  and  attended  to 
his  secular  affairs  also — farming  and  merchandising — like  Paul, 
working  with  his  own  hands  that  he  might  not  be  a  burden  to 
the  brethren. 

Macedonia  Church,  Providence  Church,  and  the  church  at 
Jonesburg — all  in  Montgomery  County,  Missouri — were  his  reg- 
ular spiritual  charges  for  many  years — the  first  named,  from 
soon  after  his  ordination  to  his  last  sickness.  Under  his  minis- 
tration these  churches  grew  in  grace  and  numbers,  and  Mace- 
donia and  the  church  at  Jonesburg  erected  large,  comfortable 
houses  for  public  worship.  He  had  large  congregations  at  these 
churches  and  he  and  they  greatly  enjoyed  the  meeting  days,  for 
they  were  bound  together  by  brotherly  love.     Besides  his  regu- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  787 

lar  appointments  he  preached  at  many  other  places  as  opportu- 
nity oifered. 

He  was  not  a  controversialist,  and  did  not  believe  that  creeds 
and  doctrines  would  save  sinners,  but  felt  it  to  be  his  mission  to 
preach  Christ  and  Him  crucified,  and  as  a  true  evangelist  he 
earnestly  and  eloquently  proclaimed  the  gospel  of  salvation. 

He  and  his  churches  were  members  of  the  Cuivre  Siloam  As- 
sociation, of  which  he  officiated  as  moderator  and  filled  other 
official  positions.  In  the  later  years  of  his  ministry  contention 
arose  on  certain  doctrines  called  "Two-seed"  and  "Eternal 
Union,"  which  he  openly  and  vigorously  opposed  wherever  he 
encountered  them.  This  doctrinal  contention  resulted  in  a  di- 
vision of  the  association,  after  which  he  and  his  spiritual  charges 
ceased  correspondence  with  the  other  churches  of  that  associa- 
tion. 

He  continued  to  preach  to  the  three  churches  above  named 
until  prostrated  in  his  last  sickness,  of  which  he  died  June  25, 
1878,  at  his  home  in  Montgomery  County,  Missouri.  Thus  did 
this  servant  of  Grod  after  seventeen  years  of  earnest  and  faithful 
ministerial  work  pass  to  his  reward  rejoicing  in  the  gospel  of 
peace. 

He  was  esteemed  as  an  upright  man  and  an  able  preacher,  de- 
fending the  truth  and  strengthening  Zion  wherever  he  labored. 

As  a  worthy  tribute  to  his  memory  this  sketch  closes  with  ex- 
tracts from  the  memorial  resolutions  passed  after  his  decease  by 
the  church  at  Jonesburg  : 

m  MEMOKIAM. 

"  It  becomes  a  j)ainful  duty  to  record  the  death  of  that  dear 
and  excellent  man  of  God,  Elder  AVm.  M.  Jones.  *  *  *  He  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  in  June,  1861,  *  *  *  and  thenceforward 
till  his  last  sickness  continued  to  defend  with  ability  and  zeal 
the  great  plan  of  salvation  through  the  unmerited  grace  of  God. 
*     *     *     *     _ 

"We  most  heartily  believe  and  gladly  place  on  record  that  by 
an  earnest  defence  of  his  Master's  cause,  his  love  of  truth,  his 
kindly  nature,  unsullied  honor  and  purity  of  life,  he  offered  to 
the  church  and  the  world  an  example  of  uprightness  and  adorned 
the  doctrine  he  professed. 

"  Our  dear  brother  was  distinguished  for  clear  views  of  divine 
truth,  earnest  and  lucid  expression  of  his  thoughts,  unaffected 
sympathy  for  his  hearers,  and  unusual  acquaintance  with  the 
history  of  the  church,  her  enemies  and  defenders.     In  the  last 


788  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

particular  esiiecially  he  stood  distinguished  among  the  men  of 
his  day.     *     *     *     *     . 

*'  G-od  has  created  a  void  in  our  midst  which  we  all  must  feel 
— his  family,  his  church,  the  ministry  of  Christ  and  the  world. 
May  He  grant  the  consolation  which  each  one  especially  needs, 
and  raise  uji  others  to  perpetuate  the  testimony  he  offered  to  the 
truth  of  God  and  reap  the  fruits  of  his  labors."  *  *  *  *  . 
(From  the  church  at  Jonesburg.) 

John  T.  M.  Johnson — fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  at  his  home  in  Ash- 
land, Boone  County,  Missouri,  October  4,  1876,  aged  52  years 
and  11  months. 

In  the  death  of  Bro.  Johnson  the  church  as  well  as  the  com- 
munity, sustained  an  irreparable  loss.  His  character  was  a  beau- 
tiful illustration  of  the  power  of  regenerating  grace  upon  the 
heart.  Bro.  Johnson  was  by  nature  quick  and  passionate,  but  by 
the  influence  of  God's  grace,  became  one  of  the  meekest  and 
humblest  of  men.  The  worst  elements  of  his  character,  if  not 
obliterated,  were  held  in  complete  subjection,  while  all  the  no- 
bler instincts  and  impulses  of  the  human  heart  were  devel- 
oped, strengthened  and  confirmed.  He  pitied  the  weakness  of 
his  fellow  men,  but  detested  all  that  was  base,  mean,  or  selfish 
in  their  actions,  and  encouraged  all  that  was  pure,  elevating 
and  good.  In  him  the  extremes  of  courage  and  meekness  met 
and  harmonized.  One  of  the  most  humble  before  God,  he  was 
perfectly  independent  of  men.  The  loveliest  of  God's  creatures 
were  not  beneath  his  sympathy,  j-et  he  paid  no  homage  to  the 
rich  or  powerful.  In  his  character  were  happily  blended  the 
courage  of  the  lion,  the  meekness  of  the  lamb,  and  the  simple 
mindedness  of  the  Christian. 

His  liberality  knew  no  bounds  but  the  want  of  means  to  in- 
dulge it.  No  bereaved  or  afflicted  one  ever  applied  to  him  without 
securing  sympathy  and  comfort,  no  one  in  distress  that  did  not 
receive  aid.  His  last  dollar  or  his  last  loaf,  were  free  to  those 
who  needed  them  more  than  he. 

His  faith  in  God  was  a  strong  tower  which  could  not  be 
shaken.  His  religious  obligations  were  paramount  to  all  others. 
His  labors  as  a  minister  were  faithful  and  untiring.  No  ordin- 
ary circumstance  could  hinder  him  from  fulfilling  an  appoint- 
ment. 

His  conscientiousness  would  not  allow  him  to  take  what  was 
known  as  the  "iron-clad  oathj"  but  with  penalties  of  fine  and 
imprisonment  hanging  over  him,  he  put  the  whole  matter  into 


"BIOGRAPHICAL.  789 

the  hands  of  God,  and  thought  no  more  of  it,  the  rather  hiboring 
with  greater  diligence,  because  others  faltered.  Feeling  it  his 
duty  to  preach,  he  never  stopped  to  inquire  about  his  salary; 
had  it  been  dollars  or  stripes  he  would  have  preached  all  the 
same.  None  doubted  his  sincerity — he  gave  more  to  the  support 
of  the  gospel  than  he  received  for  preaching. 

As  a  j)reacher  he  was  sound  in  doctrine,  clear  in  expressioiij 
concise  in  utterance.  His  doctrine,,  though  simple,  was  elegant. 
His  reasoning  was  plain  but  comprehensive,  affording  problems 
to  the  learned,  yet  adajjted  to  the  understanding  of  a  child.  His 
sermons  abounded  in  gospel  truth,  and  overflowed  with  love  to 
Grod  and  man.  The  aged  loved  him,  the  young  reverenced  him, 
and  children  trusted  and  confided  in  him.  Such  a  man  must 
needs  have  been  deeply  interested  in  the  salvation  of  sinners, 
and  had  the  prosperity  of  Zion  near  his  heart.  A  man  of  many 
sorrows  himself,  he  considers  them  not  worthy  to  be  compared 
to  the  glory  which  should  be  revealed  in  him.  He  was  a  peace 
maker,  humble,  meek  and  pure  in  heart — of  such,  Christ  said, 
"  Blessed  "  are  they.    ("  S."  in  Central  Baptist,  Yol.  XI,  No.  43. 

William  P.  Lanier.* — This  gifted  young  man  fell  early  in 
the  conflict.  He  came  to  Missouri  from  Overton  County,  Ten- 
nessee, and  in  1845  was  the  minister  at  Pleasant  Grove  Church, 
Platte  County,  Missouri.  He  was  a  man  of  much  promise  of 
usefulness,  was  ordained,  we  think,  by  Eld.  A. P.  Williams,  and  in 
November,  1845  (another  account  says  December,  1845)  died  of 
lung  fever  and  was  taken  to  his  final  home.  His  remains  now 
sleep  in  the  cemetery  at  Pleasant  Grove  Church,  of  which  he 
was  the  first  pastor,  and  which  he  served  for  the  brief  space  of 
ten  months. 

Evan  Lawler — fwas  a  good  man  and  a  deacon  in  the  Baptist 
denomination  upwards  of  forty  years.  He  died  in  Dallas  Coun- 
ty, Missouri,  October  4,  1875,  while  visiting  his  daughter,  Mrs. 
Strickland;  being  then  in  his  76th  year.  He  was  a  native  of  the 
state  of  North  Carolina.  In  1840  he  and  his  wife  became  mem- 
bers in  the  organization  of  Coon  Creek  Baptist  Church,  St. 
Clair  County,  Missouri,  of  which  they  were  steadfast  communi- 
cants until  it  was  dispersed  by  the  war  of  1861.  They  always 
were  firm  supporters  and  loving  friends  of  their  pastor,  who  al- 
ways found  a  home  at  their  house.  To  them  were  born  nine 
children,  all  of  whom  they  raised  (four  sons  and  five  daughters); 

*  By  Eld.  Jonas  D.  Wilson. 

f  By  Eld.  Benj.  F.  Lawler,  a  son. 


790 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


all  of  whom,  save  one,  they  lived  to  see  professed  Christians. 
Three  of  the  four  sons  are  now  ministers  of  the  gospel  among 
the  Baptists.  What  a  heritage  !  How  God  honors  his  consecra- 
ted servants ! 

Elisha  Landers. — When  a  child  this  brother  came  to  the  ter- 
ritory of  Missouri  in  1811,  and  settled  in  Cajie  Girardeau  Coun- 
ty. He  grew  up  with  Indians  for  his  neighbors  and  the  most 
limited  opportunities  for  culture.  He  seldom  heard  preaching 
until  after  he  was  a  grown  man.  In  1838  he  made  a  profession 
of  religion  and  joined  a  Baptist  church  called  Mount  Zion  (in 
Wayne  County  we  think);  six  years  afterwards  he  began  preach- 
ing, labored  for  a  time  as  a  missionary  in  Black  Eiver  Associa- 
tion and  then  moved  to  Southwest  Missouri,  settling  first  in  the 
bounds  of  Spring  Eiver  Association,  then  in  Southwest  Bethel 
Association.  In  1871  this  pioneer  man  of  God  was  65  years  old 
and  lived  in  Barry  County. 
John  Hill  LuTnER. — The  subjoined  sketch  of  Eev.  J.  H.  Luther, 

president  of  Baylor 
Female  College,  Tex- 
as, appeared  in  the 
Lexington  Caucasian  in 
1872.  His  former  re- 
lation to  the  Baptist 
institutions  of  Mis- 
souri demands  for  him 
a  place  in  this  work, 
and  such  is  most  cheer- 
fully given. 

".John  Hill  Luther, 
now  the  sole  editor  of 
the  Central  Baptist,  is 
a  native  of  Ehode  Is- 
land. On  his  mother's 
side  he  is  of  Huguenot 
origin,  while  his  an- 
cestors on  the  father's 
side  were  among  the 
Welst  emigrants  who 
founded  one  of  the  earliest  Baptist  churches  on  the  American 
continent,  t\ie  Eev.  Samuel  Luther  being  the  second  pastor  of  the 
Swansea  Baptist  Church. 

*'  He  graduated  at   Brown  University  in  the  class  of  1847. 


From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia.' 
REV.   J.  H.   LUTHER,  Jt).D. 


fiioaRAPHicAii.  791 

Among  his  classmates  were  Dr.  Fisk  of  Yale  College,  Dr.  Boj'ce 
of  South  Carolina,  and  E.  A.  Guild  of  Providence,  who  have  dis- 
tinguished themselves  as  authors,  and  the  late  Benjamin  Thom- 
as, probably  the  most  distinguished  missionary  to  the  East  since 
the  day  of  Boardman.  While  at  Brown  he  received  the  Uuiver- 
sity  prize  for  English  composition. 

"  Immediately  on  his  graduation  he  repaired  to  the  ISTewton 
Theological  Seminary,  pursuing  a  thorough  course  of  theologi- 
cal instruction  and  graduating  with  honor  in  1850. 

"  Declining  several  calls  to  the  pastorate,  he  chose  the  South  as 
the  place  of  his  residence  and  life  labors,  and  immediately 
opened  a  classical  school  in  Savannah,  Georgia.  For  three  years 
his  career  in  this  state  was  a  series  of  successes  in  the  work  of 
teaching.  But  his  heart  was  in  another  department  of  labor. 
He  longed  to  devote  himself  exclusively  to  preaching.  In  1852 
he  was  ordained,  and  having  received  a  call  from  the  church  in  St. 
Peter's  Parish,  Beaufort  District,  South  Carolina,  he  immedi- 
ately took  charge  of  that  ancient  church.  Here  he.  married 
and  here  he  won  for  himself  a  reputation  as  a  man  and  a  min- 
ister which  is  to-day  cherished  with  affectionate  remembrance 
by  thousands  in  the  Palmetto  State. 

"  In  1857  Dr.  Luther  emigrated  to  Missouri  in  company  with 
several  families  from  South  Carolina,  settling  in  Kansas  City, 
where  he  established  a  Young  Ladies'  Seminary,  which,  when  the 
civil  war  broke  out  contained  over  a  hundred  pupils. 

"  Compelled  to  abandon  his  school,  he  retired  to  Saline  County 
and  took  charge  of  the  Miami  Church,  succeeding  the  late  Dr. 
A.  P.  Williams.  Yet  again,  by  the  unsettled  state  of  things, 
forced  to  seek  another  settlement,  he  became  the  pastor  of  the 
Palmyra  Church. 

"  It  was  in  this  city  that  he  commenced  the  publication  of  the 
Missouri  Baptist  Journal,  in  January,  1866,  Eev.  W.  R.  Painter  in 
connection  with  a  few  colaborers  obtaining  a  thousand  subscri- 
ers  before  the  first  number  went  to  press.  Among  the  gentle- 
men who  strongly  urged  Dr.  Luther  to  embark  in  this  hazardous 
enterprise  were  Williams,  Buckner,  Hollis,  Hickman  and  Pitts, 
now  gone  to  rest,  and  Dr.  Dulin,  Prof.  Rothwell  and  Eev.  S.  A. 
Beauchamp,  who  yet  live.  Dr.  Luther  was  then  under  bonds  for 
preaching  without  taking  the  oath  required  of  ministers,  and  it 
was  mainly  with  the  design  of  opposing  this  encroachment  on 
religious  liberty  and  furnishing  a  common  organ  of  communica- 
tion for  the  Baptists,  that  this  paper  was  established. 


792  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

''In  1868  the  Journal  and  the  Baptist  Record  of  St.  Louis  were 
merged  into  one  paper,  becoming  the  Central  Baptist,  and  the  lead- 
ing Baptists  of  tlie  state  rallied  to  its  support  as  the  organ  of  a 
united  denomination. 

"Whether  this  periodical  has  been  a  success  may  be  judged  from 
the  fact  that  it  is  now  on  its  eighth  thousand,  its  subscription 
list  steadily  increasing  every  week,  and  being  recognized  in 
every  part  of  the  country  as  a  first-class  journal. 

**  Its  editor  has  at  different  times  been  associated  with  some  of 
the  best  minds  of  the  state  in  the  editorial  department;  but  he 
has  always  been  the  recognized  chief,  and  has  devoted  himself  to 
the  paper  with  an  unwavering  faith  in  its  ultimate  success,  an 
untiring  energy  and  a  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  which  but  few  will 
ever  know. 

"  That  he  is  eminently  qualified  for  his  position  is  not  doubted 
by  those  who  have  watched  his  progress  from  the  commence- 
ment. His  training  under  Wayland,  Sears  and  Hackett,  his  inti- 
mate association  during  the  early  3'ears  of  his  ministry  with 
such  spirits  as  Sherwood  and  Campbell  of  Georgia,  and  Johnson 
and  the  elder  Manly  of  South  Carolina,  all  conspired  to  fit  him 
for  the  various  duties  of  a  journalist.  He  is  emphatically  a 
newspaper  man. 

"  The  Courier-Journal  of  Louisville,  and  the  Boston  Traveler,  in 
their  sketch  of  the  ministers  of  the  South  Carolina  convention, 
speak  of  Dr.  Luther  as  a  fine  rhetorical  scholar,  a  thorough  theo- 
logian and  a  "born  editor."  William  Jewell  College, for  whose 
endowment  he  has  ever  labored,  conferred  on  him  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  is  also  an  honorary  member  of  the 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society. 

"  In  politics,  as  might  be  supposed,  he  is  thoroughly  southern  in 
his  sympathies;  but  we  doubt  if  any  editor  has  succeeded  better 
since  the  war  in  making  a  strictly  religious  paper.  Better  than 
all  other  things  he  loves  the  Baptist  cause,  and  to  make  its  ad- 
herents a  unit  in  this  great  state  his  religious  sympathies  have 
overshadowed  all  others," 

During  Dr.  Luther's  residence  in  St.  Louis  he  filled  the  pas- 
toral office  for  a  time  both  at  Fee  Fee  and  Carondelet,  and  not  long 
after  his  retirement  from  the  editorship  of  the  Central  Baptist  he 
removed  to  the  state  of  Texas,  where,  for  some  years,  he  has  suc- 
cessfully filled  the  presidency  in  Baylor  Female  College,  at  In- 
dependence. He  is  the  honored  father  of  Mrs,  Anne  L.  Bagby, 
the  gifted  and  devoted  missionary  to  Brazil,  South  America. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


793 


Matthew  Pierce  MaTHeny — was  born  in  Putnam  County,  Ten- 
nessee, October,  1852,  where  be  grew  up  to  early  manhood,  liv- 
ing in  orphanage  from  eight  years  of  age.  Early  in  1870  he 
removed  to  Marion  County,  Kentucky,  where  he  was  converted 
and  united  with  the  Mt.  Washington  Baptist  Church.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1875,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  and  at  once  entered  George- 
town College.  Here  he  continued  until  1878,  in  May  of  which 
year  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministrj^  by  Bacon  Creek  Church. 

His  wife  was  Miss  Lou  EadcliflF,  of  Marion  County,  Kentucky, 
to  whom  he  was  married  in  September,  1875.  In  June,  1880, 
he  removed  to 
Missouri,  and 
became  pastor  at 
Troy  and  New 
Hope,  in  Lin- 
coln County;  al- 
so for  a  time  of 
Ebenezer  and 
Indian  Creek 
Churches,  in 
Pike  County, 
to  which  he  con- 
tinued to  preach 
until  October, 
1881,  when  he 
was  elected  cor- 
responding sec- 
retary of  the 
Sunday-school 
board  of  the 
Missouri  Baptist 
General  Association,  upon  which  work  he  entered  the  following 
December,  with  his  headquarters  at  Montgomery  City. 

Albert  Gregory  Mitchell, — now  living  and  yet  j)reaching, 
is  a  Virginian,  a  native  of  Amherst  County,  where  he  was  born 
April  26,  1813.  His  father,  Tarplin  Mitchell,  was  of  English 
parentage. 

The  state  of  Vii-ginia  continued  to  be  his  home  through  child- 
hood, youth  and  into  manhood.  In  1833  he  became  the  husband 
of  Miss  Amanda  Jane  Davis,  of  whom  were  born  to  him  a  large 
family  of  children.  When  about  thirty  years  old  he  attended 
the  baptism  of  his  wife,  and  while  looking  on  the  scene  he  was 


KEY.    M.   P.    MATHEXY. 


794  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

brought  under  the  deepest  conviction  of  sin,  soon  after  was  hap' 
pily  converted  to  Grod,  and  by  the  profession  of  a  voluntary  and 
personal  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  baptism  in  obedience 
to  His  command,  became  a  member  of  the  Maple  Creek  Baptist 
Church. 

Very  early  in  his  Christian  life  young  Mitchell  clearly  indi- 
cated a  more  than  ordinary  degree  of  consecration  in  the  service 
of  the  Master,  being  often  engaged  in  holding  meetings  from 
house  to  house  for  prayer,  exhortation,  &c.  This  feature  of  his 
life  being  discovered  by  his  church  (now  Cove  Church  in  Bed- 
ford County)  he  was  licensed  to  preach.  This  event  occurred 
some  two  years  after  his  conversion. 

In  November,  1845,  Mr.  Mitchell  moved  to  Missouri  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm  some  five  miles  northeast  from  Auburn,  in  Lin- 
coln County,  shortly  after  which  event  he  attached  himself  to 
the  Ramsay's  Creek  Baptist  Church,  then  some  miles  from  his 
home. 

Here  in  1847  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry-.  Elds.  A.  D. 
Landrum  and  T.  T.  Johnson  acting  as  the  presbytery;  since 
which  time  he  has  devoted  himself  to  the  country  pastoral  life, 
giving  most  of  his  time  to  the  churches  at  Eamsay's  Creek,  New 
Hope,  Buflfalo  Knob  and  Mill  Creek,  the  two  latter  of  which  he 
mainly  built  up.  His  pastorate  at  Ramsay's  Creek  Church  is  one 
of  the  extraordinary  ones.  Here  he  was  first  called  to  this  office 
in  the  year  1850,  and  is  now  serving  out  his  thirty-second  year, 
which  will  close  in  May,  1882.  This  church  has  been  and  is  now 
one  of  the  most  efficient  bodies  in  Pike  Count}^  having  numbered 
among  its  members  some  of  the  most  influential  men  of  the  coun- 
ty, among  whom  we  may  mention  the  name  of  the  late  Judge 
Newton  McDonald. 

Eld.  Mitchell  is  the  highest  type  of  a  Christian  gentleman,  a 
man  of  sterling  character,  well  acquainted  with  his  text-book, 
the  Bible,  and  an  excellent  expository  preacher  of  the  olden  time 
sort.  He  has  for  almost  forty  years  been  a  standard  bearer  in 
the  Baptist  denomination  in  Eastern  Missouri,  and  very  much 
might  be  said  in  his  praise.  He  is  now  spending  the  evening  of 
a  most  useful  life  with  the  wife  of  his  second  marriage,  who  was 
Miss  Helen  Carr,  daughter  of  Deacon  James  Carr  of  St.  Charles 
County,  Missouri.  He  also  continues  his  ministrations  to  the 
churches,  one  of  which  is  forty  miles  from  his  residence  near 
Wentzville,  St.  Charles  County.  May  the  grace  of  the  Highest 
sustain  him  when  called  to  pass  over  the  river. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  795 

John  S.  Major, — "full  of  years  and  of  the  Holy  G-host,"  died 
at  his  home  near  Kearney,  Clay  County,  Missouri,  September 
16,  1872,  aged  84  years,  5  months  and  20  days. 

He  was  born  in  Culpepper  County,  Ya.,  March  26,  1788.  In 
1791  he  removed  with  his  father's  family  to  Kentucky.  He 
served  under  General  Harrison  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  held  the 
rank  of  major  in  the  campaign  of  General  H,  in  the  Northwest. 
In  the  year  1819  he  professed  religion,  united  with  the  Baptist 
church  at  South  Benson,  was  baptized  by  Elder  Wm.  Hickman, 
and  soon  after  entered  upon  the  work  of  the  ministry.  In  1850 
he  left  Kentucky  and  settled  in  Clay  County,  Mo.,  where  he  con- 
tinued his  ministry  until  overtaken  by  the  infirmities  of  age. 

It  is  a  privilege  to  bear  testimony  to  the  moral  character  of 
such  a  man.  Exemplary  from  his  youth,  when  he  embraced  re- 
ligion he  brought  his  whole  heart  with  him  into  the  service  of 
his  Divine  Master.  His  Christian  course  has  been  "as  the  shin- 
ing light  shining  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."  In  his 
old  age  he  was  a  living  exemplification  of  that  inspired  senti- 
ment: "The  hoary  head  is  a  crown  of  glory,  if  it  be  found  in  the 
way  of  righteousness."  He  was  highly  favored  in  being  permit- 
ted to  see  a  large  family  of  children  grow  up  and  settle  around 
him,  and  in  being  permitted  to  look  upon  his  great-grandchil- 
dren. 

"Walter  McQuie — was  of  Scotch  parentage.  He  was  the  fourth 
son  of  John  and  Sally  Mosely  McQuie,  born  October  19,  1802. 
Longevity  was  a  characteristic  of  his  ancestry. 

In  1835  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Jane  Bas- 
ket, of  Fluvanna  County,  Yirginia.  She  became  the  mother  of 
eleven  children,  eight  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  died  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1858,  in  the  44th  year  of  her  natural  life. 

Walter  McQuie  was  in  Missouri  as  early  as  1834,  he  being  that 
year  in  the  organization  of  the  General  Association. 

In  1859  he  wrote  an  article  in  defense  of  his  action  in  separat- 
ing from  the  Baptists,  in  which  he  says:  "I  have  been  a  profes- 
sor of  religion  for  thirty  years,  and  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination for  twenty-five  years."  This  carries  his  conversion 
back  to  1829  and  the  commencement  of  his  ministry  to  1834. 

Elder  McQuie  was  a  man  of  unquestioned  piety.  We  never 
knew  a  man  who  seemed  to  be  more  conscientious  in  all  he  did. 
He  was  for  some  years  missionary  of  the  General  Association 
and  traversed  much  of  the  territory  of  Eastern  Missouri  in 
preaching  the  gospel  in  earlier  times.     In  1834  he  attended  the 


796  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

meeting  of  the  Salt  Eiver  Association  as  a  messenger  from  Noix 
Creek  Church.  He  was  at  that  time  a  preacher.  When  he  be- 
came more  permanent  in  his  work,  and  performed  much  pastoral 
labor,  his  field  was  confined  mainly  to  the  counties  of  Rails, 
Pike,  Lincoln,  St.  Charles,  Warren,  Montgomery,  and  parts  of 
Marion,  Audrain  and  Callaway.  The  following  were  among  the 
churches  of  which  he  was  pastor  towards  the  close  of  his  minis- 
try: Bethlehem  (now  Fairview)  and  Sulphur  Lick,  in  Lincoln 
County  J  Indian  Creek,  Pike  County;  and  Middletown  and  Mont- 
gomery City  (formerly  Elkhorn),  in  Montgomery  County;  the 
last  three,  we  think,  he  helped  to  constitute. 

lie  was  a  plain,  earnest  preacher  of  the  gospel.  During 
the  latter  part  of  his  life  there  appeared  some  differences  in 
his  views  of  church  polity  and  the  faith  of  the  denomination. 
This  difference  finally  led  to  his  withdrawal  from  the  Baptists  in 
1859,  after  which,  on  account  of  said  withdrawal,  he  was  form- 
ally excluded  by  the  Baptist  church  at  Montgomery  City.  So  far 
as  we  have  been  able  to  learn,  all  who  knew  Eld.  McQuie  accord- 
ed to  him  sincerity  of  motive  in  his  withdrawal  from  the  Bap- 
tists, but  most  persons  thought  he  erred  in  his  judgment.  He 
lived  several  years  after  this  event,  and  died  near  Middletown. 

During  his  twenty-five  j^ears'  ministry  he  held  a  great  many 
revival  meetings,  and  baptized  large  numbers  of  converts  into 
the  fellowship  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  his  field  of  labor. 

John  E.  Moore* — was  born  in  Somerset,  JSTew  Jersey.  His 
parents  emigrated  to  the  state  of  Illinois  when  he  was  but  ten 
years  old.  He  was  early  brought  under  the  influence  of  the 
saving  grace  of  God,  and  was  converted  to  Christ  at  the  age  of 
14  years,  and  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Newal  into  the  Baptist 
church  at  Canton,  Ills. 

Soon  after  his  church  relation  he  entered  Shurtleff  College,  at 
Upper  Alton,  Ills.,  and  commenced  his  studies  for  the  gospel 
ministry.  Here  he  pursued  his  studies  and  graduated  in  1854. 
He  loved  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  while  in  college  he  preached 
part  of  the  time  to  the  churches. 

He  went  to  Kansas  about  the  year  1859,  and  came  to  this  state 
about  1870,  locating  in  DeKalb  County.  During  these  six  years 
he  was  devoted  to  church  work.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  pastor  of  three  churches,  dividing  his  time  among  them, 
spending  one-half  of  his  time  with  the  Baptist  church  in  Mays- 
ville,  the  county  seat. 

*  Prom  Joseph  C.  Miller,  in  Centi-al  Baptist,  Vol.  X,  No.  48. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  797 

Bro.  Moore  seemed  to  realize  that  his  work  on  earth  was  near 
to  a  close,  and  he  seemed  anointed  anew  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
he  was  so  earnest  and  loving  in  his  pulpit  work.  Long  will  his 
last  sermons  be  remembered  by  the  church  here.  They  were 
full  of  Christ  and  love. 

Bro.  Moore  was  in  his  46th  year  when  he  died  ;  yet  he  look- 
ed young  and  healthful;  was  sick  about  two  weeks,  preaching 
the  gospel  up  to  the  time  he  was  confined  to  his  bed.  Brain 
fever  was  said  to  be  the  messenger  that  took  him  away. 

As  a  minister  of  the  gospel  Bro.  Moore  had  peculiar  excellen- 
cies. He  possessed  that  combination  of  intellectual  and  moral 
qualities  which  makes  a  fervently  useful  preacher. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  departed  this  life  December  5,  1875, 
leaving  a  wife  and  four  children  to  mourn  his  loss.  His  home 
was  at  Standard,  De  Kalb  County,  Mo. 

David  Orr.* — In  verj-  early  times,  even  before  Missouri  be- 
came a  state.  Eld.  David  Orr  labored  in  the  lowlands  of  Southern 
Missouri  with  great  success  in  building  up  Crooked  Creek  Church 
and  several  others.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  accomplishments,  with 
much  self-reliance,  great  zeal  and  energy  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 
He  was  a  graduate,  but  of  what  institution  we  have  not  learned. 
Yery  soon  after  the  territory  became  a  state,  he  was  elected  to 
the  legislature,  which  had  a  tendency  to  draw  his  mind  from  the 
great  work  of  preaching  the  gospel,  and  which  gave  rise  to  con- 
siderable dissatisfaction  among  his  brethren.  Eld.  Moses  Bailey 
succeeded  him  as  pastor  of  Crooked  Creek  Church. 

We  will  here  give  an  anecdote  of  thtee  two  brethren,  which 
was  told  us  by  persons  acquainted  with  them  at  the  time  it  oc- 
curred. Brother  Bailey  was  then  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.  They  had  an  interview  which  resulted  in  a  debate  on 
the  subject  of  baptism.  Some  time  afterwards  the  disputants 
met  at  a  neighbor's  house,  when  the  subject  of  debate  was  again 
introduced.  Each  defended  his  side  with  great  warmth,  until  at 
last  forgetting  themselves  in  their  great  zeal  to  support  their 
respective  opinions,  they  came  to  blows.  Bro.  Orr  proved  too 
strong  in  this  contest  as  he  had  done  in  the  war  of  words.  In  a 
short  time  after,  Bro.  Bailey  yielded  the  question,  and  united 
with  the  Baptists,  Bro.  Orr  having  the  pleasure  of  baptizing 
him.  After  this  they  went  about  preaching  together  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  and  the  most  sincere  friendship  was  pre- 
served between  them  up  to  the  time  of  Bro.  Orr's  death. 

*  Eld.  William  Polk  (Sketches  by)  Christian  Repository,  Vol,  VI,  p.  292. 


798  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

JoAB  Powell* — was  a  j^ioneer  preacher  in  the  true  meaning  of 
that  term.  He,  as  a  worker  in  the  Lord's  vineyard,  was  in  the 
ranks  of  those  who  raised  the  standard  of  the  Cross  along  the 
western  border  of  Missouri.  The  wilderness  has  been  made  to 
blossom  as  the  rose;  and  those  myriads  of  flowers,  once  waving 
in  silent  grandeur  over  our  rolling  prairie  homes,  have,  like  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  become  the  pioneer  emblems  of  the  advan- 
cing wave  of  civilization. 

The  last  twenty  years  of  his  life  were  devoted  to  preaching  the 
gospel  in  Oregon.  There  he  is  also  remembered  as  one  of  those 
plain,  old-fashioned  preachers,  ever  ready  in  every  good  word 
and  work,  to  win  souls  to  Christ. 

Mr.  Powell's  father  was  a  Quaker,  who  at  an  early  day  moved 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Claiborne  County,  Tennessee.  Joab  Pow- 
ell was  born  and  brought  up  here.  He  married  when  young. 
Miss  Anna  Buler,  and  in  1826  emigrated  to  Jackson  County,  Mis- 
souri. Together  these  two  lived  in  harmony  a  long  and  useful 
life,  and  together  in  death  they  now  sleep  near  Scio,  in  Linn  Coun- 
ty, Oregon.     He  died  in  that  state  in  Januar}",  1873. 

In  the  vigor  of  manhood  Brother  Powell  embraced  the  relig- 
ion of  Jesus  Christ,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  church  at  Big 
Barren  in  his  native  county. 

We  have  said  he  was  an  illiterate  man.  So  he  was  ;  but  he  was 
not  an  ignorant  one.  Far  from  it.  He  was  of  course  ignorant 
of  some  things,  so  are  all  men.  He  knew  not  the  sciences,  but 
was  well  versed  in  experimental  religion  and  the  doctrines  of 
the  Bible  and  of  the  Baptists. 

When  anti-missionism,  like  the  miasma  of  death,  was  about 
to  enshroud  the  Baptist  cause  in  Western  Missouri,  he  threw  all 
the  power  of  his  influence  against  such  unheard-of  heresies.  He 
sought  not  to  lead,  but  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  Jeremiah  and 
Henry  Farmer,  W.  P.  C.  Caldwell,  Lewis  Franklin, William  Du- 
val and  others,  he  believed  it  right  to  "preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature." 

A  mighty  man  in  Israel  has  fallen — has  laid  his  armor  by — on 
a  distant  shore ;  without  the  polish  of  the  schools,  yet  he  was 
instrumental  in  doing  much  good. 

Thomas  Pitts. — We  have  been  able  to  collect  but  few  facts 
concerning  the  life  of  this  man  of  God.  He  was  the  first  Baptist 
minister  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Hickory  County.     He  and  Eld. 

*  From  a  sketch  by  J.  J.  IvobiusoD,  published  iu  the  Christian  Repository,  April, 
1875,  p.  270. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  799 

John  Miller  organized  the  first  church  in  the  county,  about  1843, 
of  six  members,  in  Turner  "Washburn's  house.  Pitts  was  their 
minister  for  some  17  j^ears.  He  now  sleeps  with  the  fathers. 
(From  Eld.  L.  J.  Tatum's  MS.) 

John  W.  Eenshaw — was  a  good  doctrinal  and  exhortational 
preacher  of  Moniteau  County,  Missouri.  He  was  born  May  24, 
1818,  and  died  May  29,  1869.  Ho  was  raised  in  Missouri.  At 
about  24  years  of  age  he  was  converted  and  joined  Mt.  Pleasant 
Baptist  Church  of  Cooper  County,  and  soon  after  began  to  preach 
the  gospel.  His  field  of  labor  was  for  the  most  part  in  Moniteau 
County,  and  mostly  as  pastor  of  churches.  His  education  was 
quite  fair  in  the  English  branches.   (By  his  son,  A.  J.  Eenshaw.) 

William  Eice* — was  born  in  "Woodford  County,  Kentucky,  in 
1790,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Arnold,  October  22,  1812. 

They  both  professed  religion  early  in  life  and  united  with 
Clear  Creek  Baptist  Church  in  "Woodford  County.  Their  fath- 
ers, Eichard  Eice  and  John  Arnold,  were  from  Yirginia,  and  they 
were  among  the  first  settlers  of  Kentucky.  They  were  also  mem- 
bers of  Clear  Creek  Church. 

Bro.  "William  Eice  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  a  short 
time  after  he  was  married,  and  his  labors  were  greatly  blessed 
while  he  remained  in  Kentucky.  In  1834  he  with  his  family 
moved  to  Clay  County,  Missouri,  uniting  with  Eush  Creek  Bap- 
tist Church,  where  his  membership  remained  until  the  division 
took  place  on  account  of  the  institution  of  missions.  This  church 
being  weak  soon  dissolved,  and  he  then  joined  Little  Shoal 
Church,  where  he  remained  for  several  j^ears ;  but  on  account  of 
some  trouble  in  the  church  he  left  it  and  joined  the  Kearney 
Baptist  Church,  where  his  membership  remained  till  his  death. 

He  was  attending  the  Old  Baptist  meeting  at  Clear  Creek, 
near  Kearney.  He  was  at  the  morning  services  and  seemed  to 
enjoy  himself  as  well  as  he  did  while  in  the  bloom  of  youth.  He 
came  back  to  the  afternoon  service,  and  after  listening  to  anoth- 
er soul-stirring  sermon  by  Brother  "Wright  (an  Old  Baptist),  he 
seemed  to  be  much  revived,  and  rising  to  his  feet  he  asked  per- 
mission to  say  a  few  words.  Permission  being  granted,  he  be- 
gan with  an  unusually  clear,  strong  voice  to  speak. 

He  said  he  had  "  long  waited  for  the  summons,  and  that  he  felt 
like  he  was  ready  to  go."  He  went  on  speaking  about  the  sol- 
emnity of  the  judgment ;  "but  still,"  said  he,  "it  would  be  glori- 
ous to  meet  loved  ones  who  have  passed  on  before  us."     He 

*  Kev.  W.  T.  Campbell  in  Central  Baptist,  August  23,  1877. 


800 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


spoke  four  or  five  minutes,  and  began  quoting  Hosea  13  ;  14 :  "I 
will  ransom  them  from  the  power  of  the  grave;  I  will  redeem 
them  from  death.  Oh,  death  !  I  will  be  thy  plague ;  Oh,  grave  !  I 
will  be  thy  destruction;  repentance  shall  be  hid  from  mine  eyes." 
He  had  quoted  and  commented  on  the  two  first  clauses,  but 
when  he  came  to  the  other  two  he  reversed  them  and  said  :  "  Oh, 
grave  !  I  will  bo  thy  destruction  ;  Oh,death!  "  when  he  fell  full 
length  on  the  floor,  with  the  word  "  death  "  lingering  on  his 
lips.  He  only  breathed  three  or  four  times  after  befell.  Sever- 
al persons  rushed  to  him  and  raised  his  head  there  for  a  few  mo- 
ments and  then  carried  him  out  into  the  open  air ;  but  all  to  no 
effect,  for  death  had  come  to  claim  its  victim.  Dr.  Yates,  of 
Kearney,  arrived  soon  after  and  pronounced  it  apoplexy. 

His  death  occurred  in  August,  1877.  He  was  87  years  old.  His 
remains  were  carried  to  his  old  farm,  two  and  a  half  miles  north 
of  Liberty. 

James  Schofield,* — now  a  resident  of  Dallas  Count}',  Missouri, 
^s^s'^^'™*^*  ^  was  born   in   the 

^*  state  of  New  York 

'^  June  7, 1801.     He 

was  reared  with- 
out the  advanta- 
ges of  a  liberal 
education,  though 
by  the  energetic 
application  of  a 
naturally  strong 
intellect,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  over- 
coming many  of 
the  difficulties 
growing  out  of 
this  disadvantage. 
Fo  rty-seven 
years  ago,  in  his 
native  state,  Bro. 
Schofield  was  or- 
d  ain  ed  to  the 
work  of  the 
Christian  ministry,  and  from  that  time  to  this,  his  consecration 
has  been  single  and  earnest.     In  his  native  state  he  labored  in 

*  From  the  Central  Baptist,  August,  1877. 


REV.  JAMES  SCHOFrELD. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  801 

the  ministry  until  he  was  forty-two  years  of  age,  when  he  emi- 
grated to  the  West  and  settled  in  Illinois. 

In  Kendall  County  he  labored  in  the  ministry  for  three  years, 
and  in  Stephenson  County,  under  appointment  of  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society,  he  labored  for  nine  years.  Dur- 
ing this  time  his  labors  were  blessed  to  the  conversion  of  many 
souls  and  he  organized  and  assisted  in  the  organization  of  thir- 
teen churches,  several  of  which  he  served  more  or  less  as  pastor. 
He  was  with  the  Freeport  Church  from  the  time  of  its  organiza- 
tion until  he  left  the  state  of  Illinois. 

He  went  into  this  region  of  the  country  when  it  was  sparsely 
populated,  and  the  inhabitants  were  mainly  new  settlers  who 
were  just  beginning  the  establishment  of  farms  and  homes. 
There  were  no  Baptist  churches  in  that  region.  Most  of  the  thir- 
teen churches  constituted  during  the  stay  of  Bro.  Schofield  are 
still  in  existence,  and  among  them  we  name  Eock  Eun,  Galena, 
Warren,  Mt.  Carmel  and  Oregon  in  Illinois,  and  York  and  Shells- 
burg  in  Wisconsin. 

In  1853,  with  a  commission  from  the  Home  Mission  Society, 
Bro.  Schofield  moved  to  Iowa.  Here  he  lived  for  twelve  years. 
Nine  of  these  years  he  devoted  to  the  mission  work  and  was  per- 
mitted to  witness  the  prosperity  of  the  cause  to  which  he  gave 
his  life  energies.  He  organized  a  church  at  Farmersburg,  Mc- 
Gregor, Rossville,  Alkadar,  Strawberry  Point,  Hardin  and  oth- 
er places.  To  all  of  these  churches  he  preached  more  or  less 
from  the  time  of  their  constitution  until  he  accepted  an  appoint- 
ment as  chaplain  in  the  United  States  Army,  which  position  he 
held  for  three  years. 

In  1867  he  moved  from  Iowa  to  the  southwestern  portion  of 
Missouri,  and  settled  in  Dallas  County,  where  he  now  lives. 
This  section  of  the  state  of  Missouri  had  been  desolated  by  the 
war  between  the  North  and  South,  the  people  were  impover- 
ished, the  population  was  made  up  mainly  of  widows  and  or- 
phans, churches  had  been  dissolved,  and  the  field  was  one  for 
missionary  work.  Bro.  Schofield  gathered  the  people  together 
in  the  forests,  and  there,  with  such  comforts  and  conveniences  as 
nature  may  have  provided,  preached  the  gospel  to  listening  souls. 
He  applied  himself  to  the  work  of  building  houses  of  worship 
for  the  people  of  God  and  such  as  attended  worship  with  them. 
He  is  just  now  finishing  the  third  house.  One  of  them  the  peo- 
ple have  named  Schofield  Chapel.  Since  coming  to  this  state 
Bro.  Schofield  has  not  received  more  than  fifty  dollars  for  his 
51 


802  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

ministerial  services.  Yet  he  is  a  decided  advocate  of  minister- 
ial support  where  the  congregations  are  able  to  pay  it.  He 
is  also  a  decided  friend  to  ministerial  education.  During  the 
years  of  his  ministry  he  has  organized  and  helped  to  organize 
forty-three  churches.  He  never  succeeded  but  one  man  in  the 
pastorate,  and  that  was  the  late  Eev.  John  Tolman.  His  main 
topicsof  preaching  have  been  and  are  those  most  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  great  facts  of  a  crucified  and  risen  Savior,  and 
these  topics  he  is  wont  to  present  in  a  logical  and  fervent  style 
of  public  speech.  He  has  ever  been  steadfast  in  maintaining 
and  teaching  the  distinctive  doctrines  of  the  Baptist  church,  be- 
lieving that  New  Testament  ordinances  in  manner  and  order  of 
observance  are  of  Divine  authority,  and  that  man  has  no  right 
to  omit  or  modify  them. 

Elder  Schofield  is  the  father  of  eighteen  children — ten  sons 
and  eight  daughters.  These  were  the  oifspring  of  three  diflTerent 
marriages.  The  oldest  son,  Rev.  J.  V.  vSchofield,  is  well  known 
to  our  readers  as  the  pastor  of  the  Fourth  Baptist  Church,  St. 
Louis.  The  next  is  Gen.  John  M.  Schofield  of  the  United 
States  Army,  and  now  in  command  at  "West  Point.  Geo.  W.  is 
also  in  the  army,  and  is  commander  of  the  post  at  Fort  Duncan 
in  Texas  ;  Elisha  died  a  few  years  ago  in  the  shocking  catastro- 
phe at  Richmond,  Va. — the  falling  in  of  the  floor  of  one  of  the 
chambers  of  the  State  house.  Frank  D.,  is  a  farmer  in  Dallas 
County,  Missouri,  and  Chas.  B.,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  is  ad- 
jutant to  Gen.  Mills,  TJ.  S.  A.  Two  young  men  are  with  their 
venerable  father  at  home.  The  other  sons  are  dead.  But  two 
of  the  daughters  are  living. 

More  than  threescore  years  and  ten  of  the  life  of  this  vener- 
able man  are  numbered  with  the  past.  He  says  he  takes  far 
more  pleasure  in  contemplating  death  than  in  realizing  life  ;  yet 
in  his  old  age  he  feels  to  give  himself  anew  for  the  work  of  his 
Master,  though  he  sometimes  imagines  that  he  can  hear  the  boom 
and  dash  of  the  waves  on  the  boundless  ocean  of  eternity.  He 
testifies  that  he  has  never  known  what  it  is  to  be  jealous  of  ris- 
ing young  ministers.  He  takes  delight  in  their  promise  and 
prays  for  their  success.  May  God  bless  the  declining  years  of 
this  veteran  soldier. 

Adiel  Sherwood. — Although  this  venerable  and  eminent  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  spent  onh^  a  part  of  his  long  and 
useful  life  in  Missouri,  the  history  of  the  Baptists  of  this  state 
would  not  be  complete  without  the  following  sketch  of  him.  Few 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


803 


men  live  through  as  many  years  as  he  spent  in  the  ministry.  He 
calmly  "fell  asleep"  August  18,  1879. 
Of  him  the  Central  Baptist  says  : 

"Adiel   Sherwood  was  born   at   Fort  Edward,   Washington 
County,  New  York,  October  3,  1791. 

"He  graduated  at  Union  College,  Schenectady,  under  the  cele- 
brated Dr.  Nott,  and 
at  Andover  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  where 
he  was  a  pupil  of  Mo- 
ses Stuart.     Soon  af- 
ter his  graduation  he 
went  to  Georgia  and 
preached   four   years 
in  Liberty  County  and 
vicinity.     In  1836  he 
was  elected  to  the  pro- 
fessorship of  Learned 
Languages   and    Bib- 
lical     Literature     in 
Columbian      College, 
Washington  City,  and 
was     also    appointed 
general  agent  of  the 
college.     His  efforts 
saved  the  institution 
from    financial    ruin. 
In  1837  Dr.  Sherwood  returned  to  Georgia  and  was  tendered 
and  accepted  the  professorship  of  Sacred  Literature  and  Moral 
Philosophy  in  Mercer  University.  A  flourishing  church  was  built 
up  under  his  ministry  in  Pennfield,  the  seat  of  the  university. 
July  7,  1841,  he  was  elected  first  president  of  Shurtleff  College, 
and  was  afterwards,  for  awhile,  pastor  at  Fee  Fee,  St.  Louis 
County.     From  1846  to  1849,  Dr.  Sherwood  was  president  of  the 
Masonic  College  at  Lexington,  Mo.,  an  institution  which  was 
noted  for  its  high  standard  of  scholarship  and  excellent  manage- 
ment.    Among  his  pupils  at  this  time  was  Col.  A.  W.  Slayback 
of  St.  Louis,  who  speaks  of  his  instructor  in  terras  of  warmest 
affection.     Afterward  he  went  to  Cape  Girardeau,  where  he  re- 
mained some  3'ears.     Precarious  health  necessitated  a  change  of 
climate,  and  he  removed  to  Griffin,  Georgia,  where  he  remained 
nine  years.     After  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  St.  Louis, 


From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia.' 
REV.  ADIEL  SHERWOOD,  D.  D. 


804  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

where,  with  three  years  atKirkwood,  he  has  resided  till  the  time 
of  his  death." 

The  following  is  from  Campbell's  Georgia  Baptists — pp.  414-'15 — 
biography  of  A.  Sherwood : 

"In  October,  1818,  he  arrived  in  Savannah,  where  he  preached 
his  first  sermon  and  taught  the  academy  at  Waynesboro,  Burke 
County,  during  the  ensuing  winter.  He  was  ordained  at  Beth- 
saida  Church,  Greene  County,  in  March,  1820,  by  a  presbytery 
consisting  of  Mercer,  Reeves,  Roberts  and  Mathews,  and  was 
pastor  of  Bethlehem  Church,  near  Lexington,  in  1820  and  1821. 
In  May,  1821,  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Early,  relict  of  Governor 
Peter  Early.  He  and  Jesse  Mercer  aided  in  the  organization  of 
the  Baptist  church  at  Greensboro,  in  June,  1821,  of  which  he  was 
pastor  eleven  years  in  succession.  In  April,  1823,  he  attended 
the  Baptist  General  Convention  of  the  United  States,  and  in  the 
summer  of  the  same  year  he  and  Mercer  visited  the  mission  sta- 
tion at  Valley  Town,  North  Carolina.  In  1820  and  1821  he  was 
missionary  of  the  Savannah  Missionary  Society  in  Pulaski,  Lau- 
rens and  other  counties  in  that  region.  In  October,  1820,  he  be- 
came the  author  of  the  resolutions  passed  by  the  Sarepta  Asso- 
ciation, which  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  Georgia  Baptist 
Convention  at  Powellton  in  1822.  Having  lost  his  first  wife,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Heriot  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  in 
May,  1824. 

"  In  1827  betook  charge  of  Eatonton  Academy,  Putnam  Coun- 
ty, and  at  the  same  time  preached  to  the  churches  at  Eatonton, 
Milledgeville  and  Greensboro.  He  was  pastor  at  the  former 
place  ten  years,  and  during  a  portion  of  that  time  rode  forty 
miles  and  back  monthly  to  preach  to  the  newly  constituted 
church  at  Macon.  He  also  had  under  his  instruction  a  few  the- 
ological students.  In  the  Georgia  Baptist  convention  in  1831 
he  made  the  motion  for  a  theological  institution,  which  finally 
culminated  in  the  establishment  of  Mercer  Universit)'. 

"  He  was  a  delegate  from  Georgia  in  1829  to  the  Baptist  Tri- 
ennial Convention.  This  year  he  went  in  company  with  Dr. 
Manly  of  Charleston.  In  1832  he  attended  the  same  convention 
with  the  Hon.  Thomas  Stocks;  and  in  1835  with  Jesse  Mercer. 
He  aided  in  the  formation  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  in  Philadelphia. 

*'  During  his  connection  with  Shurtleff  College  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Dennison  Uni- 
versity, at  Granville,  Ohio, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  805 

"  In  1852  he  became  pastor  at  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo,,  where  he 
continued  for  five  years.  Eheumatism  compelled  a  return  once 
more  to  Georgia  in  1857,  and  he  took  charge  of  Marshall  Col- 
lege, with  which  he  was  connected  until  called  to  the  pastorship 
of  Griffin  Church.  He  resided  in  that  city  several  years,  which 
he  at  length  left  for  his  farm  in  Butts  County,  where  he  was 
broken  up  by  the  Federal  army  in  its  march  through  the  state  in 
the  fall  of  1864.  lie  and  his  family  struggled  against  want  until 
Sept.  following,  when  they  returned  to  Mo.  settling  in  St.  Louis." 

Dr.  Sherwood  was  fond  of  literary  pursuits  and  employments. 
His  first  work  was  the  Gazetteer  of  Georgia,  published  in  1827. 
Another,  Jewish  and  Christian  Churches,  is  a  concise  work,  and 
conclusive  on  the  subject  treated.  His  Notes  on  the  New  TestU' 
ment,  doubtless  his  most  important  work,  is  an  invaluable  con- 
tribution to  Baptist  literature.  This  work  was  stereotyped  in 
New  York,  was  first  published  in  1856  in  two  volumes,  and  has 
gone  through  seven  editions. 

For  many  j^ears  he  wrote  very  extensively  for  magazines,  re- 
views and  other  religious  papers  all  over  the  land,  on  all  sorts 
of  subjects  affecting  the  welfare  of  mankind,  and  especially  the 
interests  of  Christ's  cause. 

Quoting  again  from  the  Central  Baptist: 

"In  the  years  1827-'35  he  was  noted  as  a  revivalist.  It  is  said 
that  14,000  persons  were  baptized  in  Georgia  in  meetings  which 
were  the  outgrowth  of  the  revival  services  he  began.  As  a 
preacher  he  was  plain,  earnest  and  evangelical.  As  a  writer 
he  was  terse,  forcible  and  always  to  the  point.  As  an  educator 
he  was  popular  with  those  he  taught,  but  never  failed  to  se- 
cure good  discipline  among  his  students.  None  knew  him  thor- 
oughly but  to  esteem  and  love  him.  He  had  a  great  heart.  He 
was  an  Israelite  in  whom  there  was  no  guile.  He  was  so  mod- 
est and  unobtrusive  that  it  took  time  to  find  out  his  true  worth. 
Compliments  greatly  embarressed  him,  and  he  changed  the  sub- 
ject as  soon  as  possible  when  the  conversation  was  about  himself. 
While  men  of  a  tithe  of  his  sense  and  learning  blatantly  pro- 
claimed their  attainments,  Dr.  Sherwood  retired  from  the  public 
gaze,  and  only  came  forward  when  forced  out  by  his  brethren. 

"For  sixty-nine  years  he  proclaimed  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ.  What  a  life  !  No  human  tongue  or  pen  can  tell  its  sig- 
nificance. Part  of  its  results  have  gone  before  him  ;  part  will 
follow  after.  To  have  preached  Christ  sixty-nine  years  were 
grander  than  to  have  been  king  of  all  this  world." 


806  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Alia  Babb  Snethen.* — John  Snethen,  Sr.,  a  native  of  New  Jer- 
sey, emigrated  to  Kentucky  in  1799,  and  in  1802  he  married  Miss 
Prudence  Bowles,  a  native  of  South  Carolina.  The  year  previ- 
ous they  had  both  become  Baptists.  In  1809  they  moved  to  the 
territory  of  Missouri,  and  soon  after  (in  1810)  went  into  the  or- 
ganization of  a  Baptist  church  near  Loutre  Island,  Montgomery 
County,  the  first  church  of  any  order  north  of  the  Missouri  River 
and  west  of  St.  Charles  County. 

The  war  of  1812  drove  nearly  all  the  settlement  on  Loutre  to 
the  Boone's  Lick  Ports  in  Howard  County,  where  the  settlement 
had  become  much  the  strongest.  Here  John  and  Prudence 
Snethen  became  in  1812  constituent  members  of  Mt.  Pleasant 
Church,  the  second  one  formed  this  far  west  and  north.  The  war 
over,  they  returned  to  their  home  on  Loutre,  and  subsequently 
became  members  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Mount  Horeb,  then  lo- 
cated in  the  eastern  borders  of  Callaway  County,  some  ten  miles 
north  of  where  they  lived.  They  continued  members  of  this 
church  until  their  death,  at  the  time  of  which  he  was  81  years 
old  and  she  was  71. 

The  oldest  child  of  John  Snethen  and  Prudence  his  wife,  was 
Alia  B.  Snethen,  the  subject  of  this  brief  notice.  He  was  born  in 
Estill  County,  Kentucky,  August  4, 1803,  and  during  his  boyhood 
was  of  moral  deportment.  About  the  year  1822  he  was  happily 
converted  and  joined  the  Baptist  church  (Salem,  we  believe,)  on 
Coates'  Prairie,  having  been  baptized  by  the  pioneer,  Lewis  Wil- 
liams. "Within  a  few  months  of  this  event  he  commenced  preach- 
ing, and  about  two  years  after,  at  the  age  of  21  years,  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  ministry  by  William  Coates,  Dr.  Absalom  Bain- 
bridge,  and  another  whose  name  is  not  now  remembered. 

In  1828  he  became  the  husband  of  Miss  Caroline  Johnson,  who 
is  still  living,  and  resides  on  the  old  farm  nine  miles  south  of 
Danville,  county  seat  of  Montgomery  County. 

When  the  conflict  on  missions  arose  in  the  Baptist  denomina- 
tion, A.  B.  Snethen  thoroughly  repudiated  the  principles  of  the 
anti-missionaries  and  continued  with  the  regulars  or  mission- 
aries. A  few  years  subsequent  to  his  marriage  he  studied  medi- 
cine under  the  instruction  of  Drs.  Maughas  and  Forshey  of  Dan- 
ville. 

From  twenty  to  twenty-five  years  he  gave  a  large  share  of  his 
time  to  the  ministry  among  the  churches  and  as  a  missionary-  of 
the  G-eneral  Association,  often  sacrificing  his  own  interests  and 
*  From  a  MS.  eketch  by  Hon.  John  Snethen,  Jr.,  of  Lincoln  County. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  807 

those  of  his  family.  But  toward  the  last  years  of  his  life,  the 
responsibility  and  expense  of  a  large  family  and  the  constant 
practice  of  his  profession  forced  him  to  give  np  the  charge  of  all 
the  churches,  to  be  attended  to  by  other  hands. 

He  was  a  close  student,  and  read  everything  of  a  solid  or  prac- 
tical character  that  came  within  his  reach,  and  during  his  life  he 
collected  quite  a  handsome  home  library  at  considerable  expense. 

About  five  years  before  his  death  he  was  suddenly  paralyzed 
in  one  side  of  his  head,  shoulder  and  arm,  and  lost  the  sight  of  the 
opposite  eye.  From  this  affliction  he  partially  recovered,  so 
that  he  attended  to  his  duties  as  physician  again.  About  the  1st 
of  February,  1867,  he  was  much  complaining  for  a  day  or  two, 
but  still  able  to  administer  medicine  from  his  office.  On  Sunday 
morning  the  third  day  of  the  month,  he  got  up  and  sat  by  the 
fire,  remarking  to  one  of  his  sisters,  then  on  a  visit  to  his  house, 
that  he  had  long  expected  to  die  on  the  Sabbath,  and  he  should 
die  on  that  day;  requesting  her  not  to  leave  his  room  nor  to 
alarm  his  family  by  repeating  what  he  had  said.  He  was  con- 
scious that  his  chest  was  being  paralyzed. 

His  wife,  stepping  in  the  room  after  an  absence  of  a  few  min- 
utes, saw  that  a  speedy  change  was  taking  place.  He  was  at 
once  helped  to  his  bed,  and  gave  directions  to  blister  his  breast, 
which  was  done.  He  continued  to  give  directions  to  the  last 
without  the  least  apparent  excitement,  and  expired  about  8 
o'clock  A.  M.  of  that  da}-,  without  pain. 

Elisha  Sutton.* — The  life  of  this  young  man  was  hardly  be- 
gun. He  died  June  16,  1871,  in  Henry  County,  Missouri,  then  in 
the  fourth  year  of  his  ministr3\ 

He  was  born  i-n  Logan  County,  Kentucky,  in  1849,  and  while 
a  child  removed  with  his  parents  to  Missouri.  Under  the  min- 
istry of  Eev.  W.  A.  Gray,  he  made  a  profession  of  religion  and 
was  baptized  September  23,  1866,  and  the  following  year  was 
licensed  to  preach. 

Few  young  men  have  been  the  means,  in  God's  hands,  of  do- 
ing so  much  good  in  so  short  a  lifetime.  Beloved  by  all  who 
knew  him,  his  sermons  were  thereby  rendered  eflfective,  and 
always  the  means  of  doing  good,  either  in  persuading  sinners  to 
come  to  Christ  or  encouraging  the  disciples  of  Christ  to  hold 
fast  the  faith.  Well  knowing  that  his  disease  (consumption)  must 
soon  prove  fatal,  he,  a  few  daj's  before  his  death,  met  with  his 
church,  and  with  calmness  bade  them  farewell,  entreating  them 

*  K,  F.  H.,  in  Ceyitral  Baptist,  December  12,  1872. 


808  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

to  continue  faithful  and  meet  him  in  heaven.  The  last  morning 
of  his  life  he  told  his  mother  that  Jesus  had  met  him  in  his  dreams 
the  night  before,  and  told  him  his  mansion  was  ready  and  he  must 
now  go  home.  He  sat  up  in  his  bed  during  the  day,  and  with  a 
voice  clear  and  full  of  melody  sang  the  last  four  lines  of  his 
favorite  song : 

"  This  robe  of  flesh  I'll  drop,  and  rise 
To  seize  the  everlasting  prize, 
And  shout  while  passing  through  the  air, 
'Farewell,  farewell,  sweet  hour  of  prayer.'  " 

And  at  night  a  hemorrhage  of  the  lungs  called  him  to  his  re- 
ward.    May  God  help  us  to  so  live  that  we  may  meet  him  there. 

William  Thompson.— Eev.  W.  H.  Burnham,  of  Fulton,  who  for 
four  years  was  a  student  of  this  eloquent  American  orator,  offers 
the  following  "  tribute  to  his  memory:"* 

"William  Thompson  was  born  in  Scotland  about  the  year  1820. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  came  in  company  with  his  parents  to 
this  country.  His  parents  settled  near  Washington  City,  and  he 
attended  for  several  years  one  of  the  literary  institutions  loca- 
ted in  that  place.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  returned  to  Scot- 
land and  entered  the  University  of  Edinburg,  where  he  devoted 
himself  with  interest  and  zeal  to  his  studies.  I  have  heard  him 
say  that  it  was  his  general  custom  to  study  all  night  every  other 
night,  and  till  12  o'clock  the  succeeding  night;  thus  sleeping  only 
six  hours  in  forty-eight. 

"  He  graduated  in  this  renowned  institution  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-five, and  shortly  afterward  returned  to  the  United  States. 
Here  he  employed  his  vigorous  talents  for  a  short  time  in  the 
study  of  the  law.  While  thus  engaged  he  was  convicted  of  sin 
and  happily  converted  to  God. 

"  From  the  day  of  his  conversion  he  felt  strong  and  forcible 
impressions  that  it  was  his  duty  to  preach  the  gospel,  though  he 
struggled  earnestly  to  stifle  these  impressions  and  hush  the  whis- 
pering of  the  silent  voice  that  called  him  to  duty.  He  applied 
for  and  obtained  admission  to  the  bar,  and  soon  entered  upon  a 
fine  and  lucrative  practice.  I  am  uninformed  as  to  where  he  first 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  law;  but  he  had  not  long  been  en- 
gaged in  the  legal  profession  before  he  moved  to  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois. Here  he  met  with  a  sad  accident,  which  he  always  believ- 
ed was  a  judgment  of  God  sent  on  him  for  his  refusal  to  preach 
the  gospel.  * 

*  From  the  Missouri  Baptist  Journal,  Vol.  I,  No.  8. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


809 


"  He  was  traveling  on  a  stage-coach  to  a  town  some  twenty- 
miles  distant  from  the  place  of  his  abode,  on  business  connected 
with  his  profession.  The  interior  of  the  coach  was  filled  with 
ladies,  and  he  was  compelled  to  take  a  seat  above.  As  they  were 
passing  rapidly  over  a  rocky  hill-side,  the  vehicle  was  overturn- 
ed, and  Thompson  was  thrown  violently  down  the  hill-side.  His 
head  struck  the  sharp  corner  of  a  flint  rock,  and  the  blow  crack- 
ed the  skull  near  the 
suture  that  unites 
the  parietal  and  oc 
cipital  bones  on  the 
right  side  of  his 
head.  The  effect  of 
this  unfortunate  ac- 
cident followed  him 
through  life,  produ- 
cing periodical  sea- 
sons of  d  e  liriu  m, 
and  often  causing 
him  the  intenscst 
suffering. 

"  On  his  recovery 
from  the  illness  that 
succeeded  the  acci- 
dent, he  recognized 
the  hand  of  God  in 
this  afflictive  provi- 
dence, warning  him 
to  go  and  preach  the 
gospel.     He  heeded  rev.  avilliam  Thompson,  d.  d.,  ll.d. 

the  warning,  and  immediately  and  solemnly  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  ministry. 

"He  married  in  Illinois,  but  did  not  long  enjoy  the  sweet  so- 
ciety of  his  companion,  before  she  was  called  to  take  her  '  cham- 
ber in  the  silent  halls  of  death.'  She  left  an  infant  daughter  to 
remind  her  afflicted  husband  of  the  sad  loss  he  had  sustained. 

"  Thompson  preached  in  Illinois  for  several  years  with  no 
marked  success;  nor  did  he  gain  an}^  very  extensive  or  desirable 
reputation  in  that  state.  He  was  surrounded  by  some  unfortu- 
nate circumstances  that  seemed  to  stifle  his  energies  and  cramp 
his  powers.  Finally,  difficulties  concerning  the  slavery  question 
arose  in  the  churches  of  Illinois,  and  he  determined  to  move  far- 


810  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

ther  westward.  He  had  some  relatives  living  in  Iowa,  and, 
though  he  was  in  destitute  circumstances,  he  determined  to  en- 
deavor to  reach  them.  Alone,  and  on  foot,  with  a  bundle  of 
clothes — his  only  fortune — tied  up  in  a  handkerchief  and  thrown 
across  his  shoulder,  he  started  from  Southern  Illinois  to  South- 
western Iowa. 

"His  failure  to  complete  his  journey,  and  detention  in  Missou- 
ri, seems  to  have  been  peculiarly  providential. 

"  One  evening,  in  the  latter  part  of  July,  there  came  a  care- 
worn and  weary-looking  stranger  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Hawkins, 
in  the  northern  part  of  Boone  County.  He  asked  for  a  draught 
of  water,  and  then  enquired  if  Mr.  Hawkins  was  at  home.  When 
informed  that  he  was  absent,  the  stranger  observed  that  he  was 
very  sorry  to  learn  it,  for  he  was  desirous  of  seeing  him. 

"After  resting  for  a  few  minutes,  the  stranger  arose,  wished 
them  good  evening  and  started  on  his  journey.  He  had  not, 
however,  gone  far  from  the  house  before  Mrs.  Hawkins  command- 
ed one  of  her  sons  to  go  and  call  him  back,  stating,  at  the  same 
time,  that  there  was  something  about  his  looks  that  attracted 
her  attention,  and  made  her  desirous  that  he  should  remain,  at 
least  long  enough  for  her  husband  to  see  him. 

"  The  stranger  returned.  The  evening  was  spent  in  conversa- 
tion, during  which  the  stranger  informed  them  that  he  was  a  Bap- 
tist minister;  that  his  name  was  William  Tliompson;  that  he  had 
learned  before  his  arrival  at  the  house  that  Mr.  Hawkins  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  hence  he  desired  to  see  him. 

"Mr.  Hawkins  reached  home  lute  in  the  evening,  and  was  pe- 
culiarly struck  with  the  traveler's  manner  and  conversation. 

"Before  the  family  retired,  the  stranger  was  invited  to  pray. 
He  cheerfully  complied,  and  those  who  knew  him  may  easily 
imagine  how  Thompson,  surrounded  by  such  circumstances,  could 
pour  forth  his  soul  in  prayer.  So  earnest  and  so  eloquent  were 
the  utterances  that  came  heaving  up  from  the  depths  of  a  woun- 
ded and  bleeding  heart  that  the  family  were  startled  and  moved 
to  tears.  Mr.  Hawkins  said  that  he  remained  upon  his  knees, 
with  his  face  in  his  hands,  listening  to  the  suppliant  until  "he 
could  stand  it  no  longer,"  but  was  constrained  to  rise  up  and  look 
at  the  man  from  whose  lips  were  flowing  such  torrents  of  elo- 
quence as  he  had  never  heard  before.  When  he  turned  to  look 
upon  the  praying  man,  behold  !  all  the  members  of  the  family 
were  standing  before  him,  gazing  in  his  face,  while  tears  were 
streaming  down  their  cheeks. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  811 

"  The  next  morning  Mr.  Hawkins  invited  the  stranger  to  re- 
main with  him  for  a  few  days,  and  preach  the  next  evening  at 
his  house.  He  consented,  and  so  well  pleased — yea,  so  utterly 
astonished — were  they  by  the  extraordinary  powers  of  the  man, 
that  they  urged  him  from  night  to  night  to  remain  longer  and 
preach  for  them.  He  yielded;  a  revival  broke  out;  a  church 
was  organized;  Thompson  married  a  widow  lady  living  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  served  this  little  church  for  some  time. 

"His  reputation  rapidly  extended,  and  he  was  called  to  the 
care  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Fayette,  Howard  County.  Here 
his  congregation  rapidly  increased,  and  the  work  of  the  Lord 
prospered  in  his  hand.  He  extended  his  acquaintance  in  the 
county  and  through  the  surrounding  counties,  everywhere  meet- 
ing with  large  congregations  of  eager  listeners. 

"I  have  heard  him  say  that  the  number  of  his  sermons  during 
these  several  years  of  his  active  ministry  averaged  more  than 
four  hundred  annually.  His  health  began  to  decline  under  the 
pressure  of  such  excessive  labors,  and  he  was  prevailed  upon  to 
accept  the  presidency  of  Mt.  Pleasant  College,  located  in  Ean- 
dolph  County.  Here  he  remained  for  two  years,  and  his  efficient 
labors  and  prudent  discipline,  gave  character  and  standing  to 
the  institution. 

"He  was  called  from  this  station  to  the  presidency  of  the  "Wil- 
liam Jewell  College.  This  institution  had  long  been  laboring 
under  severe  embarrassments,  and  had  once  been  compelled,  on 
account  of  financial  difficulties,  to  suspend  operations.  But  ev- 
erything pertaining  to  the  institution  seemed  re-invigorated  with 
new  life  as  soon  as  it  was  known  that  Thompson  was  president. 
The  endowment  fund  rapidly  augmented;  the  reputation  of  the 
institution  extended  over  the  state;  the  number  of  students 
steadily  increased,  and  every  circumstance  indicated  that  it 
would  soon  become  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  institution  in 
the  state,  when  the  war  broke  out  and  swept  everything  before  it. 

"  Thompson  resigned,  and,  being  unable,  on  account  of  the 
war  and  the  financial  difficulties  that  then  overwhelmed  the 
country,  to  gain  a  support  by  preaching,  he  was  compelled  to  re- 
turn to  the  practice  of  law.  This  he  did,  and  with  flattering 
success.  He  continued  for  two  years  in  the  legal  profession,  when 
he  was  called  to  the  presidency  of  a  college  located  at  Sidney,  a 
town  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Iowa.  Here  he  remained  until 
his  death,  which  was  caused  by  a  severe  attack  of  typhoid  pneu- 
monia in  the  winter  of  1865. 


812  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

"His  loss  will  be  long  felt  by  the  Baptists  of  Missouri.  But 
let  us  be  comforted.  Our  loss  is  his  infinite  gain.  He  now  rests 
in  the  bosom  of  God." 

Speaking  of  Thompson,  another  writer*  describes  his  pulpit 
powers  in  the  following  lucid  manner  : 

"It  was  in  the  summer  of  1854,  when  descending  the  Mis^ 
souri,  we  learned  casually  that  Eev.  Wm.  Thompson  was  to 
preach  at  a  big  meeting  to  be  held  with  the  Rehoboth  Church, 
which  is  back  from  the  river,  and  about  fifteen  miles  from  Glas- 
gow, Miami  and  Arrow  Rock.  We  were  very  curious  to  see  and 
hear  him.  His  name  was  on  every  lip,  and  his  fame  filled  the 
state.  Years  before,  an  accident  received  in  Albany,  New  York, 
had  well  nigh  dethroned  his  reason.  Such  was  the  effect  upon 
him  that  he  had  been  repeatedly  deranged.  When  in  this  con- 
dition he  would  travel,  and  would  leave  his  buggy  at  one  place, 
his  harness  at  another,  his  horse  at  a  third,  and  so  would  rid  him- 
self, at  the  places  of  entertainment,  of  his  overcoat,  watch,  and 
whatever  he  might  have  in  his  possession,  regardless  whether 
they  belonged  to  himself  or  to  another.     This  made  much  talk. 

"When  we  heard  him  at  Rehoboth  the  tongue  of  scandal  had 
been  stilled.  The  man  was  too  unmistakably  a  power  with  God 
and  for  God,  and  it  became  perilous  to  attempt  to  undermine  his 
reputation  or  malign  his  character. 

"  On  arriving  at  the  place  we  found  the  prayer  meeting  in  full 
tide  of  success.  Rev.  Mr.  Fristoc,  of  Glasgow,  had  charge  of  the 
meeting,  as  he  was  pastor  of  the  church.  In  that  country,  and 
at  that  time,  such  a  man  was  to  be  obeyed.  If  he  told  a  minister 
to  preach,  he  must;  or  if  to  pray,  there  was  no  appeal.  The  time 
for  service  drew  on.  Expectant  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,  had 
gathered  from  near  and  from  far  to  be  in  at  tlie  opening  of  the 
gospel  war.  The  crowd  of  well-dressed  slaves,  the  multitudes  of 
women  coming  on  horses,  equaled  in  number  by  the  wild-looking 
swarthy  men  presented  a  scene  of  romantic  and  thrilling  interest. 

"At  length  it  began  to  be  whispered,  '  Mr.  Thompson  was  sick 
yesterday — it  is  to  be  feared  he  will  not  be  here.'  A  feeling  of 
disappointment  crept  over  the  faces  of  all.  At  length  it  was  de- 
cided by  Father  Fristoe  that  a  certain  youthful  editor  should 
take  the  vacant  place.  Protests  were  in  vain.  As  best  he  could 
he  proposed  to  discharge  the  trust,  and  took  for  his  text  the  fa- 
miliar passage,  '  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  Cross 

*  Correspondent  Christian  Times,  Boston,  published  in  the  Missow'i  Baptist 
Journal,  \o\.  I,  No.  18. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  813 

of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  The  first  hymn  and  prayer  had  pass- 
ed ;  the  last  verse  had  been  reached  j  when  there  was  a  notice- 
able stir,  and  a  look  of  delight  overspreading  the  features  of  the 
audience.  Rev.  Wm.  Thompson  had  arrived  and  had  entered  the 
door.  A  glance  at  his  features  showed  that  he  was  master.  Wo 
have  heard  of  the  race-horse  in  the  West,  with  wide  nostrils, 
shaggy  mane,  falling  ear,  but  with  gray  eye,  that  with  head  down 
and  lazy  step  comes  on  to  the  race-course  and  waits  for  the  rider 
to  stroke  his  back  and  the  starting  word  to  be  given,  when  he 
reveals  his  winning  properties  and  outstrips  all  competitors. 
Something  like  this  looked  Wm.  Thompson.  His  nose  was  flat, 
his  nostrils  wide,  his  eye  blue,  his  hair  coarse  and  black,  and  cut 
as  if  by  a  woman,  square  off,  without  taste  or  much  care,  his 
clothes  black  and  faultless  in  their  neatness,  but  cut  and  made 
by  some  honest  tailor  who  knew  little  of  the  latest  fashions;  his 
hand  delicate,  his  foot  small,  his  step  nervous  and  his  voice  clear 
as  a  bell,  sweet  as  a  flute  and  powerful  as  an  organ's  peal.  Intro- 
duced to  the  expectant  preacher,  he  at  first  made  the  condition 
of  his  health  an  excuse  for  not  preaching;  but  when  assured  that 
it  would  not  do  to  disappoint  the  people,  with  the  grace  of  a  mas- 
ter he  arose  and  announced  for  his  text  the  identical  one  which 
had  been  previously  chosen.  Who  will  forget  how  grandly  those 
words  sounded :  '  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  Cross 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Surely  we  thought  we  should  know 
now  whether  or  not  he  is  the  man  described.  He  was  five  feet 
eight  inches  in  height,  square  shouldered,  and  when  in  the  pulpit 
as  straight  as  an  arrow.  Twelve  years  are  gone,  but  those  tones 
still  ring  in  our  ears. 

"  As  we  have  seen  a  wind  creep  stealthily  into  a  forest,  first  lift 
the  topmost  leaf,  and  now  gently  touch  a  bough,  and  increase 
in  power  until,  laying  its  mighty  hand  upon  its  head  it  bows  its 
neck  to  the  earth ;  so  began  and  terminated  that  wonderful  dis- 
course. His  divisions  were  admirable,  his  language  simple, 
chaste  and  beautiful.  He  painted,  with  the  hand  of  a  master,  the 
things  in  which  the  world  gloried,  and  then  after  weighing  them 
each  in  turn  and  proving  them  lighter  than  vanit}',  he  turned  to 
Christ  and  portrayed  his  life  in  language  so  loving,  so  apprecia- 
tive, and  yet  so  commanding,  that  every  eye  was  kept  bent  upon 
that  form  moving  from  the  flowing  Jordan  to  the  reeking  cross. 
At  last  we  stood  before  Calvary.  Long  since  we  had  forgotten 
Cone,  and  Welch,  and  Fuller,  and  believed  that  the  half  hud  not 
been  told  about  the  rapt  preacher  before  us.     Did  we  look  about, 


814  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

the  sight  was  appalling.  There  were  western  hunters  and  mule- 
drivers  standing  with  tears  streaming  down  their  cheeks,  and 
with  the  agony  of  the  Cross  delineated  upon  their  faces. 

"  For  over  an  hour  he  held  the  audience,  and  closed  with  this 
illustration  :  '  It  is  said  that  away  up  at  the  source  of  the  mighty 
river  that  flows  through  your  valley,  there  is  a  fountain  from 
which  two  streams  take  their  rise.  One  goes  westward  and  emp- 
ties into  the  Pacific ;  the  other  flows  close  beside  us  and  pours  its 
freight  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  I  have  imagined  a  ledge  of 
rocks  hanging  over  that  fountain,  and  from  that  rock  a  dew-drop 
suspended.  A  wind  coming  from  the  east  will  bear  it  into  that 
portion  of  the  fountain  whence  the  Columbia  takes  its  rise,  and 
it  will  be  borne  to  mingle  with  the  blue  waters  of  the  distant  Pa- 
cific. A  wind  coming  from  the  west  will  bear  it  into  that  part 
of  the  fountain  whence  the  Missouri  takes  its  rise,  and  so  it  will 
be  borne  to  the  Gulf.  Sinner,  you  hang  like  that  dew-drop  up- 
on that  ledge  of  rocks  to-day.  A  wind  coming  from  the  gates 
of  heaven  and  controlled  by  the  Holy  Spirit  may  bear  you  to 
that  portion  of  the  fountain  whence  the  stream  takes  its  rise 
that  flows  just  by  the  throne  of  God.  A  wind  coming  from  the 
opposite  quarter  shall  result  in  the  destruction  of  your  soul  for 
time  and  for  eternity.'  Then  in  a  brief  way  he  sketched  the 
agonies  of  the  Cross  and  the  agonies  of  the  damned.  The  scene 
beggars  description.  The  audience  forgot  itself.  Hell  was 
opened  to  its  gaze. 

"  Then  turning,  he  swept  with  the  rejoicing  throng  up  the 
shining  steeps  of  glory.  We  came  up  here  before  the  throne; 
the  Crucified  was  victor.  Oh,  how  he  looked  !  How  he  wel- 
comed us,  one  and  all.     The  sermon  closed — the  spell  was  on  us. 

"  For  three  days  that  scene  was  repeated.  His  powers  of  de- 
scription were  unsurpassed,  but  as  he  could  not  be  trusted  amid 
the  excitements  of  the  city,  he  lived  and  wrought  in  places 
like  this,  far  removed  from  the  din  and  bustle  of  a  noisy  life. 
*  *  *  *  He  was  simply  an  earnest,  gospel-loving, 
Christ-honoring  minister  of  the  New  Testament,  possessed  of 
more  magnetic  power  than  any  man  in  America.  He  had  not 
the  dramatic  power  of  a  Gough,  nor  the  force  power  of  a  Beech- 
er,  nor  the  splendid  appearance  of  a  Fuller,  nor  the  culture 
of  a  Williams.  Yet  there  was  something  about  him  which  sur- 
passed them  all,  and  which  made  him  the  greatest  preacher  of 
his  time,  and  had  he  been  able  to  exist  in  a  city,  his  fame  would 
have  crossed  seas  and  continents.     We  visited  his  home  once 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  815 

after  riding  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  secure  his  services 
in  a  protracted  meeting  in  St.  Louis.  We  found  him  living  in 
aneat  log-house,  with  a  plain  log-stable  for  his  horse  close  by,  a 
library  of  about  fifty  volumes,  a  Greek  Testament,  and  an  old 
well-red  Bible  for  companions.  His  wife  was  a  plain,  uncultured 
woman.  His  meals  consisted  of  boiled  potatoes  and  pork,  bread, 
no  butter,  and  water,  which  we  drank  out  of  a  bowl.  Thus  this 
preacher  lived  in  Missouri.  We  rode  together  for  days.  He 
was  a  brilliant  conversationalist,  a  courtly  gentleman,  and  yet 
he  was  contented  with  his  humble  manner  of  life.  He  was  lit- 
erally without  ambition,  loved  to  preach,  and  seemed  conscious 
that  he  was  valueless  for  all  else. 

"  In  Missouri  he  was  almost  an  idol.  Every  one  loved  him. 
Everyone  stepped  aside  and  awarded  to  him  the  first  place.  He 
took  it  gracefully,  and  kept  it  with  still  greater  ease." 

Thomas  Taylor. — The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  native  of 
England,  and  spent  only  a  few  years  in  this  country.  He  was 
born  near  the  city  of  London,  March  8,  1796.  At  the  early  age  of 
16  years  he  was  converted  and  became  a  Baptist,  uniting  -with  a 
church  of  that  denomination.  When  24  years  old  he  commenced 
preaching,  and  as  a  minister  he  faithfully  discharged  his  duty. 
He  was  educated  in  his  native  country.  In  1859  or  '60  he  land- 
ed in  St.  Louis  County,  Missouri,  and  settled  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Fee  Fee  Church,  with  which  he  united  and  to  which  he 
belonged  when  he  died.  He  was  a  man  of  unquestioned  piety 
and  strong  in  faith. 

He  triumphed  in  death  November  22, 1865,  and  now  lies  buried 
in  the  old  Fee  Fee  Cemetery.  When  in  the  last  agonies  of  his 
struggle,  he  exclaimed,  "Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the 
death  of  His  saints." 

Mark  A.  Taylor,* — for  years  the  leading  minister  in  St.  Fran- 
cois Association,  and  afterwards  of  the  Waj'ne  County  Assooi- 
ciation,  was  born  in  Lee  County,  "Virginia,  January  2,  1826,  and 
lived  in  the  same  county  for  thirty  years.  In  March,  1854,  he 
married  a  Miss  Warren,  and  two  years  after  came  with  his  fa- 
ther's family  to  Missouri.  They  were  on  their  way  to  Texas  to 
locate,  but  on  reaching  Wayne  County  they  stopped  a  few  days 
to  rest  their  teams,  and  while  thus  temporarily  delayed,  having 
made  some  observations  of  the  country,  they  decided  to  locate 
here.  Mr.  Taylor  opened  a  store  and  for  several  years  sold 
goods,  even  up  to  the  time  of  the  late  war.  He  grew  up  on  a 
*  Taken  in  part  from  the  MS.  of  E.  P.  Settle,  ^ 


816  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

farm  and  was  required  to  labor  very  hard.  When  a  youth  of 
about  10  years  of  age  he  secured  45  cents  and  purchased  a  Bible, 
which  he  read  through  and  through.  While  other  boys  were 
engaged  in  their  plays  and  sports  he  was  engaged  in  reading  his 
Bible. 

He  professed  religion  in  Virginia  in  1854.  The  year  after  he 
moved  to  Missouri  (1857)  he  was  ordained  by  the  Sinking  Creek 
Church  (now  dead)  in  Eeynolds  County.  He  served  as  pastor 
of  Sinking  Creek,  Cedar  Creek,  Lebanon  and  McKenzie's  Creek 
Churches. 

From  the  time  of  his  ordination  (one  informant  says  that  this 
occurred  in  1860)  until  his  death,  October  31,1879,  he  was  active 
and  zealous  as  a  gospel  preacher.  He  had  a  fair  English  educa- 
tion and  a  strong  and  vigorous  mind.  He  was  indeed  a  "work- 
man that  needed  not  to  be  ashamed."  In  spirit  and  in  fact  he 
was  a  missionary.  His  views  were  broad,  they  encompassed 
the  entire  field — the  world.  He  advocated  ministerial  culture, 
and  was  a  contributor  to  William  Jewell  College  for  this  pur- 
pose. In  1871  he  traveled  as  missionary  of  St.  Francois  Associ- 
ation at  a  salary  of  ^260.  No  .man  in  Southeast  Missouri,  per- 
haps, did  more  to  enlighten  the  people  and  build  up  the  cause 
of  truth  by  awakening  a  missionary  spirit  and  establishing  Sun- 
day-schools than  Eld.  M.  A.  Taylor.  He  was  in  the  organiz- 
ation of  the  Wayne  County  Association,  and  was  the  life  of  all 
effort  in  it.  > 

In  April,  1876,  he  organized  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Green- 
ville, county  seat  of  Wajnie,  and  was  its  pastor  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  The  death  of  no  other  man  would  have  been  so  la- 
mented by  the  people  of  Wayne  County. 

He  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  the  ministry  of  his  as- 
sociation, and  might  indeed  be  called  the  father  of  them  all.  He 
raised  a  large  family  and  by  industry  and  economy  left  them  in 
comfortable  circumstances.  He  died  of  pneumonia  after  an  ill- 
ness of  eight  days,  at  his  own  home  near  Piedmont,  Wayne 
County. 

Obadiah  Tompkins — was  born  in  Grranville  County,  Canada 
West,  January  22,  1823,  of  parents  born  also  in  Canada — of  Eng- 
lish descent.  At  the  age  of  21  he  was  converted  and  baptized. 
He  was  educated  in  all  the  higher  English  branches  in  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  in  1849  began  to  preach,  having  been  ordained 
by  the  Baptist  church  at  Louisville,  Canada. 

In  1867  he  came  to  Missouri  and  located  in  Henry  County,  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  817 

has  been  preaching  ever  since  in  the  counties  adjacent  to  his 
home.  In  the  spring  of  1868  he  organized  Big  Creek  Church, 
having  baptized  during  the  previous  winter  seventy-five  of  its 
members,  and  for  some  years  he  was  pastor  of  said  church.  He 
organized  the  Baptist  church  at  Cove  Creek,  having  baptized  ten 
of  its  members  to  begin  with,  and  afterwards  gathered  up  its 
present  membership. 

Brother  Tompkins  was  sound  in  doctrine  and  practice,  and 
zealous  in  the  defence  of  the  truth. 

In  1849  he  was  married,  and  subsequently  baptized  his  wife 
and  four  of  his  children. 

His  death  occurred  at  his  residence  in  Henry  County,  Mis- 
souri, December  31,  1878,  being  then  in  the  56th  year  of  his  age. 

Leonard  Turley, — the  father  of  the  wife  of  Eld.  John  F.  Hedg- 
es of  Pike  County,  moved  to  Ealls  County,  Missouri,  in  1818, 
settling  near  where  New  London  now  stands.  He  died  in  Octo- 
ber, 1823,  being  then  about  70  years  of  age. 

He  was  a  native  of  Fauquier  County,  Virginia.  At  the  age  of 
40  he  married  Susannah  Morton,  who  was  17  years  of  age. 

In  early  life  he  became  a  Christian  and  soon  after  commenced 
preaching.  About  1797  he  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  where  he 
spent  the  prime  of  his  life  in  the  ministry.  He  preached  much, 
itinerating  and  caring  for  the  churches.  He  was  seldom  at  home. 
He  was  acolaborer  of  Vardeman,  the  Wallers  and  the  Craigs,  and 
was  one  of  the  leading  spirits  at  the  associations. 

After  his  removal  to  Missouri  his  career  was  short,  but  his 
time  was  spent  in  visiting  and  preaching  to  the  destitute  settle- 
ments. Many  of  the  people  in  that  section  of  Missouri,  in  his 
day,  lived  in  tents  the  first  year,  or  until  after  the  first  crop  was 
made. 

Of  his  six  children,  two  were  daughters,  the  youngest  of  whom 
— Lucinda — became  the  wife  of  Eld.  John  Franklin  Hedges,  for 
some  years  a  preacher  of  Pike  County,  Mo.  Sister  Hedges  fur- 
nished the  facts  embodied  in  this  brief  notice. 

Eld.  Turley  fell  a  victim  to  bilious  fever,  which  sometimes 
raged  fearfully  in  those  early  times.  His  deatk.  was  peaceful 
and  happy. 

Caswell  Cobb  Tipton.* — By  request  of  the  Eolla  Baptist 
Church,  it  is  made  ray  painful  duty  to  announce  in  the  Central 
Baptist  the  sudden  death  of  the  Eev.  Caswell  Cobb  Tipton,  her 
late  beloved  pastor.     He  was  returning  home  from  an  agency 

*  By  Kev.  Joseph  "Walker,  in  Central  Baptist,  Vol  VII,  No,  38, 
62 


818  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

tour  among  the  churches,  and  was  stricken  down  by  apoplexy  at 
the  house  of  strange  though  kind  friends,  within  twelve  miles  of 
Marshfield,  September  5,  1872. 

Elder  Tipton  was  well  known  in  Tennessee,  from  which  state 
he  removed  to  Roll  a  after  the  war.  He  had  in  former  years  trav- 
eled as  an  agent  of  the  Domestic  Mission  Board  of  the  S.  B.  C, 
and  was  just  beginning  to  be  known  in  Missouri  as  an  excellent 
preacher,  an  able  expositor  of  Baptist  faith  and  practice,  and  a 
gentleman  of  fine  address  and  agreeable  manners.  His  sudden 
demise,  in  the  sixty-second  year  of  his  age  and  usefulness,  has 
cast  a  veil  of  deep  sorrow  over  a  large  and  interesting  family 
and  the  church  of  which  he  was  pastor. 

Much  might  be  added  in  testimony  of  his  good  standing  and 
moral  worth,  but  it  becomes  us  rather  to  bow  in  submission  to 
the  fiat  of  Him  who  doeth  all  things  well. 

Edward  Towler. — The  following  was  published  in  the  Western 
Watchman  of  March  15,  1855  : 

"  Died,  at  his  residence  in  Marion  County,  Missouri,  Eld.  Ed- 
ward Towler,  in  the  72d  year  of  his  age. 

"  The  deceased  united  with  the  Baptist  church,  at  Ash  Camp, 
Charlotte  County,  Va.,  in  1817,  removed  to  Kentucky  in  1827, 
and  to  his  present  residence  in  1830. 

"In  those  diiferent  fields  of  labor  he  was  ever  ready  to  bear 
some  part;  a  zealous  advocate  for  all  objects  that  tended  to  pro- 
mote the  Redeemer's  kingdom  upon  earth.  He  was  never  satis- 
fied to  be  idle,  but  felt  better  when  engaged  in  warning  sinners 
to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

"During  his  last  sickness  he  delighted  in  Christian  conversa- 
tion, and  he  would  often  remark  that  he  felt  a  particular  interest 
in  those  persons  that  had  renounced  the  world  and  placed  their 
trust  in  Jesus.  At  times  he  was  gloomy,  but  had  an  abiding  con- 
fidence in  God's  promise,  'that  he  would  turn  none  away  empty.' 
He  was  an  aifectionate  husband,  kind  father  and  a  good  neighbor, 
always  ready  to  administer  to  the  necessities  of  the  poor.  When 
he  ascertained  that  his  time  here  was  short,  he  remarked  that  he 
was  ready;  '  Lord,  thy  will  be  done.'  " 

James  Walker* — was  born  of  humble  parentage  near  the  Ten- 
nessee line  in  Alabama,  March  29,  1820.  When  he  was  about  10 
years  old  his  father,  Jacob  Walker,  moved  to  Perry  County,  Illi- 
nois, where  young  James  completed  his  minority.  His  father's 
people  being  of  the  Methodist  persuasion  he  grew  up  in  that 

*  By  Eld.  J.  S.  Frost,  of  Kolla,  Missouri. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  819 

faith,  and  when  17  years  old  he  united  with  the  Methodist  church. 
In  1840  he  emigrated  to  what  was  then  Crawford,  but  now  Phelps 
County,  Missouri,  and  on  the  26th  of  the  following  December 
he  married  Miss  Margaret  Love,  a  highly  respectable  and  ami- 
able young  lady,  whose  family  for  many  generations  had  been 
Baptists. 

While  a  young  man,  engaged  in  the  harvest  field,  Bro.Walker 
was  bitten  by  a  rattlesnake.  ISTot  long  after  his  marriage,  he 
was  again  bitten  by  the  same  kind  of  a  snake  near  the  same  spot 
on  his  body.  This  second  bite  seemed  to  so  poison  his  blood  that 
this  worthy  man  of  G-od  showed  signs  of  it  through  the  remain- 
der of  his  life. 

vShortly  after  he  came  to  Missouri  he  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
Baptists,  and  with  a  number  of  the  original  settlers  in  Phelps 
County  organized  the  Baptist  church  of  Spring  Creek,  and  in 
1843  was  ordained  a  preaeher  of  the  gospel. 

His  private  and  his  public  character  were  unimpeachable.  He 
lived  to  do  good,  preaching  to  numerous  small  churches  for 
many  miles  around  his  home  for  over  twenty  years.  His  entire 
talent  led  him  into  exhortation,  and  but  seldom  did  he  branch 
off  on  any  subject  in  the  way  of  theory. 

To  him  and  the  wife  of  his  first  love  were  born  twelve  chil- 
dren. Seven  of  them,  four  daughters  and  three  sons,  survived 
him.  His  widow  is  yet  living  on  the  small  farm,  the  only  earth- 
ly heritage  left  her  and  the  family. 

James  Walker  died  at  his  home  near  Eolla,  December  29, 1866, 
being  at  the  time  in  his  47th  year.  The  manner  of  his  death  was 
quite  distressing.  He  was  subject  to  fits,  caused  from  the  snake 
bite  before  spoken  of.  He  would  fall  into  the  fire,  or  in  the  wa- 
ter, and  but  for  help  would  have  perished  often.  The  last  burn 
proved  fatal.  He  was  engaged  near  his  house  heating  a  wagon 
tire.  By  some  mishap  the  attention  of  his  family  was  called 
away  from  him  for  a  few  moments,  and  one  of  his  spells  coming 
upon  him  he  fell  headlong  into  the  fire,  and  before  assistance 
reached  him  was  so  bad!}-  burned  about  the  head  and  upper  ex- 
tremities of  the  bod}',  that  after  lingering  some  days,  he  died. 

James  Walker  struggled  through  life  under  the  most  adverse 
circumstances  and  in  great  poverty.  It  is  not  possible  now  to 
see  how  he  accomplished  the  half  of  what  he  did.  But  God  wds 
with  him  and  this  is  the  residue  of  the  story. 

Anderson  Woods* — was  born  in  Albemarle  County,  Va.,  Janu- 

*  By  Dr.  A.  P.  Williams,  as  published  in  the  Central  Baptist,  Vol.  I,  No.  7. 


820  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

ary  18,  1778.  He  was  the  fifth  child  of  his  parents.  His  father 
was  of  Irish  descent,  and  took  an  active  part  in  our  revolution- 
ary struggle  for  freedom,  serving  as  a  captain  in  a  Virginia  reg- 
iment under  Washington.  He  was  a  rigid  Presbyterian,  and 
brought  up  all  his  children  in  that  faith.  Under  this  tuition  An- 
derson grew  up  a  moral  young  man.  He  was  of  good  stature, 
weighing  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds  ;  he  had  light 
hair,  fair  complexion  and  blue  eyes. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  his  father  placed  him  under  the  tuition 
of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Carr,  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  black- 
smith. He  staid  with  him  iintil  he  learned  the  trade,  and  then 
set  up  a  shop  for  himself  in  Richmond,  Madison  County,  Ky. 
Here  he  soon  established  a  reputation  as  a  skilful  workman, 
and  consequently  a  very  fair  business.  About  one  year  after  he 
began  business  for  himself.  May  4,  1808,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Harris,  by  Elder  Peter  Woocfs.  After  his  marriage  he 
remained  at  Richmond  following  his  trade  for  nearly  two  years, 
when  he  moved  on  a  farm  about  four  miles  from  his  former  resi- 
dence. In  the  following  spring  he  was  through  grace  enabled 
to  embrace  the  Savior  by  a  cordial,  obedient  faith. 

As  before  stated,  he  was  raised  a  strict  Presbyterian.  Some- 
time before  he  made  a  public  profession  of  his  faith  in  Christ  he 
was  very  seriously  impressed  with  the  subject,  especially  about 
the  time  of  the  great  revival  of  1801.  But  he  lived  struggling 
with  his  convictions  until  the  spring  of  1811,  when  he  became  un- 
usually serious.  One  evening,  having  attended  a  wedding,  as 
he  was  leaving  the  place  he  made  it  convenient  to  ride  with  the 
minister,  made  known  to  him  his  state  of  mind,  and  requested 
him  to  pray  for  him.  Whereupon  they  alighted  from  their 
horses  and  the  man  of  Grod  offered  up  a  prayer  for  him.  A  short 
time  afterward  he  was  enabled  to  rejoice  in  hope.    ' 

He  now  devoted  all  of  his  spare  moments  to  reading  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  Up  to  this  time  he  had  not  thought  of  ever  being 
anything  but  a  Presbyterian.  And  not  until  he  had  read  the 
New  Testament  through  the  third  time,  was  his  mind  unsettled. 
He  had  taken  it  for  granted  that  the  doctrine  of  infant  baptism 
was  taught  therein.  And  though  he  had  read  it  through  for  the 
third  time,  he  thought  that  perhaps  he  had  overlooked  the  paS" 
sage  where  the  doctrine  might  be  found.  He  therefore  read 
again  with  special  reference  to  this  doctrine,  but  found  it  not. 
After  thus  carefully  reading  the  word  of  Grod  he  was  convinced 
that  he  had  never  been  baptized  as  Jesus  has  commanded.    But 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  821 

what  was  he  to  do?  He  had  ever  looked  upon  the  Baptists  as  a 
very  ignorant  and  bigoted  set  of  people ;  but  the  plain  teaching 
of  God's  word  convinced  him  that  they  were  right.  The  Bible 
not  only  taught  him  that  he  had  never  been  baptized,  but  also 
that  there  was  only  one  baptism,  and  that  the  people  whom  he 
had  been  taught  to  look  upon  with  contempt  were  the  people 
who  held  the  truth  as  it  was  in  Jesus.  He  said  nothing  to  any 
one  about  what  he  intended  to  do,  until  the  evening  before  he 
joined  the  church.  His  wife  had  never  joined  any  church  up  to 
this  time,  but  some  time  before  obtained  a  hope  in  Christ.  He 
on  this  evening  said  to  her  that  he  intended  to  unite  with  the 
church.  The  next  day  he  and  his  beloved  wife  did  give  them- 
selves to  the  people  of  God,  and  were  together  buried  with 
Christ  in  baptism  by  Elder  Christopher  Harris.  They  became 
members  of  the  Viney  Fork  Church,  Madison  County,  Ky. 

A  few  months  after  his  baptism  Mr.  Woods  was  chosen  deacon 
ofthe  church  and  served  his  brethren  as  such  until  October, 
1816,  when  he  moved  from  Kentucky  to  Missouri  and  settled  in 
what  is  now  Boone  County  (then  Howard).  He  soon  found  a  few 
scattered  Baptists  in  his  new  home,  and  with  three  besides  him- 
self and  wife,  went  into  the  constitution  of  a  church  which  was 
then  called  Bethel,  now  AYalnut  Grove.  Here  he  commenced 
holding  prayer  meetings  with  the  church,  as  they  could  have 
preaching  only  occasionally  during  the  first  3-ear.  And  its  num- 
ber increased  during  this  time  to  about  one  hundred. 

Elder  Woods  remained  here  about  two  years,  when  he  moved 
about  twenty  miles  east  and  went  into  the  constitution  of  a 
church  called  Little  Bonne  Femme.  Here  he  took  a  very  active 
part  in  prayer-meetings  and  occasionally  would  exercise  some  in 
the  way  of.  public  speaking,  exhortation,  etc.  And  on  the  third 
day  of  August,  1823,  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  of  the 
word  by  Elder  Peter  Woods,  David  Doyle  and  others. 

From  henceforth  he  devoted  his  whole  time  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry.  The  cause  prospered  here;  and  from  this  church 
soon  after  there  went  out  two  colonies,  namely,  Salem  and  Co- 
lumbia churches.  The  last  named  church  called  him  to  labor  for 
them  as  pastor.  He  labored  for  them  in  this  capacity  for  several 
years,  and  at  the  same  time  he  spent  all  the  time  he  could  spare 
from  his  immediate  charge  in  laboring  in  destitute  parts  of  the 
country,  thus  aiding  in  constituting  and  building  upmany  of  our 
churches  which  still  flourish  and  prosper. 

While  laboring  for  the  Columbia  Church,  Elder  Woods  trav- 


822  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

eled  from  one  end  of  the  state  to  the  other — from  Arkansas  to 
his  home — from  New  Madrid  to  Kansas,  bearing  onward  the 
standard  of  Jesus,  feeding  the  flock  of  Christ  and  proclaiming  to 
sinners  the  cheering  news  of  salvation,  spending  his  time,  the 
strength  of  his  manhood  and  his  means  in  the  service  of  his 
Master. 

Elder  Woods  was  one  of  the  father...  of  our  General  Associa- 
tion. He  assisted  in  its  organization  and  was  the  first  mission- 
ary appointed  by  its  board.  But  owing  to  his  time  being  wholly 
monopolized  by  the  churches  he  did  not  iccept  it. 

In  October,  1885,  he  moved  near  to  Paris,  Monroe  County, 
Missouri,  and  took  charge  of  the  Otter's  Creek,  Mount  Prairie 
and  Paris  Churches.  Soon  after  he  also  preached  for  the  church 
at  Newark.  With  these  churches  he  labored  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  twenty-second  day  of  October,  1841,  in 
the  fifty-fourth  year  of  his  age.  He  had  been  gone  from  home 
six  weeks.  He  returned  on  Wednesday.  On  Friday  he  talked  a 
great  deal  about  death  and  appeared  to  be  already  enjoying  the 
very  beatitudes  of  heaven.  On  Monday  night  he  breathed  his 
last  and  fell  asleep  in  Jesus. 

It  is  enough  to  add,  what  every  one  who  knew  Elder  Woods 
will  testify,  that  he  was  ''  a  good  man  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  faith,"  and  by  his  ministry  "much  people  were  added  to  the 
Lord." 

Andrew  Baker — was  born  in  Washington  County,  Yirginia, 
July  25,  1797,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  St.  Clair's 
Bottom  Church  of  the  same  county  in  May,  1818.  He  was  or- 
dained at  Versailles,  Indiana,  September  30,  1837,  removed  to 
Missouri  in  September,  1860,  and  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Kingston,  Caldwell  County,  where  he  found  a  feeble  Baptist 
church  with  which  he  united  and  officiated  as  pastor  till  amid 
the  conflicting  opinions  of  war  times  the  church  was  dissolved 
in  1863.  He  now  continued  to  preach  at  a  school-house  seven 
miles  from  Kingston,  where,  November  10,  1866,  Hopewell 
Church  was  constituted.  This  venerable  servant  of  the  Lord 
was  alive  in  1869. 

Peter  Brown, — of  more  than  ordinary  natural  endowments, 
was  born  in  Washington  County,  Kentuckj',  May  8,  1825.  His 
parents  were  Presbyterians  of  the  old  school  order,  and  gave 
their  children  a  very  careful  religious  training  in  the  Presby- 
terian faith;  four  of  them,  however,  including  Peter,  became 
Baptists  on  making  a  profession  of  religion.  Andrew,  one  of  the 


filOGRAPSlCAti.  823 

number,  is  a  minister  of  no  mean  reputation  in  Texas;  and  an- 
other, Mary,  is  the  wife  of  Eld.  M.  F.  Williams,  a  Baptist  min- 
ister of  Randolph  County. 

Peter  Brown  spent  four  years  of  his  boyhood  life — from  9  to 
13  years  of  age — at  school  in  his  native  place,  and  always  stood 
at  the  head  of  his  class.  When  13  years  old  his  father  with  the 
entire  family  moved  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  what  is  now  St. 
Clair  County.  Many  arguments  were  used  to  retain  young  Pe- 
ter with  an  uncle  in  Kentucky,  that  he  might  continue  his  stud- 
ies, but  he  had  heard  of  the  "new  country"  in  Missouri,  which 
abounded  in  deer,  turkeys  and  fish,  and  all  arguments  were  un- 
availing. He  found  no  schools  in  his  new  home,  nor  were  there 
any  churches  or  preachers,  and  he  grew  up  a  wild  and  wicked 
young  man.  He  was  very  fond  of  reading,  especially  newspa- 
pers, and  he  soon  became  quite  a  politician.  Having  access  to 
but  few  new  books  he  finally  took  up  the  Bible,  in  which  he  be- 
came very  much  interested,  especially  in  the  history  of  Joseph 
whose  character  he  determined  to  imitate.  Under  this  state  of 
things  he  became  a  self-righteous  pharisee. 

About  1843  Eld,  Isaiah  T.  Williams  visited  the  St.  Clair  Coun- 
ty country  and  held  meetings,  under  whose  preaching  young 
Brown  was  led  to  a  proper  conception  of  sin,  and  finally  through 
faith  in  the  atonement  of  Christ  he  found  sweet  peace  to  his  soul, 
and  began  at  once  to  feel  a  longing  anxiety  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners.  He  had  convictions  that  he  ought  to  preach,  but  for 
some  time  resisted  this  impression,  until  finally  it  was  like  fire 
in  his  bones,  and  he  concluded  to  try,  though,  as  he  says,  he  "  was 
poorly  qualified."  His  first  effort  at  preaching  was  greatly  bless- 
ed, and  a  wide-spread  revival  commenced  and  continued  for  about 
two  5'ears.  He  was  ordained  in  1847  by  Elds.  J.  T.  Ricketts  and 
W.  P.  C.Caldwell,  at  the  call  of  BrinZion  Baptist  Church,  where 
he  had  preached  for  some  two  years  prior  to  this  event. 

For  a  number  of  years  he  was  pastor  of  Hogle's  Creek  Church 
in  Benton  County,  which  had  been  organized  by  Andrew  Brown 
in  1847.  Into  the  fellowship  of  this  church  he  baptized  many 
persons  up  to  1859,  when  he  ceased  to  preach  for  it.  During  the 
war  the  church  became  extinct  and  was  subsequently  reorgan- 
ized. 

In  1848  Peter  Brown  laid  the  foundation  of  Bethlehem  Church, 
Henry  County.  That  year  he  established  a  mission  station  eight 
miles  south  of  Clinton,  where  he  continued  to  proclaim  the  gos- 
pel, and  in  1853  removed  the  preaching  station  to  within  four 


824  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

miles  of  Clinton,  in  September  of  which  year  he  held  a  protrac- 
ted meeting,  resulting  in  twenty  conversions,  after  which  the 
Bethlehem  Church  was  organized.  Within  two  years  the  church 
had  grown  to  76  members  and  built  a  neat  house  of  worship, 
30x40  feet,  in  which  they  now  worship.  Just  after  the  date  last 
named  he  aided  Eev.  J.  T.  Wheeler  in  a  meeting  resulting  in  over 
twenty  conversions  and  the  organization  of  Bethlehem  Church 
in  Hickory  County. 

From  1847  to  1859  he  labored  a  great  deal  as  missionary,  a 
part  of  the  time  under  the  patronage  of  Blue  Eiver  Association, 
and  from  1853  to  1855  as  colporteur  of  the  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society. 

In  1863  such  were  the  troubles  around  him  that  he  became  a 
refugee  and  sought  safety,  sometimes  in  Texas  and  sometimes  in 
the  Confederate  Army.  In  July,  1865,  he  returned  to  his  family 
— for  home  he  had  none — and  found  it  reduced  to  poverty  by 
foraging  parties  from  the  army.  But  with  an  unflinching  deter- 
mination he  set  to  work  with  his  hands  to  get  sustenance  for 
those  dependent  on  him,  and  so  soon  as  the  Test  Oath  was  abro- 
gated, he  again  entered  the  field  as  an  independent  itinerant, 
and  worked  faithfully  in  Osage,  Hickor}* ,  Henry  and  other  coun- 
ties. A  part  of  the  intervening  period  from  that  time  to  1879  he 
labored  as  missionary  of  the  Greneral  Association,  for  which  he 
received  small  appropriations  at  different  times. 

Peter  Brown  is  a  man  of  fine  natural  ability,  well  posted  in  the 
tenets  of  the  Baptist  denomination  and  Bible  doctrines  gener- 
ally, and  is  ''a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed." 

Martin  Thomas  Bibb — was  born  in  Amherst  County, Virginia, 
April  24,  1812.  Becoming  an  orphan  at  ten  j^ears  of  age  by  his 
father's  death,  his  training  and  education  was  left  entirely  in  the 
hands  of  a  widowed  mother,  who  was  a  deeply  pious  woman. 
He  was  convicted  of  sin  during  famil}'  worship  conducted  by  his 
mother,  not  long  after  which  he  found  peace  and  reconciliation 
with  God  through  faith  in  Christ,  and  in  the  fall  of  1827  united 
with  the  Baptists,  very  soon  after  which  he  commenced  the  study 
of  the  Bible  with  a  view  of  being  useful  in  the  church ;  also  such 
other  books  as  he  could  get  hold  of,  to  the  end  that  he  might 
make  some  literary  improvement.  Most  all  this  study  was  done  at 
night  by  the  usual  "bark  light"  so  common  in  that  day.  He 
commenced  preaching  in  1841  and  determined  to  make  the  min- 
istry the  great  business  of  his  life.  In  the  fall  of  1842  he  was 
ordained  by  Elds.  I.  S.  Tinsley.  Jacob  Tinsley,  E.  Thomas  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


825 


otliers,  and  in  the  following  spring  removed  to  Fayette  County, 
West  Yirginia,  where  the  people  had  built  him  a  house  on  land 
he  had  previously  bought.  This  was  in  the  midst  of  a  field  of 
great  destitution,  but  many  of  the  people  "  gladly  received  the 
word."  In  1843  he  aided  in  the  constitution  of  Payetteville 
Church,  of  which  together  with  two  other  churches  he  became 
pastor.  He  prosecuted  his  labors  in  West  Virginia  for  fifteen 
years,  about  one-third  of  which  time  he  was  missionary  of  the 
Gi-eneral  Association  of  Virginia.  For  most  of  his  time  he  was 
pastor  of  four  churches,  and  sometimes  of  seven,  and  was  greatly 
cheered  by  seeingthe  work  of  Grod  prosper  in  his  hands.  Among 
the  converts  under  .-~"-_-- 

his  ministry  was 
his  n  e  p  h  e  w,  M. 
Bibb,  who  became 
an  eminent  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel. 

After  becoming 
missionary  of  the 
Greneral    Associa- 
tion, he  had  Eld. 
Ellison  as  a  cola- 
borer,   their   field 
embracing   more 
or  less  of  the 
counties  of  Nicho- 
las,   Fayette,   Ea- 
leigh,  Logan,  Mer- 
cer,Giles  and  Mon- 
roe.   In   1854   he 
was  made  modera- 
tor of  the  Green- 
brier Association,  rev.  m.  t.  bibb. 
and  by  re-election  held  the  office  until  he  removed  from  the 
state.      During  his  fifteen  years'  residence  in  West  Virginia  he 
preached  or  exhorted  on  an  average  every  other  day,  baptized 
seven  hundred  converts,  and  married  one  hundred  couple. 

In  1858  he  removed  to  Missouri,  having  started  to  Iowa.  In 
the  fall  of  that  year  he  landed  at  Clarksville,  Pike  County,  and 
spent  most  of  the  ensuing  winter  in  protracted  meetings.  In  the 
spring  of  1859  he  bought  lands  and  settled  in  Montgomery  Coun- 
ty, five  miles  southwest  of  Danville  the  county  seat;  and  soon 


826  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

after  entered  upon  the  pastoral  work  in  Middletown,  Mt.  Horeb, 
Loutre  and  Unity  Churches.  His  connection  with  Middletown 
and  Loutre  was  severed  by  the  war.  At  Unity  he  continued  six 
years  and  at  Mt.  Horeb  twelve  years.  He  has  since  filled  the 
office  of  pastor  at  Montgomery  Cit}-,  Liberty,  Danville,  Zion, 
and  perhaps  one  or  two  others.  For  several  successive  years  he 
served  as  moderator  of  the  Bear  Creek  Association,  and  he  lives 
at  Montgomery  City  in  the  bounds  of  said  association. 

Eld.  Bibb  has  been  three  times  married.  To  his  first  wife,  Sa- 
rah Duncan,  in  1831.  She  became  the  mother  of  two  children, 
and  was  killed  by  lightning.  He  subsequently  married  Harriet 
Michell,  who  bare  to  him  four  children  and  died.  His  third  wife, 
by  whom  he  has  eight  living  children,  was  Sarah  M.  Taylor,  and 
she  still  lives  to  bless  his  home.  The  date  of  this  marriage  was 
in  1847.  Of  the  children  last  named  one,  Martin  Luther,  is  a 
Baptist  minister,  and  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  War- 
rensburg.  Mo.  Thomas  is  an  M.  D.  and  lives  at  Americus,  Mo., 
and  John  T.  fills  the  office  of  school  commissioner  of  Montgom- 
ery County,  and  for  several  years  was  one  of  the  principals  of 
Montgomery  College. 

Eld.  Bibb  though  over  70  years  old,  has  the  activity  of  many 
men  at  60.  For  fifty-five  years  he  has  been  a  Baptist,  for  forty- 
three  years  of  which  time  he  has  been  in  the  ministry.  For 
punctuality,  few  men  have  equaled  him,  and  fewer  still  have  sur- 
passed him,  he  having  missed  less  than  one  appointment  a  year 
during  his  ministerial  life.  He  has  baptized  near  1,000  persons, 
and  preached  over  4,000  sermons.  He  is  an  able  minister  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  been 
reckoned  one  of  the  most  useful  ministers  in  Eastern  Missouri. 

R.  F.  Babb — was  born  in  Laurens  District,  South  Carolina,  Oc- 
tober 26,  1816.  He  grew  up  with  limited  opportunities  for  an 
education  and  learned  to  read  at  Sunday-school.  Soon  after  he 
was  eight  years  old  he  learned  to  pray,  and  then  to  trust  in  Christ 
for  salvation,  but  being  naturally  very  timid  he  remained  out  of 
the  church  until  1843,  when  he  united  with  Poplar  Spring  Church 
in  his  native  state,  seven  years  thereafter  entering  the  ministry; 
his  first  pastorate  being  in  Union  Church,  by  which  he  was  or- 
dained. His  second  pastorate  was  at  Eaiburn's  Creek.  In  1853 
both  of  these  churches  enjoyed  extensive  revivals,  54  converts 
being  added  to  the  former  and  34  to  the  latter.  A  few  years  af- 
ter this  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  became  pastor  of  Union 
Church,  Audrain  County,  which  increased  in  numbers  under  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  827 

ministry.  With  Eld.  W.  E.  Wigginton  as  a  coworker  he  organ- 
ized the  Bethlehem  Baptist  Church  at  the  house  of  Levi  Barton. 
This  church  (in  Boone  County)  numbered  276  members  in  1879. 
He  aided  in  organizing  and  building  up  Zion  Baptist  Church, 
with  Eld.  P.  T.  Gentry  as  a  coworker.  In  many  of  the  central 
counties  of  Missouri  he  has  contributed  valuable  help  in  meet- 
ings in  connection  with  Elds.  Wigginton,  Baker,  Walthall,  Bes- 
wick,  Tipton  and  Haynes. 

In  October,  1872,  he  left  the  field  of  his  former  labors  and  set- 
tled in  the  town  of  Columbia.  Of  his  compensation  he  says,  "  I 
have  not  received  during  my  whole  ministerial  life  enough  for 
preaching  to  clothe  myself." 

Brother  Babb  is  what  we  hear  frequently  called  an  "  old  time 
preacher,"  of  the  experimental  and  exhortational  order,  his  ap- 
peals being  to  the  emotional  rather  than  to  the  intellectual  na- 
ture. 

Barnabas  Baker — was  born  in  England,  July  26,  1817,  and 
while  young,  through  the  influence  of  a  tract,  was  religiously  im- 
pressed. At  the  age  of  17  he  made  a  public  profession  of  relig- 
ion, and  was  baptized  by  Wm.  Davis,  a  Welsh  Baptist  minister. 
In  1839  he  commenced  preaching,  his  mind  having  been  greatly 
exercised  on  the  subject  from  the  time  of  his  conversion.  He  mar- 
ried in  England  in  June,  1838.  His  wife's  name  was  Leah  Smith. 
She  is  a  plain  and  pious  English  woman,  the  mother  of  three 
children,  all  Baptists,  and  still  lives  to  preside  over  the  house- 
hold. 

In  1843  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  soon  after  set- 
tled in  Columbia,  Missouri,  in  which  place  he  still  lives.  No- 
vember, 15,  1850,  he  entered  the  service  of  the  American  Tract 
Society  as  a  missionary  colporteur,  and  except  the  years  of  the 
war  has  so  continued  ever  since. 

He  was  ordained  as  a  Baptist  minister  January  25,  1857,  by 
Elds.  J.  A.  Hollis,  X.  X.  Buckner,  P.  H.  Steenbergen  and  J.  T. 
M.  Johnson.  Most  of  his  preaching  has  been  as  an  itinerant 
missionary.  For  brief  periods  he  has  done  pastoral  work,  in 
which  capacity  he  has  labored  for  Nashville  and  Sugar  Creek 
Churches  in  Boone  County,  and  for  Ebenezer  in  Callaway  County. 
His  brother,  Samuel  Baker,  D.D.,  is  an  eminent  Baptist  min- 
ister of  Kentucky. 

No  man  in  Central  Missouri  has  done  more,  we  think,  towards 
the  dissemination  of  general  religious  literature,  than  Barnabas 
Baker,  and  the  annual  visits  of  "  old  Brother  Baker"  are  look- 


828  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

ed  for  by  hundreds  of  families  with  about  as  much  certainty  as 
they  look  for  the  return  of  Christmas. 

J.W.Bradley — died  at  the  age  of  57  years,  February  13,  1879. 
He  was  born  in  Kentucky,  February  22, 1822,  and  in  1828  moved 
to  Randolph  County,  Missouri,  where  he  has  ever  since  lived. 
He  confessed  faith  in  Christ  in  1863,  and  was  received  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Silver  Creek  Baptist  Church  (anti-mission)  and  baptized 
by  Eld.  M.  J,  Sears.  By  this  church  he  was  ordained  to  preach 
the  gospel,  which  work  he  did  until  1877,  as  far  as  his  health 
would  permit  him.  At  the  date  last  named  he  united  with  Pleas- 
ant Grove  Baptist  Church  of  Regular  Baptists,  of  which  he  was 
a  member  at  his  death. 

Mr.  Bradley  was  ever  ready  to  serve  his  friends  and  neighbors 
when  such  would  not  conflict  with  his  religious  duties.  For  two 
terms  he  served  his  county  as  judge  of  the  county  court,  besides 
filling  other  official  positions  of  somewhat  less  importance. 

J.  B.  FuQUA — was  born  in  Virginia,  July  8,  1822.  At  the  age 
of  17  he  joined  the  Baptist  church,  and  three  j^ears  later  married 
Miss  A.  E.  Smith,  daughter  of  a  highly  honored  and  useful  min- 
ister in  that  state,  and  soon  commenced  preaching  the  gosjicl 
which  was  the  work  of  his  life.  In  1853  or  '54  he  was  pastor  of 
the  Cape  Girardeau  Church,  and  successor  of  Dr.  Sherwood. 
In  a  year  or  two  he  removed  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  served  the 
churches  at  Fee  Fee,  Concord  and  others  for  some  years.  About 
1870  he  removed  westward  to  the  neighborhood  of  Independence, 
where  he  continued  to  labor  successfully.  For  the  last  two  or 
three  years  he  has  been  laboring  in  the  state  of  Mississippi  as 
agent  for  the  Baptist  college  in  that  state  ;  his  family,  a  wife,  two 
sons  and  one  daughter,  remaining  in  St.  Louis. 

He  spent  a  part  of  the  fall  months  in  this  city  with  his  family, 
preaching  as  opportunity  occurred,  and  then  returned  to  his 
work  in  Mississippi.  lie  had  one  or  two  attacks  with  something 
like  a  congestive  chill,  and  started  for  home  when  a  little  better, 
spending  a  Sabbath  at  Carrollton  in  that  state,  where  he  preach- 
ed ;  but  another  attack  put  an  end  to  his  labors,  and  he  died  at 
the  residence  of  a  kind  family,  Capt.  "Wm.  Ray's,  December  12, 
1877.  The  body  was  brought  to  St.  Louis,  where  public  service 
was  held  on  Saturday,  the  15th  inst.,  and  the  burial  was  at  Fee 
Fee  Cemetery,  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  county.  His  last  ser- 
mon was  addressed  chiefly  to  the  young.  May  our  Heavenly 
Father  sanctify  the  afiliction  to  the  mourning  widow  and  bereaved 
children.     He  was  a  good  minister  of  Jesus  and  died  calmly 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  829 

t 

trusting  in  His  merits  alone  for  everlasting  salvation.  He  paid 
great  respect  to  the  opinion  of  his  senior  brethren.  But  he  is 
gone.     ("A.  S.,"  in  Central  Baptist.) 

William  E.  Green,* — who  died  at  his  home  in  Knob  Noster, 
Mo.,  January  25,  1879,  was  a  minister  in  the  Baptist  denomina- 
tion for  twenty-five  years.  He  was  born  January,  24,  1823,  in 
Tennessee,  and  was  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Green. 

For  twenty-one  years  he  labored  hard  and  went  to  school  in 
the  fall  and  winter.  At  the  age  of  twenty-six  years  he  entered 
the  Baptist  university  at  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee,  under  the 
presidency  of  J.  H.  Eaton,  LL.  D.,  finishing  his  course  and  grad- 
uating in  this  institution  in  1854.  He  was  pastor  successively  at 
Clarksville  and  Nashville,  Tennessee;  also  for  awhile  in  Texas. 
Nearly  twenty  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  Missouri.  Bro.  N. 
T.  Allison,  who  was  for  some  years  intimately  acquainted  with 
Mr.  Green,  says  of  him: 

"He  was  a  noble,  honest  and  conscientious  man;  with  him 
Christianity  was  not  a  mere  belief;  it  was  a  manly,  upright 
practice,  that  entered  into  his  life  from  day  to  day.  He  was  a 
good  preacher  and  a  devoted  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  giving  all 
his  time  and  talent  to  this  object.  Possessing  a  clear  insight  into 
the  mysteries  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  he  was  especially  thorough 
in  the  doctrines  of  God's  sovereign  grace  and  redemptive  mercy. 
Though  for  years  he  suffered  from  the  efi^ects  of  a  fall  through  a 
bridge  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  was  at  times  reduced 
in  his  financial  circumstances,  yet  he  never  for  a  moment  shrank 
from  his  duties  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  'Though  dead,  he 
yet  speaketh.'  " 

John  Greenhalgh. — This  brother  died  about  the  year  1850, 
near  Columbia,  Boone  County.  He  was  strictly  a  temperance 
man.  Once  upon  a  time  some  men  made  brandy  of  his  peaches 
and  got  drunk.  To  prevent  a  recurrence  of  the  same  event  he 
had  all  his  peach  trees  cut  down. 

He  made  a  man  once  take  oif  his  gloves  to  be  married,  in  or- 
der that  he  might  make  the  twain  one  flesh,  saying  that  he  could 
not  make  one  flesh,  unless  both  bare  hands  were  together,  and 
he  illustrated  the  fact  b}^  the  welding  of  two  pieces  of  iron. 

Egbert  Fulton  Ellis — spent  a  few  years  of  his  useful  life  in 
Missouri.  He  fell  in  the  midst  of  battle,  in  his  prime,  and  was 
at  the  time  associate  editor  of  the  Western  Watchman,  the  Baptist 
paper  of  Missouri,  published  at  St.  Louis.    Dr.  William  Crowell, 

*  From  a  sketch  publigbed  in  Minutes  General  Association,  1879. 


8B0  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

editor  of  that  -paiper  {Western  Watch7nan,  Vol.  VII,  Nos.  5,  6),  gave 
the  following  testimonial  of  him: 

"  Eev.  Eobert  F.  Ellis  is  with  the  dead.  On  last  Friday  after- 
noon, when  he  was  momentarily  expected  among  us — it  being 
his  design  to  spend  a  few  of  these  midsummer  weeks  with  his 
family  and  preach  to  the  Second  Church  in  this  city  during  the 
absence  of  the  pastor — the  overwhelming  intelligence  fell  like  a 
thunderbolt  upon  us,  that  the  remorseless  hand  of  Death  had  cut 
him  down.  Stranger  hands  ministered  to  him  in  his  dying  hours, 
and  bore  him  softly  to  his  final  resting  place. 

"  He  was  born  in  Topsham,  Me.,  Oct.  16,  1809,  and  died  at  the 
residence  of  Mr.  G.  K.  Biggs,  in  Clarke  County,  Mo.,  on  Mon- 
day morning,  July  24,  1854,  in  the  45th  year  of  his  age.  The 
disease  which  took  him  away  was  inflammation  of  the  brain. 
Bro.  Biggs  writes  that  he  came  to  his  house  on  Tuesday  morn- 
ing of  the  previous  week,  quite  ill.  A  physician  was  immedi- 
ately sent  for,  who  attended  upon  him  faithfully  to  the  last.  He 
received  the  attention  of  kind  friends  although  among  strangers. 
Bro.  Wm.  Carson,  of  Marion  County,  spfet  one  night  with  him. 
But  the  most  assiduous  attentions  were  of  no  avail :  fatal  disease 
had  fastened  upon  him — the  irrevocable  decree  had  gone  forth. 
This  heavy  blow  sinks  deep  into  the  crushed  spirit.  We  would 
bow  to  the  Father's  will,  and  be  silent." 

R.  F.  Ellis  was  of  Scotch  descent,  but  for  several  generations 
his  ancestors  were  natives  of  America.  Both  his  father  and  his 
grandfather  were  ministers  in  the  Congregational  communion. 
He  spent  his  youthful  days  in  his  native  town,  and  at  20  years  of 
age  he  professed  conversion  and  was  baptized  into  fellowship  in 
the  Baptist  church  in  Sangerville,  December  26,  1830,  where  he 
was  at  the  time  engaged  in  teaching  school. 

The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  "L."  in  the  Western  Watch- 
man,Yo\.  VII,  No.  6: 

"  In  October,  1833,  he  entered  the  freshman  class  of  Bowdoin 
College.  How  long  he  continued  in  the  college  we  are  not  defin- 
itely informed.  In  June,  1834,  we  learn  from  his  journal  that 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Theological  Institution  at  Newton,  Mass. 
Here  he  completed  his  coui-se  of  classical  studies,  and  also  the 
course  of  Theological  studies  pursued  at  the  institution. 

"As  a  memoir  of  our  departed  brother  is  expected  to  appear 
in  the  Baptist  Memorial,  we  omit  further  extracts  from  his  diary, 
and  present  only  a  brief  outline  of  the  subsequent  portion  of 
his  useful  life.     He  graduated  in  August,  1838  ;  and  during  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  831 

same  month  he  was  publicly  ordained,  having  several  months 
previously  been  elected  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Second 
Baptist  Church  of  Springfield,  Mass. 

"  In  April,  1839,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Child, 
of  Woodstock,  Conn.,  who  now,  with  their  beloved  daughter, 
thirteen  years  of  age — the  only  survivor  of  four  children — has 
just  learned  from  a  distant  stranger's  hand  her  heart-rending  be- 
reavement. 

*'  Mr.  Ellis  continued  the  esteemed  and  useful  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Springfield  about  seven  years,  during  which  period 
his  pastoral  labors  were  appreciated  by  the  church  and  thecom- 
munit}',  who  still  cherish  his  memory  with  warm  attachment. 
By  him  116  persons  were  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  that 
church, 

"  At  this  time  he  received  an  appointment  from  the  board  of 
the  American  Sunday-school  Union  to  labor  as  an  itinerant  mis- 
sionary and  agent  in  the  promotion  of  its  benevolent  work ;  and 
in  the  spring  of  1845  he  commenced  his  mission  in  the  state  of 
Missouri.  After  itinerating  six  months  he  removed  his  family 
from  Massachusetts  to  Columbia,  Boone  County,  Mo.,  and  there 
continued  his  arduous  labors  with  gratifying  success  till  Octo- 
ber, 1847.  Having  previously  been  elected  to  the  pastorate  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Alton,  in  October  he  removed  to  this 
city  and  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  parochial  duties. 
For  six  years  he  was  pastor  of  this  church,  enjoying  the  confi- 
dence and  love  of  the  people  of  his  charge,  the  esteem  of  the 
ministers  and  churches  of  other  denominations,  and  the  respect 
of  the  entire  community. 

"  Mr.  Ellis  was  ever  an  active  promoter  of  the  cause  of  gener- 
al education,  co-operating  with  others  in  the  advancement  of 
common  schools,  academies  and  colleges.  The  various  organi- 
zations for  benevolent  religious  efi'ort,  both  those  of  a  general 
and  those  of  a  denominational  character,  ever  found  in  him  an 
earnest  advocate. 

"  Soon  after  Mr.  Ellis  resigned  the  pastoral  office  in  this  city, 
he  entered  upon  the  service  of  corresponding  editor  and  general 
agent  of  the  Western  Watchman,  published  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.  In 
this  itinerating  service  a  wide  fieldof  usefulness  was  open  before 
him.  On  the  Sabbath  days,  and  with  more  or  less  frequency  be- 
tween the  Sabbaths,  he  preached  to  the  people  the  message 
from  Grod  j  and  thus  thousands  heard  from  his  lips  the  gospel  of 
Christ. 


832  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

"  During  the  last  three  months  his  labors  were  in  the  counties 
bordering  on  Iowa.  His  contemplated  tour  had  been  finished, 
and  he  had  commenced  his  journey  homeward.  Letters  receiv- 
ed by  the  '  loved  ones  at  home/  "  informed  them  when  to  expect 
the  way-worn  husband  and  father.  But  on  his  return  home  he 
stopped  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Biggs',  complaining  of  illness. 
His  disease  soon  developed  into  brain  fever,  and  a  few  days  af- 
ter, with  only  brief  intervals  of  returning  consciousness,  he  died. 

"William  Ferguson, — of  Pettis  County,  son  of  Thomas  and 
Hannah  Ferguson,  was  born  in  Barren  County,  Kentucky,  Oct- 
ober 19,  1806.  His  father  was  of  Scotch  ancestry;  his  mother 
was  a  descendant  of  the  famous  "Murphy  boys.'' 

He  continued  with  his  parents  on  the  farm  until  he  was  22 
years  old,  when  he  married  Dorinda  Wright,  October  28,  1828  ; 
soon  after  which  event  they  both  were  converted  to  Christ,  and 
united  with  Smith's  Grove  Baptist  Church.  He  continued  in 
Kentucky  until  the  fall  of  1841,  and  then  moved  to  Pettis  Coun- 
ty, Missouri,  and  joined  what  was  called  the  "  Eegular  Baptist 
Church  on  Muddy  Fork."  This  church  taught  the  "Two  Seed" 
doctrine  and  was  opposed  to  missions,  and  Brother  Ferguson 
finally  left  it  and  became  a  member  of  a  newly  constituted 
church,  called  Providence,  at  High  G-rove,  in  1847  or  '48. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  soon  after  he  became  a  member  at 
High  Grove,  and  December  15,  1849,  at  the  call  of  said  church, 
he  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  by  Elias 
George  and  J.  G.  Berkley. 

Not  wishing  to  become  pastor,  the  most  of  his  time  when 
preaching  has  been  given  to  places  most  needing  it.  He  has,  how- 
ever, labored  as  pastor  in  several  churches  in  Western  Missouri. 

Of  their  ten  children,  four  are  dead — three  dying  in  infancy; 
five  are  members  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  and  all  living 
are  heads  of  families.  Bro.  Ferguson  says  :  "I  am  like  Paul  in 
this  respect:  *  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the 
gospel.'  " 

P.  N.  Haycrapt — was  born  near  Elizabethtown,  Hardin  Coun- 
ty, Ky.,  April  8,  1797.  His  parents,  Samuel  and  Margaret  Hay- 
craft  were  Virginians,  who  emigrated  to  Kentucky  in  1783  or '84, 
Coming  down  the  Ohio  Eiver  they  landed  at  the  mouth  of  Bear- 
grass,  where  Louisville  now  stands.  Here  they  lived  in  the 
wild  forest,  exposed  to  the  cruelties  of  the  savages  and  the  hard- 
ships of  a  frontier  life;  nevertheless  God  blessed  them  with  an 
off'spring  of  three  sons  and  seven  daughters,  all  of  whom  be-* 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  833 

came  Baptists  and  lived  fifty-four  j^ears  as  a  family  circle  un- 
broken by  the  hand  of  death.  P.  N.  Haycraft  was  the  young- 
est of  the  family,  and  when  twenty-one  years  old  was  married  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Kennedy.  About  six  years  after  he  moved  with 
his  little  family  to  what  is  now  Scott  County,  Illinois.  Being 
separated  from  those  whose  evil  influences  had  led  him  into  the 
ways  of  sin,  the  earlier  lessons  of  piety,  taught  by  his  mother, 
came  afresh  to  his  mind,  and  he  felt  the  necessity  of  pei-sonal 
repentance  towards  God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For 
two  years  he  agonized  in  praj^cr  that  God  would  remove  his  bur- 
den of  guilt  and  bestow  the  joys  of  His  salvation.  The  prayer 
was  answered.  Concerning  his  conversion,  Bro.  Haycraft  writes : 
"  In  May  of  1831  I  found  the  Lord  Jesus  an  all-sufficient  and 
willing  Savior.  With  joy  I  embraced  Him,  and  immediately  an 
insatiable  desire  for  the  salvation  of  souls  was  impressed  upon 
my  mind." 

This  desire  to  save  souls,  seconded  by  the  voice  of  the  church, 
was  regarded  as  a  cull  to  the  ministry,  although  Brother  Hay- 
craft pleaded  his  want  of  talents.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
April,  1833,  and  faithfully  improved  on  the  gifts  he  possessed 
until  August  1834,  when  he  was  examined  and  properly  ordained 
by  a  presbytery  composed  of  Elders  Jonathan  Sweet,  Joel  Sweet, 
Jacob  Barnes,  and  Lewis  Allen.  He  no  longer  conferred 
with  flesh  and  blood,  but  resolved  by  the  grace  of  God  to  work 
for  souls.  In  1835  he  moved  to  Lewis  County,  Missouri,  where 
the  laborious  self-sacrificing  life  work  of  himself  and  his  Chris- 
tian wife  really  began.  Desiring  to  do  the  will  of  God  towards 
his  family  and  towards  sinners,  he  labored  on  his  little  farm 
through  the  day,  studied  at  night  by  the  firelight,  and  on  Sunday 
preached  where  Providence  seemed  to  open  the  way.  Quite  a 
portion  of  this  time  he  labored  as  missionary  in  the  bounds 
of  Bethel  Association,  which  at  that  time  embraced  all  the  north- 
east quarter  of  the  state,  and  at  other  times  for  the  General 
Association,  through  nearly  all  the  counties  north  of  t..e  Mis- 
souri river,  and  between  Illinois  and  Kansas.  He  writes:  *'In 
the  winter  of  1842  and  '43,  there  was  a  general  revival  through- 
out the  northeast  part  of  the  state.  I  j:)reached  to  Mound  Prairie 
Church,  thirty-eight  miles  south  of  my  home,  and  to  North 
"VVyaconda  Church,  sixty  miles  north,  and  at  Gilead  Church 
where  my  membership  was.  Four  hundred  were  added  by  bap- 
tism that  j^ear  to  the  churches  in  Northeast  Missouri.  I  went 
the  rounds  once  a  month,  baptizing  every  week.  I  have  crossed 
63 


834  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

the  wide  prairies,  riding  all  day  without  the  sight  of  afire,  when 
it  was  so  cold  that  farmers  were  all  housed.  I  have  crossed  the 
streams  where  the  water  would  run  over  the  back  of  my  horse, 
carrying  a  rail  on  my  shoulder  to  break  the  shore  ice  j  some- 
times swimming  my  horse,  and  riding  all  day  in  winter  with  wet 
clothing  to  meet  my  appointments." 

Such  were  the  sacrifices  and  hardships  endured  by  our  fathers 
in  the  ministry  j  so  destitute  and  large  also  were  the  fields,  and 
so  few  the  laborers,  that  their  temporal  interests  were  allowed 
to  suffer.  Missionaries  employed  by  the  association  had  from 
fifty  to  sixty  cents  a  day.  This  condition  of  things  had  reduced 
Bro.  Haycraft  to  a  condition  of  dependence.  He  became  finan- 
cially involved,  and  owing  to  the  failure  of  crops  was  obliged 
to  borrow  money  and  pay  large  interest  to  save  his  home. 
About  this  time  he  decided  to  go  to  California  in  search  of  gold. 
*'Some,"  he  says,  "that  never  gave  anything  towards  supporting 
the  gospel,  considered  it  a  groat  sin  to  leave  the  churches  and  go 
hunting  gold,  but  I  could  see  no  other  way  to  pay  my  debts." 

In  the  spring  of  1849  Mr.  Haycraft  started  for  the  gold  reg- 
ions of  California,  leaving  his  wife  and  elder  son  to  provide  for 
the  family.  A  five  months'  overland  journey  with  ox-teams 
brought  him  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  succeeded  in  accom- 
plishing the  object  of  his  heart;  and  on  the  first  day  of  April, 
the  next  spring  (1850),  he  set  sail  for  home  by  the  way  of  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama,  New  Orleans  and  St.  Louis,  and  arrived  at 
La  Grange  in  June.  Of  his  arrival,  he  says:  "  I  found  myself 
surrounded  by  friends,  and  was  brought  the  same  evening  to  my 
home,  where  I  found  my  family  all  well.  The  gratitude  and 
thankfulness  that  I  felt  to  my  Heavenly  Father,  can  better  be 
imagined  than  expressed.  Suffice  it  to  say,  so  far  as  temporal 
matters  are  concerned,  I  paid  my  debts  and  have  not  been  em- 
barrassed since." 

In  the  thirty-five  years  of  residence  in  Missouri,  Mr.  Haycraft 
has  constituted  thirteen  churches  and  assisted  in  the  ordination 
of  seventeen  ministers.  He  has  preached  seventeen  years  to  one 
church,  about  fifteen  to  another,  and  eight  to  another.  As  pay 
for  preaching  to  a  church  sixty  miles  from  home,  he  received 
sixteen  dollars,  and  thirty  dollars  from  another  thirty-eight 
miles  from  home.  His  labors  have  been  for  the  salvation  of 
souls,  and  amid  strong  opposition  to  apaid  ministry.  And  now, 
as  he  looks  back  over  the  seventy -four  years  of  his  life,  he  says, 
"  my  labors  are  well-nigh  done,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  I  have 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


835 


accomplished  but  little  for  my  Savior.  I  shall  soon  go  the  way 
of  all  the  earth.  Then  let  me  here  advise  ministers  and  churches 
to  be  more  careful  in  the  reception  of  members,  particularly  in 
time  of  excitement ;  let  us  return  to  the  old  custom  of  having 
candidates  relate  the  exercises  of  their  minds  relative  to  the 
change  necessary  for  all  to  experience  before  coming  into  Christ's 
visible  church."  What  timely  advice  from  an  experience  of 
forty  years  in  the  ministry!  (By  S.  W.  Marston,  in  Central  Bap- 
tist, Yol.  ITI,  No.  44.) 

Samuel  C.  Major.* — On  Saturday  afternoon,  March  13,  1880, 
the  people  of 
Fayette  and 
of  Howard 
County  were 
thrown  into 
deep  grief  by 
the  death  of 
this  univer- 
sally esteem- 
ed gentle- 
man. For 
some  months 
he  had  been 
in  f e  e  b  1  e 
health, and 
f o r  t e n  or 
twelve  days 
had  been  con- 
fined to  his 
room  with  a 
threatened 
attack  of 
pneumonia. 
On  Saturday 
a  f  t  e  r  n  o  o  n , 
about  one 
o'clo  ok,  he 
had    a  brief  hox.  s.  c.  major. 

spell  of  coughing,  and  being  too  weak  to  expectorate,  passed 
away  about  half  an  hour  afterwards,  without  a  gasp  or  struggle. 

His  funeral  took  place  at  the  Baptist  church  on  Monday  after- 

*  By  Kev.  M.  J.  Breaker,  iu  Central  Baptist,  April,  1880. 


836  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

noon.  The  religious  services  -were  conducted  by  Bev  Dr.  Yea- 
man,  Rev.  W.  R.  Painter  and  the  pastor  of  the  church,  Rev.M. 
J.  Breaker.  The  last  named  preached  the  sermon  from  Rev. 
14;  13:  "And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying.  Write,  Bless- 
ed are  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth ;  yea,  saith 
the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors,  and  their  works 
do  follow  them."  The  vast  concourse  of  people  that  had  assem- 
bled from  all  parts  of  the  country  was  much  too  great  to  get  in- 
to the  church,  so  that  after  the  building  had  been  filled  to  its 
utmost  capacity  there  were  about  as  many  persons  outside  as  in- 
side. From  the  church  the  long  and  solemn  procession  moved 
to  the  cemetery,  where  the  body  was  interred  with  impressive 
ceremonies. 

Bro.  Major  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  K}-.,  August  26, 
1805.  In  1826  he  removed  to  Fayette,  Mo.,  and  has  lived  here 
ever  since.  On  March  5, 1829,  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Daily, 
who,  after  spending  half  a  century  in  rare  love  and  devotion, 
now  deeply  mourns  his  departure.  Eleven  children  blessed  this 
union,  seven  of  whom  lived  to  be  of  age,  and  four  (Hon.  Samuel 
C.  Major,  Jr.,  Mr.  A.  M.  Major,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Findley  and  Mrs.  W. 
C.  Arline,)  survive  their  honored  and  beloved  father. 

Bro.  Major  began  life  as  a  cabinet  maker,  and  for  more  than 
fifty  years  has  had  a  furniture  store  in  Fayette.  About  1832  he 
was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  and  held  this  office  thirteen 
years.  In  1840  he  was  appointed  public  administrator,  and  ex- 
cept four  years,  when  he  was  receiver  in  the  land  oflSce,  he  has 
held  the  office  ever  since.  At  different  times  he  has  been  mayor 
of  the  city  of  Fayette. 

As  a  business  man  he  was  very  painstaking  and  thoroughly 
upright.  As  a  public  officer  he  was  to  the  last  degree  faithful 
and  obliging.  All  who  have  ever  had  dealings  with  him  had  the 
utmost  confidence  in  his  self-denying  devotion  to  duty.  He  was 
thoroughly  a  man  of  work,  and  came  very  near  realizing  to  the 
very  letter  his  wish  to  die  at  work,  having  but  a  few  hours  be- 
fore his  death  dictated  some  business  correspondence. 

As  a  citizen  he  was  ever  alive  to  the  welfare  of  society.  In 
his  political  views  he  was  a  decided  conservative.  His  patriot- 
ism was  pure  and  strong.  He  loved  and  served  his  country,  not 
from  the  hope  of  reward,  but  because  it  was  his  country. 

As  a  husband  and  father,  he  was  loving,  gentle  and  consider- 
ate ;  and  in  the  sacred  circle  of  the  family  his  many  virtues 
shone  with  the  greatest  brilliancy. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


837 


In  April,  1843,  during  a  protracted  meeting,  he  made  a  pro- 
fession of  religion  and  united  with  the  Fayette  Baptist  Church. 
He  felt  that  he  had  too  long  neglected  this  most  important  duty, 
and  he  set  himself  with  all  his  strength  to  make  up  the  time  he 
had  lost.  Henceforth,  to  advance  the  cause  of  Christ  became  the 
great  end  of  his  life,  and  nobly  and  successfully  did  he  follow 
that  end.  An  excessive  distrust  of  himself  kept  him  back  from 
conspicuous  places,  but  he  was  a  very  useful  workman.  His 
bountiful  hospitality  is  known  and  appreciated  throughout  the 
whole  state.  The  church  at  Fayette  is  almost  orphaned  without 
him;  and  the  cause  of  Christ  at  large,  especially  the  Missouri 
Baptist  General  Association,  the  efficient  president  of  whose  ex- 
ecutive board  he  was  for  years,  has  lost  one  of  its  best,  truest 
and  strongest  friends. 

James  Francis  Smith. — Under  the  preaching  of  Eev.  James  F. 
Smith,  the  writer  was  convicted  of  sin  in  the  summer  of  1851. 
For  many  years,  twenty -five  or  more,  he  was  one  of  the  most  la- 
borious and  suc- 
cessful itinerants 
of  North  Missouri. 
In  exhortation, 
when  in  his  prime, 
he  was  often  over- 
whelming. Hun- 
dreds now  active 
in  church  work  in 
the  field  of  his  la- 
bors have  been 
brought  in  under 
his  ministration. 

From  his  auto- 
biography we  cull 
thefollowingfacts: 

J.  F.  Smith  was 
born  May  7,  1811, 
in  Jessamine  Coun- 
ty, Kentucky.   He 
grew  up  under  pi- 
ous parental  influ-  rev.  james  f.  sMrrn. 
ence  and  under  the  ministry  of  Edmund  Waller,  yet  despite 
these  influences  he  lived  in  a  state  of  rebellion  against  God.  On 
the  7th  of  March,  1833,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  A. 


838  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Dingle  of  Kentucky,  daughter  of  Eld.  Edward  Dingle;  and  not 
long  after  this  event  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  settled  in  Ma- 
rion County.  In  1835  he  and  his  wife  were  both  converted  under 
the  ministry  of  Eld.  Jeremiah  Taylor,  by  whom  they  were  bap- 
tized in  March  of  that  year,  having  been  approved  for  member- 
ship in  the  Little  Union  (now  Union)  Baptist  Church,  Marion 
County.  He  continued  for  several  years  with  no  special  indications 
of  anything  above  an  ordinary  interest  in  the  progress  of  Bap- 
tist principles.  In  1841  the  Bethel  Association  met  at  old  Beth- 
el Church.  This  meeting  he  attended  and  became  verj^  much  re- 
vived, and  here  he  delivered  his  first  exhortation,  though  he  had 
no  thought  of  ever  becoming  a  preacher.  His  church  (Mt.  Zion 
in  Shelby  County),  however,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  licen- 
sed him  to  preach  in  the  following  December.  He  continued  his 
labors  in  the  gospel,  now  more  and  more  blessed,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, 1843,  he  was  endowed  with  the  full  powers  of  a  gospel  min- 
ister by  ordination  at  the  hands  of  Elds.  Christy  Gentry,  John 
H.  Keach  and  Benjamin  Stephens.  Of  this  period  of  his  life  he 
says,  "I  had  but  little  education,  was  very  poor,  my  knowledge 
of  the  Bible  limited,  and  a  growing  familj^  made  my  prospects 
anything  but  promising;  but  the  grace  of  God  and  the  encour- 
agement of  a  few  friends  who  never  faltered,  enabled  me  to  per- 
severe. I  soon  saw  and  felt  the  need  of  an  education.  It  was 
now  too  late  for  me  to  think  of  obtaining  one,  but  I  must  use  all 
the  means  in  my  reach  to  acquire  knowledge.  I  studied  English 
grammar  on  horseback,  in  going  to  and  from  my  appointments. 
I  have  read  thousands  of  pages  while  in  the  saddle.  At  one  time 
I  went  to  school  with  four  of  my  children." 

Brother  Smith  has  been  a  useful  minister  in  the  Baptist  pulpit 
in  Northeastern  and  Central  Missouri  for  over  forty  years.  Be- 
sides being  pastor  at  different  times  of  a  number  of  churches,  he 
has  abounded  in  itinerant  labors,  having  done  more  work,  per- 
haps, in  protracted  meetings  than  any  other  man  in  this  section 
of  the  state,  from  Lewis  County  on  the  north  to  Warren  County 
on  the  south ;  and  from  Pike  County  on  the  east  to  Howard  and 
Chariton  Counties  on  the  west.  He  has  baptized  about  1,200 
converts  into  the  churches,  and  witnessed  as  many  more  bap- 
tisms by  the  pastors  with  whom  he  has  labored.  Though  a  good 
preacher,  hisfo7ie.is  in  exhortation. 

In  physical  appearance  he  is  a  man  of  a  powerful  frame,  weigh- 
ing from  220  to  240  pounds,  has  broad  shoulders,  a  large  head,  and 
a  voice  like  a  lion. 


BIOaRAPHICAL.  839 

In  December,  1865,  while  in  the  midst  of  a  glorious  revival, 
he  was  arrested  by  Jim  Mitchell,  the  constable  of  the  township, 
and  carried  before  Squire  Wilson  for  a  preliminary  trial.  He 
was  charged  with  having  preached  the  gospel  without  taking  the 
oath.  William  Biggs  volunteered  to  act  as  his  attorney.  Sev- 
eral witnesses  were  examined,  and  Mr.  Smith  was  required  to 
give  bond  of  SI, 000,  in  default  of  which  he  must  go  to  prison. 
Mason  Eose  and  Asa  James  went  on  his  bond.  Of  the  subse- 
quent proceedings  in  the  case,  he  gives  the  subjoined  brief  account: 

"  I  appeared  at  the  next  circuit  court  at  Bowling  Green.  I  do 
not  think  the  judge  (T.  J.  C.  Fagg)  wanted  me  arraigned ;  but 
the  clerk,  who  was  a  Baptist,  reminded  him  that  I  had  not  yet 
been  called.  So  I  was  brought  before  the  court  with  four  oth- 
ers— three  negroes  and  one  white  man — all  charged  with  steal- 
ing except  myself.  My  crime  was  '  preaching  the  gospel  and 
baptizing.'  I  gave  bond  to  appear  at  the  next  term  of  the  court 
and  sat  down  near  a  group  of  lawyers,  one  of  whom  said,  '  Par- 
son, that  is  pretty  hard,  I  tell  you.'  '  Yes,'  said  Ij  'but  there  is 
no  Patrick  Henry  here.'  I  thought  of  Christ  being  '  numbered 
with  the  transgressors '  and  felt  a  little  nearer  Him  than  ever 
before." 

As  it  is  a  document  of  rare  interest,  we  give  below  an  exact 
transcript  of  the  indictment  against  Brother  Smith. 
"  State  of  Missouri,  |     ^^  ^^^  ^.^^^^.^  ^         -^^^^^  j,        ^^qq^ 
County  op  Pike.     )  '  ' 

"  The  Grand  Jurors  for  the  State  of  Missouri,  empanelled, 
sworn  and  charged  to  inquire  in  and  for  the  body  of  Pike  Coun- 
ty ;  on  their  oaths,  present,  that  heretofore,  to-wit,  the  30th  day 
of  December,  1865,  at  the  county  aforesaid,  one  James  F.  Smith, 
being  a  minister  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  religious  persuasion, 
sect  and  denomination,  unlawfully  did  preach  and  teach  and  act 
as  such  minister  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  religious  persuasion, 
and  sect  and  denomination,  by  baptizing  divers  persons,  to  the 
jurors  aforesaid  unknown,  without  having  first  taken,  subscribed 
and  filed  the  oath  of  loyalty  prescribed  in  the  constitution  of  the 
state,  in  the  clerk's  office  of  the  county  court  of  the  county  of 
the  residence  of  him,  the  said  James  F.  Smith,  against  the  peace 
and  dignity  of  the  state.  E.  P.  Johnson,  County  Attorney." 

Before  the  case  finally  came  up  for  trial,  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States  passed  upon  the  "Missouri  Test  Oath,"  de- 
claring it  unconstitutional,  and  Brother  Smith  with  a  number  of 
others  were  relieved  from  further  annoyance  and  cost. 


840 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


"William  H.  Yardeman,* — the  tenth  child  of  the  renowned  Jer- 
emiah Vardeman,  and  Elizabeth  his  wife,  was  born  near  David's 
Fork  Baptist  meeting-house,  Fayette  County,  Kentucky,  June 
28, 1816.  At  the  age  of  two  years  he  was  left  motherless;  hence 
his  training  was  left  mainly  to  his  stepmother,  the  third  wife 
of  his  father,  Miss  Lucy  Bullock,  of  Woodford  Count}-,  Ky. 
In  1830,  when  he  was  14  years  old,  his  father  moved  to  Mis- 
souri and  settled  in 
Ralls  County,  six 
miles  west  of  New 
London,  the  county 
seat.  Here  he  com- 
pleted his  majority, 
and  by  the  assistance 
of  Butler  W.  Brown, 
a  celebrated  school- 
teacher from  Ken- 
tucky, he  acquired  a 
good  education  in 
reading,  writing,  Eng- 
lish grammar,  arith- 
metic, geography, 
geometry,  trigonom- 
etry, surveying  and 
REV.  vrs\.  H.  VARDEMAN.  algebra. 

He  professed  religion  and  was  baptized  by  his  father  in  1833, 
when  he  was  17  years  old.  After  he  professed  religion  he  was 
early  impressed  with  desires  to  preach  the  gospel,  but  his  father 
being  a  minister  with  no  support  at  all  from  that  quarter,  his 
limited  knowledge  of  Divine  truth  and  other  hindering  causes, 
made  it  appear  to  young  Vardeman  that  it  was  altogether  im- 
practicable for  any  one  family  to  Support  two  preachers.  Yet, 
by  the  aid  of  his  father's  library,  consisting  of  Dr.  Gill's  Com- 
mentary on  the  New  Testament  and  a  few  other  readable  books, 
when  he  was  not  at  hard  manual  labor,  he  strove  to  acquire  a 
knowledge  of  Divine  truth. 

After  the  death  of  his  father  in  1842,  the  church  at  Bethel  in 
Ralls  County,  being  deprived  of  their  beloved  pastor,  and  feel- 
ing it  to  be  their  duty  to  encourage  such  gifts  as  they  had  among 
them,  on  the  motion  of  Deacon  James  Culbertson,  licensed  W. 
H.  Vardeman  and  John  M.  Johnson  to  exercise  their  gifts  in  the 
*  By  S.  E.  Ford,  in  Christian  Repository,  Vol.  XXII,  pp.  77-'9. 


BIOGRAPHICAL,  841 

ministry.  Feeling  his  incompetency  to  so  great  a  task,  Mr. 
Vardeman  had  many  hard  struggles  with  doubts  and  fears  as  to 
going  forward  in  the  work.  Finally,  meeting  with  pressing  in- 
ducements, he  started  on  his  first  tour,  and  stopped  upon  the 
waters  of  West  Cuivre,  in  Audrain  County,  where  there  was  no 
Baptist  church,  and  where  the  people  had  but  little  preaching 
of  any  kind.  Here  he  held  a  meeting,  and  many  converts  were 
received  for  baptism.  Desiring  a  continuance  of  his  labors  among 
them,  these  converts  and  the  scattered  brethren  sent  v  petition 
to  Bethel  Church  requesting  his  ordination,  whereupon  Elds. 
William  Hurley,  Benjamin  Stephens  and  Jacob  Bower  were  call- 
ed as  a  presbytery,  and  January  12,  1845,  W.  H.  Yardeman  was 
set  apart  to  the  gospel  ministry. 

He  returned  to  his  field  on  Cuivre,  baptized  a  number  of  hope- 
ful converts,  and  constituted  them  with  others  into  a  Baptist 
church  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  are  now  a  large  and  prosperous 
church,  having  united  with  many  others  gathered  into  the  king- 
dom mainly  by  Eld.  James  F.  Smith,  some  few  miles  above 
where  the  original  church  was  organized.  This  is  now  the  West 
Cuivre  Church. 

Eld.  Vardeman  succeeded  his  venerable  father  at  Salem  in 
Ealls  County.  This  he  did  with  considerable  embarrassment 
and  with  great  reluctance,  realizing  the  many  difficulties  in  fol- 
lowing a  man  with  the  pulpit  powers  of  his  father.  But  he  went 
forward,  and  during  a  ten  j-ears'  pastorate  God  gave  him  many 
seals  to  his  ministry.  He  was  called  about  the  same  time  to  the 
care  of  Mount  Pleasant  Church  in  Pike  County,  where  his  father 
had  preached  for  several  years.  Here  he  continued  only  about 
one  and  a  half  years  with  some  success.  From  this  place  he  was 
called  to  perform  labor  in  another  part  of  the  Master's  vineyard, 
where  his  labors  would  be  crowned  with  more  abundant  success, 
holding  protracted  meetings  in  the  counties  of  Montgomery,  St. 
Charles,  Warren,  Lincoln  and  Pike.  He  continued  in  this  work 
several  years,  commencing  it  about  1850  or  '51,  during  which  a 
number  of  souls  were  added  unto  the  Lord. 

In  1852,  on  the  4th  of  February,  by  Eld.  William  Hurley,  Eld. 
Yardeman  was  joined  in  the  holy  state  of  matrimony  to  his  now 
surviving,  most  esteemed  wnfe,*  Lizzie  M.  Lindsay,  daughter  of 
William  C.  and  Maria  L.  Lindsay  of  St.  Charles  County,  Missou- 
ri.    At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Eld.  Yardeman  was  collecting 

*  Mrs.  Yardeman  has  pinco  died,  after  living  an  invalid  life  for  several  weary  years. 
During  her  last  years  she  passed  through  the  deep  waters  of  afliiction. 


842  BIOGRAPHICAL. 

agent  for  the  William  Jewell  College,  for  which  he  has  ever  had 
the  greatest  sympathy,  and  to  the  permanent  funds  of  which  he 
gave  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  situated  in  Montgomery  Coun- 
ty. Since  his  marriage  he  has  resided  in  St.  Charles  County, 
dividing  his  time  somewhat  between  the  farm  and  the  pulpit. 
Much  of  his  labor  in  the  ministry  has  been  done  at  his  own 
charges.  For  nine  successive  years  he  preached  to  the  church 
at  Zion,  in  Montgomery  County,  where  his  labors  were  blessed 
to  the  good  of  souls  up  to  the  23d  of  April,  1863,  when  he  was 
taken  by  the  Federal  authorities,  without  a  single  criminal  act 
against  the  government  or  any  individual  in  it,  and  incarcerated 
in  Gratiot  Street  Prison,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  the  only  pleasant  re- 
membrance of  which  is  that  he  preached  fifty  sermons  there  in- 
side of  sixty  days,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  and  hearing 
many  hopeful  converts  speak  of  the  love  of  Christ  that  had  been 
shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Eld.  Vardeman  has  ever  been  a  strong  advocate  for  missions 
and  a  liberal  education  of  the  young  and  rising  ministry.  He 
has  done  much  hard  labor  for  which  he  has  not  received  enough 
remuneration  to  keep  boots  upon  his  feet ;  yet  he  believes  that 
the  churches  ought  to  support  their  ministry. 

Physically  and  mentally  he  regards  himself  as  able  at  the  close 
of  his  60th  year  to  do  ministerial  work  as  he  has  ever  been,  and 
he  feels  determined  to  try  to  persevere  to  the  end. 

Jesse  B.  Wallace — is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Southern  Missou- 
ri, and  had  in  1872  been  a  Baptist  about  forty  years.  He  is 
a  Kentuckian,  and  was  born  September  4,  1799,  in  Christian 
County.  In  1820  he  emigrated  to  Missouri,  and  thirteen  years 
after  he  was  converted  and  became  a  member  of  Black  River 
Church,  Wayne  County. 

He  was  ordained  a  preacher  October,  1848,  by  Josiah  Duncan, 
N.  G.  Furguson  and  Deacon  Geo.  Graham  at  Mt.  Pleasant  Church. 
For  twenty-four  years  he  labored  in  the  pastoral  office,  during 
which  time  he  had  the  oversight  of  six  churches,  three  of  which 
are  defunct.  The  dead  churches  are  Mars'  Hill,  Webb's  Creek 
and  Sinking  Creek.  In  all  his  twenty-four  years  of  labor  he 
says  he  did  not  receive  from  the  churches  as  much  as  $30,  while 
he  gave  away  for  benevolent  work  not  less  than  $2,000. 

He  is  a  farmer  and  was  in  comfortable  circumstances  before 
the  war,  but  is  now  poor  and  blind,  having  only  his  farm  of 
about  three  hundred  acres  left. 

Brother  Wallace  is  a  man  of  limited  literary  education. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


843 


B.  F.  Lawler — was  born  in  Henderson  County,  Tennessee, 
January  31,  1834,  and  in  early  life  removed  to  St.  Clair  County, 
Missouri,  where  he  grew  up.     His  first  convictions  of  sin  were 
at  14  years  of  age,  but  more  powerful  were  these  convictions 
when  he  was  near  20  years  old,  when  he  began  to  entertain  hope 
of  eternal  life,  and  was  baptized  by  Eev.  James  T.  "Wheeler  at 
the  age  of  22. 
Four  years  af- 
ter   this    (in 
1860)    he    was 
ordained  to  the 
ministry   by 
Elders    Calvin 
Maxwell,  W.E. 
McLaine     and 
James   Moody. 
For   sixteen 
years,    save    a 
short    interval 
during  the  war, 
he  was  in   the  ^ 

pastoral    work 
in   the   bounds 
of  Tebo  Asso- 
ciation ;  and  in  -5, 
1876  he  remov-             .'X 
ed  to  N'ebraska  ^>:j|^ 
and  settled   as 
pastor    in    the 
Salem       and 

Prairie  Union  Churches,  which  position  he  held  in  1882.  He  is 
the  son  of  Deacon  Evan  Lawler,  and  has  two  brothers  in  the 
Baptist  ministry. 

George  C.  Bingham, — a  prominent  man  in  political  circles, 
and  who,  in  originality  and  accuracy  as  a  portrait  painter,  had 
few  superiors  in  this  country,  was  a  Baptist.  He  was  the  second 
son  of  Henry  V.  Bingham,  and  was  born  in  Augusta  County, 
Ya.,  March  20,  1811.  When  a  boy  7  years  old,  with  his  parents, 
he  moved  to  Franklin,  Howard  County,  Mo.  In  early  life  he 
exhibited  a  talent  for  drawing,  and  abandoning  his  former  pur- 
pose to  embark  in  the  legal  profession,  he  visited  Philadelphia 
in  1837,  and  spent  some  time  in  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts.     He 


KEV.  B.  !•■.   L.VWLEK. 


844 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


opened  a  studio  in  "Washington  City  in  1840,  where  he  remained 
about  five  years,  during  which  time  he  established  his  reputation 
as  an  artist.  In  1845  he  returned  to  Missouri,  and  three  years 
thereafter  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  from  Saline  County. 
Among  the  drawings  and  paintings  which  won  for  him  de- 
served celebrity,  may  be  mentioned  the  "Jolly  Flat  Boatman," 
"  Stump  Speaking,"  "  County  Election,"  also  full  length  por- 
traits of  Washington,  Jefferson,  Clay,  and  equestrian  portraits 
of  G-eneral  Jackson  and  General  Lyon.     There  are  full-length 

portraits  of 
Baron  Yon 
H  u  m  bo  1  d  t 
and  of  Frank 
P.  Blair  in 
the  Mercan- 
tile Library, 
St.  Louis, 
and  a  similar 
portrait  o  f 
Hon.  James 
S.  Eollins  in 
the  State  Un- 
iversity o  f 
Missouri,  the 
works  of  his 
hands. 

In  other 
relations 
than  his  pro- 
fession did 
Mr.  Bingham 
win  an  envi- 
able fame. 
Wherever 
known  he 
was  esteem- 
ed as  an  hon- 
o  r  a  b  1  e  and 
Hox.  GEO.  c.  BixGiiAM.  good  mau. 

During  the  civil  war  he  filled  the  office  of  state  treasurer,  and 
discharged  the  duties  of  his  position  with  fidelity.  "He  was  a 
man  of  fine  intellectual  powers,  wide  intelligence,  and  a  terse, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  845 

strong  and  vigorous  writer."  "At  the  beginning  of  Governor 
Hardin's  administration  he  was  appointed  to  the  office  of  adju- 
tant-general, in  which  he  acquitted  himself  with  credit."  (Jlis- 
tory  of  Missouri,  Davis  &  Durrie,  p.  471.) 

Mr.  Bingham  was  three  times  married  :  in  1836,  to  ElizabetL 
Hutchinson  of  Howard  County;  in  1849,  to  Miss  Eliza  Thomas 
of  Columbia;  and  the  third  time  to  Mrs.  Lykins,  widow  of  the 
late  Dr.  Lykins  of  Kansas  City.    He  is  now  dead. 


CHAPTER  11. 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 

William  Jewell  College,  Founding  and  History  of— Dr.  Wm.  Jewell — College  Opens 
— Suspends — Resumes — Present  Condition — "VV.  R.  Eothwell — J.  R.  Eaton — R. 
B.  Semple— J.  G.  Clark— Stephens  College— Its  Curators- E.  S.  Dulin— .T.  L. 
Stephens — Mount  Pleasant  College — LaGrange  College — Competition  for  Loca- 
tion—  J.  F.  Cook — Resuscitation — Lexington  Female  College  —  J.  F.  Launeau 
—Hardin  College— The  Hardin  Donation- C.  H.  Hardin— Mrs.  P.  A.  Baird— St. 
Joseph  Female  College — The  Patee  House — McCune  College — A.  Slaughter — 
Grand  River  College  —  Scholarships — Southwest  Baptist  College — J.  R.  Maupin 
—  Pierce  City  College — Mayfield-Smith  Academy — St.  Louis  Seminary. 

FIFTY  years  have  not  jet  passed  since  the  Baptist  denomin- 
ation in  Missouri  began  to  consecrate  its  means  to  the  pro- 
motion of  education.  In  the  last  quarter  of  a  century,  however, 
very  great  progress  has  been  made,  especially  in  denomination- 
al institutions  for  educational  purposes.  On  this  subject,  at  the 
meeting  of  the  G-eneral  Association  in  1872,  the  late  Eev.  Noah 
Flood  spoke  as  follows  : 

"  I  have  been  in  Missouri  forty-three  years.  When  I  first 
landed  in  the  state  there  was  not  a  Baptist  school  in  it — one 
only  under  Protestant  control — the  Old  Marion  College,  Presby- 
terian. I  avowed  my  Baptist  sentiments  to  one  of  the  profes- 
sors and  by  so  doing  incurred  his  displeasure,  and  he  never  got 
over  it.  It  is  said  that  now  the  Baptists  have  onh^  two  schools 
less  in  the  United  Slates  than  the  Catholics  have,  and  that  they 
have  more  in  the  state  of  Missouri  than  any  other  denomination." 

We  place  at  the  head  of  this  list  the  name  of 
WILLLIM  JEWELL  COLLEGE,* 
Liberty,  Clay  Co.,  Mo. 

The  founding  of  this  institution  is  the  result  of  a  necessity  for 
higher  education  which  was  felt  by  the  Baptists  of  Missouri  at  an 
early  day  in  the  historj^  of  the  state.  This  feeling  Avas  manifest- 
ed as  far  back  as  the  year  1833.  The  Baptists  in  the  state,  even 
at  that  date,  appreciated  the  supreme  importance  of  establishing 
a  college  of  the  first  order,  wherein  their  own  youths,  under  de- 


*  V>\  Hon.  D.  C.  Allen,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  847 

nominational  influences,  might  receive  the  benefits  of  education 
beyond  an  academic  course. 

Their  General  Association,  on  the  25th  day  of  August,  1843, 
appointed  Uriah  Sebree,  Wade  M.  Jackson,  Eoland  Hughes, 
Fielding  Wilhoite,  David  Perkins,  Eli  Bass,  Jordan  O'Brien,  R. 
E.  McDaniel,  Wm.  Carson,  G-.  M.  Bower,  .Tason  Harrison,  James 
W.  AVaddell  and  I.  T.  Hinton,  trustees,  to  receive  the  offer  of  Dr. 
William  Jewell  of  $10,000  towards  the  endowment  of  a  college 
to  be  under  the  direction  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  fix  the 
location  of  the  same  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  Missouri  Eiver, 
not  east  of  Jefferson  City,  nor  west  of  Glasgow,  and  '^  to  do  all 
other  acts  usual  and  necessary  to  organize  and  carry  on  a  Liter- 
ary Institution."  On  the  2fith  day  of  August,  1844,  the  General 
Association  declined  the  oftcr  of  $10,000  made  by  Dr.  Jewell,  for 
the  reason  that  in  the  opinion  of  that  body  it  was  not  possible, 
under  the  circumstances  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Missouri 
at  that  time,  to  raise  the  sum  required  by  him,  as  the  condition 
of  his  donation  ;  and  so  the  persons  named  as  trustees — in  effect, 
the  committee  on  college  organization — were  discharged.  The 
General  Association  met  in  August,  1847,  at  Walnut  Grove, 
Boone  Countj^  The  attendance  of  delegates  was  large  and  em- 
braced quite  a  number  of  the  leading  gentlemen  of  the  Baptist 
denomination  in  the  state.  The  movement  in  favor  of  the  found- 
ing of  a  college  was  plainl}'  taking  a  more  definite  shape  and  be- 
coming more  energetic.  The  General  Association,  without  dis- 
sent, as  it  appears,  on  the  26th  day  of  August,  1847,  adopted  the 
following  resolution,  offered  by  Rev.  S.  W.  Lynd,  viz. : 
Besolution  on  Literary  Institution. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  persons  be  appointed  as  a  Pro- 
visional Committee  on  Education,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  orig- 
inate an  institution  of  learning,  for  the  Baptist  denomination  in 
this  state,  provided  the  same  can  be  accomplished  upon  a  plan 
by  which  its  endowment  and  perpetuity  may  be  secured. 

Roland  Hughes,  William  Carson,  Wade  M.  Jackson,  R.  E. 
McDaniel  and  David  Perkins  were  appointed  the  committee 
contemplated  by  the  resolution. 

The  committee  appointed  in  1847  reported  to  the  General  Asso- 
ciation on  the  26th  day  of  August,  1848.  The  report  of  the  com- 
mittee in  substance  was :  That  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  and 
endowing  a  college  in  the  state,  they  had  secured  subscriptions 
to  the  amount  of  $16,936  and  that  they  believed,  from  the  success 


848  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

which  had  attended  their  limited  exertions,  that  a  vigorous  pros- 
ecution of  the  enterprise  would  finally  end  in  success.  On  the 
recommendation  of  the  committee,  the  G-eneral  Association  pass- 
ed the  following  resolution,  viz. : 

"  Resolved,  That  so  soon  as  the  provisional  committee  may 
think  it  advisable  to  make  a  location,  they  be  instructed  to  make 
such  location  according  to  the  condition  expressed  in  the  sub- 
scription which  the  agents  have  been  authorized  to  circulate." 

At  the  same  time  the  General  Association  appointed  the  gen- 
tlemen of  the  last  preceding  committee,  a  committee  also  to  make 
application  to  the  G-eneral  Assembly  of  the  state  for  a  charter  for 
the  college,  and  to  appoint  a  board  of  trustees.  Through  the 
agency  of  this  committee,  the  15th  General  Assembly  of  the  state 
granted  a  charter  for  a  college  (which  was  approved  by  the  gov- 
ernor on  the  27th  day  of  February,  1849,)  in  accordance  with 
the  wishes  of  the  Baptists  of  Missouri.  (Session  Acts,  1849,  page 
232.)  The  title  of  the  act  granting  the  charter  is — "An  act  to 
charter  a  college  in  the  state  of  Missouri."  The  preamble  of  the 
act  begins  as  follows : 

"  Whereas,  The  United  Baptists  in  Missouri  and  their  friends 
are  desirous  of  endowing  and  building  up  a  college  in  the  state, 
&c." 

The  trustees  named  in  the  charter  are  as  follows  :  Tj-ree  C.  Har- 
ris, Isaac  Lionberger,  Jordan  O'Brian,  "W.  C.  Ligon,  Eobert  S, 
Thomas,  A.  W.  Doniphan,  T.  N.  Thompson,  W.  D.  Hubbell, 
Eobert  James,  Samuel  T.  Glover,  T.  L.  Anderson,  E.  F.  Eich- 
mond,  S.  D.  South,  T.  E.  Hatcher,  John  Ellis,  William  Carson, 
David  Perkins,  W.  M.  Jackson,  Eoland  Hughes,  William  Jewell, 
W.  M.  McPherson,  E.  E.  McDaniel,  John  Eobinson,  M.  F.  Price, 
E.  M.  Samuel  and  E.  E.  Craig. 

Tlie  second  section  of  the  charter  provides  for  the  location  of 
the  college  at  such  place  in  the  state  as  should  be  designated  by 
a  majority  of  the  donors  to  its  endowment,  one  share  (or  $48) 
constituting  a  vote.  It  further  j)rovides  that  at  the  time  of  loca- 
tion the  donors  shall  determine  the  name  of  the  college,  cause  a 
certificate  of  the  name  and  location  to  be  recorded  in  the  record- 
er's office  of  the  county  of  its  location,  and  that  thereafter  the 
name  and  location  should  be  as  permanently  fixed  and  known  to 
all  intents  and  purposes  as  if  specifically  mentioned  in  the  act  of 
incorporation.  The  charter  is  broad  and  liberal  and  gives  to  the 
trustees  of  the  college  powers  fully  adequate  to  all  the  purposes 
of  a  university.     This  is  speciallj^  true  with  reference  to  prop- 


850  EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

erty,  for  in  the  third  section  of  the  charter  full  power  is  given  to 
the  trustees  in  their  corporate  capacity,  "to  hold  by  gift,  grant, 
demise,  devise,  or  otherwise,  any  lands,  tenements,  heredita- 
ments, monies,  rents,  goods  or  chattels,  of  what  kind  soever  the 
same  may  be,  which  is  or  may  hereafter  be  given,  granted,  de- 
vised, demised  to  or  purchased  by  them  for  and  to  the  use  of  the 
aforesaid  college,  and  may  sell  and  dispose  of  the  same  or  any 
part  thereof,  or  lease,  rent,  or  improve  in  such  manner  as  they 
shall  think  most  conducive  to  the  interest  and  prosperity  of  said 
college." 

The  provisional  committee,  appointed  by  the  General  Associa- 
tion, August  26, 1848,  called  a  meeting  of  the  donors  to  the  endow- 
ment, to  be  held  at  Boonville,  Mo.,  August  21,  1849,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  determining  the  name  of  the  college  and  fixing  its  loca- 
tion. The  donors  met  pursuant  to  the  call  of  the  committee. 
The  number  of  shares  represented  at  the  meeting  of  donors  was 
884.  The  subscriptions,  in  addition,  were  $7,000  by  citizens  of 
Clay  County,  for  the  erection  of  buildings  only;  and  the  further 
sum  of  $10,000  by  Dr.  William  Jewell,  in  lands;  making  a  total 
subscription  of  $59,432.  The  donors  of  Clay  County  were  repre- 
sented in  the  meeting  by  Col.  Alexander  W.  Doniphan  and  the 
late  Judge  James  T.  V.  Thompson.  The  comj^etition  for  the 
location  of  the  college  between  several  counties  was  animated. 
The  subscription  of  Clay  County  was  larger  than  that  of  any 
other,  but  did  not  constitute  a  majority  of  the  votes.  Finally 
the  location  in  Liberty,  Clay  County,  was  made  by  the  votes  of 
Howard  County  being  cast  solid I3'  for  it.  Immediately  after  the 
fixing  of  the  location,  the  Rev.  William  C.  Ligon  moved  that  the 
college,  so  located,  be  named  William  Jewell  College,  in  honor 
of  the  venerable  Dr.  William  Jewell.  This  motion  was  seconded 
by  Col.  Doniphan  in  a  brilliant  and  enthusiastic  speech,  and  was 
unanimously  adopted  by  the  meeting  of  donors.  Dr.  Jewell  arose 
thereupon,  in  great  emotion,  and  after  returning  thanks  for  the 
honor  conferred  on  him,  requested  the  secretary  of  the  meeting 
to  draw  up  a  deed  from  him  to  the  college  corporation,  convey- 
ing to  it  the  lands  promised  by  him  for  the  endowment,  consist- 
ing of  3,951  acres,  situated  in  Mercer,  Grundy  and  Sullivan  Coun- 
ties, Missouri,  valued  at  $10,000.  The  conveyance  of  the  lands 
was  immediately  completed  by  him.  Subsequently,  Dr.  Jewell 
in  his  will  and  by  sums  of  mone}^,  voluntarily  expended  out  of 
his  own  pocket  to  contractors  for  the  erection  of  the  college  edi- 
fice, gave  the  corporation  not  less  than  $6,000.     The  certificate 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


851 


of  location  and  naming  of  the  college  was  tiled  in  the  recorder's 
office  of  Clay  County,  in  accordance  with  the  charter,  on  the  25th 
day  of  August,  1849,  and  thereupon  the  name  of  the  corporation 
became  and  now  is — "The  Trustees  of  AVilliam  Jewell  College." 
A  brief  sketch  of  the  life  of  Dr.  Jewell  will  be  allowed  in  this 
connection.     He  was  born  in  Loudon  County,  Virginia,  January 
1,  1789,  and  removed  to  Gallatin  County,  Kentucky,  in  1800.  Af- 
ter completing  his  academic  education  he  took  the  degree  of 
M.D.  in  Transylvania  University.     In  1820  he  came  to  Missouri, 
and  in  1822  settled  as  a  practitioner  in  Columbia,  Missouri.  Dur- 
ing the  latter  year  he  united  with  the  Baptist  church  in  that 
place.      No  other 
man  did  more  than 
he    for   Columbia 
and  Boone  County. 
To  secure  the  loca- 
tion   of  the    State 
University   at    Co- 
lumbia,   he    gave 
$1,800.     He  was   a 
member  of  the  Gen- 
eral   Assembly   of 
Missouri     from 
Boone   County  for 
several   sessions, 
and  was  always  con- 
spicuous   for    his 
careful  attention  to 
the  interests  of  his 
constituents.       He 
was  among  the  first 
advocates  of  a  col- 
lege in  Missouri  for 
the  Baptists.  Pious, 
patient,    energetic, 
persevering,  public-spirited,  liberal,  conscientious,  just,  far-see- 
ing and  broad-minded,  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a  nobler  model 
of  a  man  and  citizen.     He  died  in  Liberty,  Missouri,  August  7, 
1852,  of  illness  superinduced  by  over-exposure  to  the  great  heats 
of  that  month,  while  engaged  in  the  personal  supervision  of  the 
erection  of  the  college  edifice.     His  monument  is  William  Jew- 
ell College. 


DK.  AVILLJAM   JEWELL. 


852  EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

The  sixteenth  General  Assembly  of  the  state  was  very  munifi- 
cent to  the  college  corporation;  for  by  an  act  entitled,  "An  act 
for  the  benefit  of  William  Jewell  College,"  approved  February 
22,  1851,  the  lands  of  the  corporation  were  exempted  from  taxa- 
tion.    The  exempting  section  is  as  follows  : 

"§  1.  That  all  the  land  and  improvements  thereon  now  owned 
by  the  William  Jewell  College  in  the  counties  of  Clay,  Grundy, 
Mercer  and  Sullivan,  and  all  the  lands  that  may  hereafter  be 
granted  or  devised  to  said  college,  or  any  other  institution  of 
learning  in  the  state,  for  the  benefit  of  education,  be,  and  the 
same  are  hereby  exempted  from  all  taxes  and  assessments  so  long 
as  said  lands  may  be  owned  by  said  college."  (Session  Acts,  1851, 
page  64.) 

A  few  words  will  be  allowed  here  in  reference  to  the  breadth 
of  view  and  liberality  of  the  Baptists  of  the  state  in  the  organ- 
ization and  management  of  their  college.  It  will  be  noted  that 
the  preamble  to  the  charter  says  :  "Whereas,  the  United  Bap- 
tists in  Missouri  and  their  friends  are  desirous  of  endowing  and 
building  up  a  college  in  the  state,"  &c.  Of  the  trustees  named 
in  the  charter  several  were  not  Baptists.  One  (since  dead)  was 
a  Methodist,  who  subsequently  became  a  Presbyterian.  Anoth- 
er was  not  a  communicant  of  any  church.  He  afterwards  united 
with  the  Christian  Church.  The  latter  (still  living)  is  among  the 
best  friends  of  the  college.  The  former  was  so  until  his  death 
in  1869.  Among  the  most  devoted  supporters  of  the  college 
now  are  many  who  do  not  belong  to  auy  church,  and  some  oth- 
ers who  are  not  Baptists  in  their  religious  belief.  The  site  where 
the  college  edifice  stands — superbly  beautiful — was  donated  by 
the  late  Judge  James  T.  V.  Thompson,  who,  though  not  a  church 
member,  was  by  religious  affinities  a  Presb^'terian.  From  Sep- 
tember, 1853,  to  June,  1861,  one  member  of  the  faculty  was  usu- 
ally a  member  of  some  denomination  other  than  the  Baptist. 
This  breadth  of  view  and  liberality  has  richly  rewarded  the 
Baptists  of  the  state  in  their  work  of  building  up  their  college. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  was  on  the  12th  of 
November  1849.  Poland  Hughes  was  elected  the  first  president 
of  the  board  and  Rev.  William  C.  Ligon  the  first  secretary.  The 
board  at  that  meeting  decided  to  open  departments  of  instruc-- 
tion  in  the  basement  rooms  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Liberty,  Jan-, 
uary  1,  1850.  At  the  same  time  the  board  elected  two  profes- 
sors, who  composed  the  faculty,  viz.:  Pev.  E.  S.  Dulin,  professor 
of  ancient  languages,  and  Rev.  Thomas  F,  Lockett,  professor  of 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  853 

mathematics.  On  the  11th  day  of  February,  1850,  the  board  elec- 
ted Dr.  Jewell  commissioner  to  superintend  the  erection  of  the 
college  building.  On  the  13th  day  of  May,  1850,  the  board  or- 
dered contracts  to  be  let  for  the  erection  of  the  building.  Work 
was  begun  on  the  foundations  of  the  building  in  the  fall  of  1850, 
and  by  August  7,  1852 — the  date  of  Dr.  Jewell's  death— the  foun- 
dations were  complete  and  the  superstructure  had  been  built  to 
the  height  of  about  twenty  feet.  Dr.  Jewell  supervised  the  work 
with  the  utmost  vigilance.  He  never  permitted  any  but  the  best 
material  to  be  used.  He,  in  one  instance,  compelled  the  contrac- 
ors  to  remove  a  wall  sixty  feet  in  length  and  ten  or  fifteen  feet 
in  height,  with  its  foundation,  and  sink  the  foundation  through 
the  upper  stratum  of  rock  to  the  firm  and  stable  strata  beneath. 
By  August,  1853,  the  building  was  complete  except  the  flooring 
and  plastering  of  the  rooms  of  the  south  wing  and  what  was 
then  the  lower  chapel.  These  were  completed  about  1858.  The 
beautiful  and  commodious  boarding-honse,  named  by  the  trustees 
"Ely  Hall,"  in  honor  of  Lewis  B.  Ely,  of  Carrollton  Missouri, 
was  built  in  1880. 

Instruction  began  in  the  basement  rooms  of  the  Baptist  church 
January  1,  1850,  Ecv.  E.  S.  Dulin  and  Ecv.  Thos.  F.  Lockett  con- 
stituting the  faculty.  The  course  of  study  adopted  was  admira- 
ble and  thorough.  The  faculty  for  the  year  1850-'l  consisted  of 
Eev.  E.  S.  Dulin,  Eev.  Thos.  F.  Lockett  and  Eev.  William  M. 
Hunsaker.  The  latter  was  principal  of  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment. Eev.  E.  S.  Dulin,  Eev.  Terry  Bradley  and  James  G.  Smith 
constituted  the  faculty  for  the  year  1851-'2.  Eev.  Mr.  Bradley 
was  professor  of  mathematics  and  Mr.  Smith  was  principal  of  the 
preparatory  department.  Eev.  Mr.  Dulin's  connection  with  the 
college  as  a  teacher  terminated  in  June,  1852.  While  connected 
with  it  he  was  officially  designated  as  the  principal. 

During  the  year  1852-^3,  the  departments  of  instruction  were 
simply  under  the  patronage  of  the  trustees,  they  permitting 
Eev.  Terry  Bradley,  and  George  S.  Withers,  as  his  assistant,  to 
maintain  a  school  in  the  rooms  rented  by  the  trustees,  and  take 
all  the  fees  for  tuition.  In  the  summer  of  1853,  Eev.  Eobert  S. 
Thomas,  of  Columbia,  was  elected  president  of  the  college.  At 
the  same  time  the  following  gentlemen  were  elected,  viz.:  Eev. 
Terry  Bradley,  professor  of  Greek  and  Latin  languages;  James 
Love,  professor  of  mathematics  and  natural  sciences;  and  Leo- 
nidas  M.  Lawson,  tutor.  Those  gentlemen  composed  the  faculty 
for  the  year  1853-'4.     The  faculty  for  the  year  1854-'5  was  com- 


854  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

posed  of  the  same  members  as  in  1853-'4,  except  the  addition  of 
William  P.  Lamb  as  principal  of  the  preparatory  department. 
The  first  graduation  in  the  college  occurred  on  the  third  Friday 
in  June,  1855.  The  graduating  class  consisted  of  five  members, 
and  they  are  all  living. 

From  June,  1855,  until  September,  1857,  instruction  in  all  de- 
partments was  suspended  because  of  the  want  of  funds  where- 
with to  continue  it.  The  financial  prospect  of  the  college  had 
greatly  brightened  in  1857,  and  accordinglj^  instruction  began 
again  in  September,  1857,  with  the  following  faculty,  which  re- 
mained unchanged  throughout  the  year  1857-'8,  viz.:  Eev.  Wil- 
liam Thompson,  LL.  D.,  president;  M.  W.  Eobinson,  adjunct 
professor  of  ancient  languages  and  literature;  Jno.  B.  Bradley, 
professor  of  mathematics,  natural  philosophj-  and  astronomy; 
W.  C.  Garnett,  principal  of  the  academic  department;  and  Gran- 
dison  L.  Black,  assistant  tutor.  The  fame  of  President  Thomp- 
son as  a  pulpit  orator  and  elegant  scholar,  with  his  captivating 
manners  and  wide  acquaintance  in  the  state,  brought  a  large  num- 
ber of  students  to  the  college.  He  was  elected  to  the  presiden- 
cy on  the  19th  day  of  May,  1857. 

The  faculty  during  the  year  1858-'9  consisted  of  the  same  mem- 
bers as  during  the  year  1857-'8  with  these  exceptions,  viz.:  the 
chair  of  chemistry,  &c.,  had  been  created,  and  it  was  filled  dur- 
ing the  year  by  the  election  thereto  of  Jiio.  T.  Davis ;  Geo.  W.  Eog- 
erswas  tutor,  in  place  of  GrandisonL.  Black,  resigned.  The  facul- 
ty for  the  year  1859-'60  was  composed  as  in  the  year  1858-'9, 
with  these  exceptions,  viz.:  the  chair  of  professor  of  ancient 
languages  was  filled  by  Eev.  Edward  lorwerth  Owen,  LL.  D.; 
Jno.  T.  Chandler  was  principal  of  the  academic  department,  in 
place  of  W.  C.  Garnett,  resigned;  and  the  chair  of  chemistry, 
&c.,  remained  vacant,  Jno.  T.  Davis  having  resigned  before  the 
beginning  of  the  year.  During  the  year  1860-'l,  the  facultj'  was 
composed  as  in  the  year  1859-'60,  with  this  exception,  viz.:  the 
adjunct  ^professorship  of  ancient  languages,  &c.,  remained  vacant, 
M.  W.  Eobinson  having  resigned. 

On  the  12th  day  of  August,  1861,  the  trustees,  by  order,  de- 
clared all  departments  of  instruction  in  the  college  suspended, 
and  the  chairs  of  the  facultj^  (including  the  presidency)  vacated, 
because  of  the  condition  of  the  country  resulting  from  the  pres- 
ence of  civil  war.  These  departments,  may,  in  strictness,  be  said 
to  have  remained  suspended  until  September  28, 1868,  when  they 
were  formally  reopened.     It  is  true  that  on  the  23d  day  of  May, 


EDUrATIONAL    TNSTITtJTTONS.  855 

1863,  the  trustees  re-elected  Eev.  William  Thompson  to  the  pres- 
idency (who  resigned  on  the  6th  day  of  October,  1863,)  and  elect- 
ed Eev.  Edward  I.  Owen,  Rev.  Thomas  H.  Storts  and  G-eorge 
Hughes  to  professorships  during  that  period  ;  yet,  inasmuch  as 
in  but  few  instances  the  corporation  was  permitted  to  become 
responsible  for  salaries,  which  were  in  every  case  very  small  in 
amount,  and  the  professors  were  in  each  instance  to  receive  all 
tuition  fees,  those  elections  implied  honor  rather  than  emolu- 
ment or  subjection  to  corporate  control.  As  during  the  year 
1852-'3,  tuition  maybe  said  to  have  been  under  the  patronage  of 
the  trustees,  the  latter  permitted  those  last  named  gentlemen 
to  use  the  recitation-rooms  of  the  college  free  of  charge,  with  a 
view  to  the  maintenance  of  an  English,  mathematical  and  clas- 
sical school,  so  that  young  men  might  prepare  to  enter  the  col- 
lege when  its  departments  of  instruction  should  be  regularly  re- 
opened. In  that  period,  when  practicable,  some  one  or  more  of 
those  gentlemen  taught  in  the  college  rooms.  The  confusion 
of  the  civil  war,  and  the  wrecked  condition  of  the  endowment 
caused  by  it,  rendered  any  other  course  impossible  to  the  trus- 
tees. 

The  college  edifice  was  occupied  as  a  hospital  for  the  Federal 
wounded  for  some  weeks  after  the  battle  of  Blue  Mills,  which 
was  fought  in  Clay  County,  four  miles  from  Liberty,  on  the  17th 
of  September,  1861.  In  August,  1862,  the  college  edifice  and 
grounds  were  occupied  by  Federal  troops  for  several  weeks,  and 
sundry  slight  trenches  constructed.  No  serious  damage  ensued 
to  the  building  from  these  occupations. 

The  year  1867  may  be  considered  an  era  in  the  history  of  the 
college.  The  trustees  decided  that  the  time  was  approaching 
for  the  reopening  of  its  departments  of  instruction.  On  the  24th 
day  of  June,  1867,  Rev.  Thomas  Rambaut,  LL.D.,  a  graduate  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  a  gentleman  of  most  accurate  schol- 
arship, extensive  experience  in  education  and  thorough  acquaint- 
ance with  university  organization,  was  elected  president  of  the 
college.  For  a  year  succeeding  he  and  the  trustees  were  engaged 
in  reorganization.  Under  his  advice,  the  ** curriculum"  system 
of  instruction  was  abandoned,  and  in  lieu  of  it  the  true  university 
system — a  division  of  studies  into  schools — after  the  method  of 
the  University  of  Virginia,  was  adopted.  This  has  proven  so  ad- 
vantageous that  it  is  likely  to  be  permanent.  On  the  28th  day 
of  September,  1868,  the  college  reopened  with  the  following 
faculty,  viz.:  Rev.  Thomas  Rambaut,  president;  R.  B.  Semple, 


856  EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

professor  of  Latin,  French  and  Italian;  A.  F.  Fleet,  professor 
of  Greek  and  G-ennan  ;  John  F.  Lanneau,  professor  of  mathe- 
matics; and  James  E.  Eaton,  professor  of  natural  sciences  and 
natural  theology.  With  the  addition  of  Eev,  ISTorman  Fox  as 
professor  of  ecclesiastical,  civil  history  and  English  history, 
the  faculty  for  the  3'ear  1869-'70  was  composed  as  in  1868-'9. 
For  the  year  1870-'!,  J.  H.  France  was  tutor;  otherwise  the 
faculty  remained  unchanged.  Tlie  tutorship  was  not  continued 
in  1871-'2,  otherwise  the  faculty  remained  unchanged.  On  the 
5th  day  of  June,  1872,  Rev.  William  R.  Rothwell  was  elected  to 
the  chair  of  Biblical  literature  and  interpretation.  With  the 
addition  of  Rev.  W.  R.  Rothwell,  the  faculty  remained  for  the 
year  1872-3  the  same  as  in  the  year  1871-2.  On  the  4th  day  of 
June,  1873,  John  F.  Lanneau  resigned.  On  the  5th  day  of  June, 
1873,  A.  F.  Fleet  also  resigned.  On  the  1st  day  of  August,  1873, 
James  G.  Clark  was  elected  professor  of  mathematics.  On  the 
12th  day  of  August,  1873,  Rev.  A.  J.  Emerson  was  elected  prin- 
cipal of  the  preparatory  department.  Rev.  Thomas  Rambaut 
resigned  on  the  24th  day  of  January,  1874,  and  Rev.  Norman  Fox 
on  the  24th  day  of  June,  1874.  During  the  year  1873-'4  the  finan- 
cial condition  of  the  college  did  not  permit  the  trustees  to  pay  a 
professor  in  the  chair  of  Rev.  Norman  Fox,  nor  did  Rev.  Thomas 
Rambaut's  health  permit  him  to  actually  discharge  his  ofiicial 
duties,  and  by  consent  of  the  trustees  they  were  absent  from  the 
college  in  1873-'4;  and,  therefore,  though  their  names  appear  in 
the  catalogue  of  that  year,  the  faculty,  in  point  of  fact,  consisted 
of  the  following  gentlemen  :  Rev.  Wm.  R.  Rothwell,  D.  D.,  R.  B. 
Semple,  James  R.  Eaton,  James  G.  Clark  and  Rev.  A.  J.  Emer- 
son; and  they  have,  ever  since  August,  1873,  constituted  and  do 
now  constitute  the  faculty.  The  reduction  of  the  working  force 
of  the  departments  of  instruction,  required  a  division  of  the  ex- 
tra work  among  the  remaining  members  of  the  faculty,  accord- 
ing to  the  exigency  of  the  case,  as  well  as  the  temporary  em- 
ployment of  tutors,  which  was  done.  The  five  gentlemen  consti- 
tuting the  faculty,  as  now  organized,  and  the  tutors,  have  dis- 
charged the  heavy  burden  placed  on  them  with  great  energy, 
conscientiousness  and  admirable  devotion  to  the  college.  Since 
the  resignation  of  Thomas  Rambaut,  the. duties  of  his  position 
have  devolved  on  Dr.  Rothwell,  as  chairman  of  the  facultj". 

On  the  10th  daj^  of  June,  1875,  Rev.  AY.  Pope  Yeaman,  D.  D., 
was  elected  chancellor  of  the  college,  a  position  which  he  filled 
with  great  acceptance  until  July  10,  1877,  when  he  resigned. 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


857 


The  year  1869  may  also  be  called  an  era  in  the  history  of  the 
college,  for  on  the  7th  day  of  August  in  that  year,  the  trustees, 
by  order,  created  the  school  in  the  college  known  as  *'The  Jere- 
miah Yardeman  School  of  Theology/'  The  first  and  fourth  sec- 
tions of  the  constitution  of  that  school  are  as  follows: 

"1.    This  school  shall  be  called    'The  Jeremiah  Vardeman 
School  of  Theology/  in  which  the  doctrines  of  Divine  grace,  as 
exhibited  in  the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Confession  of  Faith,  shall 
be  forever  taught." 
''4.  The  fund  of  this 
school  shall  be  giv- 
en in  trust  to    the 
board  of  trustees  of 
"William  Jewell  Col- 
lege, and  shall    be 
kept  in  account  sep- 
arate from  all  oth- 
er funds  of  said  col- 
lege." 

It  will  be  perceiv- 
ed that  the  funds  of 
this  school  are  trust 
funds,  and  the  col- 
lege corporation  '' 
the  perpetual  trus- 
tee for  their  faith- 
ful application  for 
the  purposes  of  the 
constitution  of  the 
school.  Therefore, 
the  corporation  and 
funds  are  at  all  times  within  the  jurisdiction  of  a  court  of  equity. 
On  the  application  of  any  person  in  interest,  alleging  mis- 
application of  the  funds  by  the  corporation,  or  other  infraction 
of  the  constitution,  upon  due  proof  a  court  of  equity  will  enforce 
obedience.  For  the  execution  of  the  trust,  therefore,  accord- 
ing to  its  true  intent  and  meaning,  the  Baptists  of  the  state  have 
the  double  voucher  of  the  honor  of  the  trustees  and  the  strong 
arm  of  the  law. 

The  schools  created  by  the  trustees  in  the  college  under  the 
university  system  are  as  follows  :  I.  School  of  Latin  ;  II.  School 
of  Greek;  III.  School   of  Mathematics;    IV.  School  of  iJTatural 


"^^.^i^ 


J.  EMERSON. 


858  EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

Science;  V.  School  of  Modern  Languages;  VI.  School  of  Eng- 
lish History;  VII.  Sherwood  School  of  Moral  Philosophy;  VIII. 
Jeremiah  Vardeman  School  of  Theology.  The  Preparatory  De- 
partment prepares  students  for  entrance  into  the  schools. 

On  the  22d  of  March,  1857,  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  trustees  prior  to  that  time  were  burned  in  a  conflagration 
which  occurred  in  Liberty.  The  loss  of  that  record,  together 
with  the  confusion  in  the  financial  department  of  the  college, 
necessarily  caused  and  continued  for  some  years  by  the  civil 
war,  make  it  impossible  to  write  a  clear  and  connected  history 
of  the  endowment  of  the  institution.  It  would  be  a  history 
showing,  certainly,  some  mistakes  in  judgment,  but  always  the 
highest  integrity  in  the  officers  and  members  of  the  corporation, 
and  many  noble  and  generous  acts  on  the  part  of  its  friends. 
But  to  present  in  a  luminous  view,  even  those  facts  which  are 
known  or  accessible,  is  not  possible  in  these  limits ;  however,  the 
present  wealth  and  income  of  the  corportion  are  as  follows: 

Land  and  buildings  in  Liberty.  Mo., $  50,000 

Productive  Endowment, 55,000 

Lands  remaining  unsold  and  from  which  no  income  is  derived,         .  15,000 

Endowment  not  productive  and  not  secured,  but  estimated  to  be  worth,      10,000 
Library,  apparatus  and  furniture,     .......  15,000 

Total  Wealth, 5;145,000 

Income  from  tuition  fees  (S40  per  year)  for  year  1880-'l,         .         .         $2,931.50 
Metn. — During  the  year  the  corporation  gave  free  tuition  to  (iO  minister- 
ial students  or  sons  of  ministers. 

Income  of  C'ontingent  Fimd, 3,440.00 

Yield  of  Productive  Endowment, 2,589.50 

Total  income  for  the  year  1880-'l,        .        .        .     $8,952.00 

On  the  8th  of  June,  1881,  the  trustees  decided  to  appeal  to  the 
friends  of  the  college  throughout  the  state  for  an  increase  of  the 
endowment  in  the  sum  of  $50,000,  for  the  specific  purpose  of  sup- 
plying the  deficiency  in  the  income  which  will  occur  at  the  ces- 
sation of  the  annual  yield  of  the  "contingent  fund."  From  the 
known  energy  and  ability  of  the  financial  agent,  Lewis  B.  Ely, 
it  is  believed  this  increase  will  be  secured  within  a  year. 

In  conclusion,  it  may  be  affirmed  that  all  who  shall  carefully 
examine  the  extent  and  character  of  the  endowment  of  the  col- 
lege, and  consider  the  devotion  and  number  of  its  friends,  and 
its  d«ep  anchorage  in  the  affections  of  the  Baptists  of  Missouri, 
will  most  gladly  admit  that  the  institution  has  all  to  hope  for 
and  nothing  to  fear  in  the  future. 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


859 


A^4| 


William  Eenfro  Eothwell,  —  a  Missourian  from  childhood-, 
■was  born  in  Kentucky  of  parents  originally  from  Virginia  and 
of  English  descent.  He  is  a  brother  of  T.  P.  Eothwell,  M.  D., 
of  Mexico,  Mo.,  and  of  Hon.  G.  F.  Eothwell,  of  Moberly,  Mo. 
In  1854  he  graduated  from  the  University  of  Missouri,  and  while 
a  student  at  Columbia  he  was  converted  and  baptized  by  Eev. 
T.  C.  Harris  in  1853.  Upon  leaving  the  university  he  entered 
upon  the  profes- 
sion  of  teaching, 
and  was  principal 
ofElmEidge  Acad- 
emy from  1854  to 
1856.  From  1856  to 
1857  he  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Bap- 
tist Female  (now 
Stephens')  College, 
Columbia,  which 
position  he  resign- 
ed to  take  the  pres- 
idency of  the  Mt. 
Pleasant  College 
at  Huntsville,  Mo., 
as  successor  of  the 
renowned  William 
Thompson,  LL.  D. 
He    was    ordained 

to  the  gospel  min-  rev.  w.  r.  RoxmvELL,  d. d. 

istry  in  October,  1861,  Eev.  l^oah  Flood  being  one  of  the  pres- 
bytery, and  was  for  a  time  pastor  at  Huntsville  and  subsequently 
at  Keytesville.  For  the  year  1871-'2  he  filled  the  office  of  cor- 
responding secretary  of  the  General  Association  of  Missouri,  and 
here  he  rendered  valuable  service.  He  was  elected  by  the  board 
of  trustees  of  William  Jewell  College  professor  of  theology  and 
moral  philosophy  in  that  institution  in  1872,  and  in  1873  he  was 
elected  chairman  of  the  faculty.  Dr.  Eothwell  has  been  a  teach- 
er twenty-seven  years,  during  which  about  3,000  youth  have  been 
more  or  less  under  his  instruction;  and  during  his  ten  years' 
connection  with  William  Jewell  College  250  ministerial  students 
have  been  in  part  under  his  tuition  from  one  to  six  years  each. 
As  a  teacher  he  stands  at  the  head  of  his  profession.  In  his 
interviews  with   the   brotherhood    he  is  always  for  peace  and 


860  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

unity,  and  no  one  wields  a  more  potent  influence  in  the  coun- 
cils of  the  denomination  than  he.  He  is  a  man  of  decided  con- 
victions, with  clear  views  of  doctrine  and  church  polity,  and  is 
admirably  well  qualified  for  the  position  he  fills.  He  has  de- 
voted himself  to  the  work  of  education  by  the  Baptists,  hold- 
ing it  co-ordinate  with  missionary  and  Sunday-school  work, 
and  for  the  past  ten  years  has  been  consecrated  to  ministerial 
education.  He  is  free  from  ministerial  jealousy,  a  safe  coun- 
sellor in  denominational  work,  true  to  principle,  eminently  con- 
servative yet  progressive,  keeping  abreast  of  the  times. 

Mr.  Rothwell  wears  with  much  ease  and  grace  the  honorable 
title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and  is  in  the  vigor  of  manhood. 

James  E.  Eaton, — a  son  of  Geo.  "W.  Eaton,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was 


..^ 


PROF.   JAS.    R.   EATON. 

born  at  Hamilton,  N.  Y.,  December  11,  1834.  He  graduated 
with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  from  Madison  University,  in  1856,  and 
from  Hamilton  Theological  Seminary  with  the  degree  of  A.  M., 
in  1858.  In  1859  he  was  adjunct  professor  of  mathematics  and 
natural  science  in  Union  University,  Murfrcesboro,  Tenn. 
From  1859  to  1861,  he  was  professor  of  ancient  languages  in 
Bethel  College,  Russcllville,  Ky.  During  the  war  he  was  su- 
perintendent of  the  advisory  department  and  foreign  delivery 


EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS, 


861 


in  the  New  York  City  Post-office.  From  1866  to  1869  he  held 
the  chair  of  natural  science  in  the  university  of  the  public  schools 
of  Louisville,  Ky.;  and  in  1869  he  was  called  to  the  chair  of  na- 
tural science  and  natural  theology  in  William  Jewell  College. 
In  1876  Madison  University  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Philosophy. 

His  wife  was  Miss  Mattie  E.  Lewright,  of  Liberty,  Mo.,  to 
whom  he  was  married  June  6,  1872. 

Prof.  Eaton's  eminent  success  in  his  profession  grows  out  of 
his  profound  convictions  of  the  majesty  of  law.  With  him,  law 
should  be  obeyed,  not  merely  to  escape  penalty,  but  because 
fidelity  to  what  is  right  demands  it.  This  element  in  his  char- 
acter, while  plainly  visible  in  all  he  does,  is  prominent  in  the 
school-room.  He  is  fully  in  sympathy  with  the  discoveries  of 
science,  but  does  not  place  it  above  the  Bible,  regarding  true 
science  and  Christianity  as  in  perfect  harmony.  (From  a  sketch 
in  the  William  Jewell  Studetif,  1881.) 

Egbert  Baylor  Semple — was  born  near  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
February  6,  1842. 
Owing  to  the  death 
of  his  father  and 
mother,  his  early 
literary  and  relig- 
ious training  fell 
under  the  care  of 
Dr.  Wm.  F.  Broadus, 
one  of  the  most  emi- 
nent Baptist  minis- 
ters of  Virginia  of 
the  last  generation. 
After  the  usual  at- 
tendance on  the  "old 
field  schools,"  his 
studies  were  contin- 
ued in  the  higher  1;. 
branches  in  the 
Fredericksburg  and 
Rappahannock 
Academies,    and  ^•.,  Sis^ ^ " 

completed     in     the 
University    of   Yir-  pkok.  k.  b.  skmi-le. 

ginia.     Soon  after  leaving  the  university  hQ  enlisted  in  the  Con- 


862 


EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 


federate  Army,  April  22,  1861,  and  served  continuously  until  the 
surrender  at  Appomattox  C.  H.,  April  10,  1865.  He  spent  a  few 
years  in  Yirginia  teaching,  and  in  1868  he  was  elected  professor 
in  William  Jewell  College.  He  united  with  the  Baptists  at 
Charlottesville,  Va.,  under  the  ministry  of  Dr.  J.  A.  Broadus, 
when  attending  the  university  in  the  winter  of  1859. 

James  G-.  Clark, — professor  of  mathematics  and  French  in 
William  Jewell  College,  is  a  Yirginian.  In  his  native  state  he 
enjoyed  the  advantages  of  an  excellent  preparatory^  school,  and 
at  the  age  of  17  years  he  entered  the  University  of  Virginia, 
from  most  of  the  schools  of  which  he  graduated  in  three  years. 
He  purposed  to  enter  the  profession  of  civil  engineering,  but 
was  called  as  assistant  professor  of  mathematics  in  the  univer- 
sity in  1857,  and  has  been  engaged  in  teaching  ever  since,  save 
a  short  interval.  From  1858-60,  he  was  engaged  in  the  Alex- 
andrian Boarding  School,  and  in  1860-'l  and  1865  to  1871  as 
professor  of  mathematics  in  Columbian  College,  Washington, 
""^     .,  D.  C.     He  spent 

"V  1871   to   '73   as 

teacher  in  pri- 
vate schools, 
and  in  1873  was 
elected  profes- 
sor in  William 
Jewell  College. 
In  1861  he  enlist- 
ed in  the  Confed- 
erate Army,  and 
continued  dur- 
ing the  war.  For 
one  year  he  was 
a  soldier  in  the 
Rockbridge  Ar- 
tillery attached 
to  the  Stonewall 
Brigade,  and  af- 
terwards captain 
'       '  "  of  artillery,  ser- 

PROF.  jAMKs  G.  cr.AKK,  LL.i).  viug as orduauce 

officer  in  Cheatham's  division  of  the  Army  of  Tennessee,  from 
Lookout  Mountain  until  the  surrender  at  Grreensboro,  N.  C,  in 
1865. 


&^.f 


^i 


'■M~ 


EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS.  863 

Dr.  Clark  is  the  author  of  a  treatise  on  the  Infinitesimal  Calcu- 
lus. From  the  Baylor  University  he  received  the  honorary  de- 
gree of  LL.  D.  in  1880.  He  is  a  man  of  sterling  character,  a 
Baptist,  and  a  deacon  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church  at  Liberty. 

STEPHENS'  FEMALE  COLLEGE. 

"On  the  15th  of  March,  1856,  several  earnest-hearted  brethren 
met  in  Columbia,  Missouri,  and  laid  the  plans  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  Baptist  female  school  which  should  be  located  in  that 
city. 

"■  On  the  same  day  twenty-eight  brethren  subscribed  thirty- 
eight  shares  of  $100  each,  and  created  the  amount  so  pledged,  a 
fund  for  the  basis  of  future  operations.  They  organized  the  col- 
lege as  a  stock  enterprise,  but  soon  placed  it  under  the  patronage 
of  the  Little  Bonne  Femme  Baptist  Association. 

"In  1857  the  General  Assembly  of  Missouri  passed  an  act  in- 
corporating the  college,  and  empowering  it  to  confer  all  degrees 
and  titles  usually  conferred  by  such  institutions.  It  was  incor- 
porated under  the  name  of  "Baptist  Female  College,  of  Colum- 
bia, Missouri." 

"  In  these  times  of  beginning  the  brethren  seemed  to  know  how 
to  achieve  success.  Frequent  entries  like  the  following  are  found 
upon  the  minutes  :  '  On  examining  the  subscription  list  it  was 

found  that  $ would  be  required  ;  &c.,  &c.   Hence  it  was  unan- 

imousl}'  agreed  to  apportion  said  amount  among  the  curators  pres- 
ent.' As  is  always  the  case  in  the  history  of  such  institutions, 
there  was  ample  opportunity  for  noble  effort,  and  noble  effort 
was  made. 

"  The  college  was  conducted  with  varying  success  under  the 
efficientadministrations  of  Brethren  W.  Ji.  Eothwell,  J).  H.  Hick- 
man, X.  X.  Buckner,  J.  A.  Hollis,  Jno.  T.  Williams  and  E.  S. 
Dulin,  until  1876,  during  which  year  an  interim  occurred  on  ac- 
count of  the  failure  of  the  curators  to  secure  a  suitable  man  to 
take  the  place  of  Eev.  E.  S.  Dulin,  the  resigning  president." 
(Prof.  E.  P.  Eider's  MS.) 

In  1870  this  college  was  selected  by  the  General  Association 
of  the  Baptists  of  Missouri  for  their  state  female  school.  "  The 
history  of  the  adoption  of  this  school  by  the  denomination  is  as 
follows:  At  a  meeting  of  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Mis- 
souri, in  1869,  the  necessity  of  establishing  a  denominational 
school  for  the  higher  education  of  our  daughters  was  made  the 
subject  of  earnest  consideration.  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
report  upon  this  subject  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  General  As- 


864  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

sociation.  In  1870  this  committee  reported  in  favor  of  estab- 
lishing such  a  college,  and  it  was  decided  by  the  delegates  then 
in  session  to  take  immediate  steps  towards  accomplishing  this 
end.  At  this  juncture  the  curators  of  Baptist  Female  College,  Co- 
lumbia, Mo.,  offered  their  buildings  and  grounds,  valued  at$35,- 
000,  to  the  association  for  this  purpose.  In  addition  to  this  offer, 
and  with  the  provision  that  it  was  acceiDted  as  the  state  school, 
Bro.  James  L.  Stephens,  of  Columbia,  munifieentl}^  offered  to  start 
an  endowment  fund  by  giving  S20,000  to  the  college.  These  of- 
fers were  accepted,  and  Baptist  Female  College  became  the  pro- 
tege of  the  General  Association.  Tlie  name  has  since  been  chan- 
ged by  an  act  of  the  Greneral  Assembly  of  the  state  of  Missouri 
to  Stephens'  Female  College,  in  honor  of  the  donor  of  the  above 
named  fund."    (From  a  circular  issued  by  order  of  the  curators.) 

Bro.  James  L.  Stephens  gave  his  note  for  §20,000,  payable  in 
five  years,  to  draw  six  per  cent,  from  maturity  till  paid.  This 
sum  was  given  as  a  nucleus  for  an  endowment  fund. 

It  was  the  desire  of  the  association  in  adopting  this  school  to 
create  an  institution  which  should  in  a  short  time  become  so  well 
endowed  as  to  be  able  to  furnish  substantial  aid  to  the  daughters 
of  Baptist  ministers  of  Missouri  in  acquiring  a  liberal  education. 
This  end  has  not  been  accomplished  as  yet,  but  all  efforts  look 
in  that  direction,  and  the  hopeful  friends  of  the  college  and  of 
our  ministry  feel  that  success  is  only  postponed. 

In  1877,  the  college,  having  been  reorganized  by  the  election 
of  Prof  E.  P.  Eider  as  president,  was  again  opened,  and  has 
since  gained  the  hold  upon  the  confidence  and  affections  of  the 
denomination  which  it  lost  during  the  suspension  above  named, 
and  is  now  recognized,  as  its  age  and  the  efficiency  of  its  man- 
agement demand,  as  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the  West. 

The  endowment  fund,  donated  by  Brother  Stephens,  is  inves- 
ted in  well  paying  real  estate  in  the  city  of  Columbia,  and  the 
hearty  co-operation  of  the  denomination  will  secure  the  most 
encouraging  success  in  the  near  future.  From  this  institution 
have  gone  forth  one  hundred  graduates,  most  of  whom  are  still 
living  and  assist  in  making  up  the  number  of  noble  Christian 
women  in  Missouri. 

Stephens'  College  is  located  in  the  beautiful  inland  city  of  Co- 
lumbia, which  is  also  the  seat  of  the  Uuiversity  of  Missouri.  The 
surroundings  are  quiet,  pleasant  and  remarkably  healthy,  and  es- 
pecially so  is  the  location  of  the  college  edifice.  It  is  on  an  ele- 
vated point  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  overlooking  a  de- 


mi 


65 


866  EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

lightful  country,  the  grounds  containing  a  goodly  number  of 
mammoth  forest  trees,  among  which  are  interspersed  evergreens 
and  flowers.  The  buildings,  which  were  erected,  or  enlarged, 
in  1870  and  '71,  are  one  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  front,  and  one 
hundred  feet  deep.  The  first  floor  consists  of  the  president's  of- 
fice and  recitation  rooms.  The  second  and  third  floors  are  used 
as  dormitories.  The  heating  and  ventilation  are  admirable.  The 
plan  of  them  was  conceived  and  matured  by  the  architect,  Mr. 
C.  B.  Clarke,  of  St.  Louis.  The  heat  used  in  warming  the  rooms 
is  also  utilized  in  ventilating  each  department. 

This  worthy  and    noble  institution  has  a  glorious  future  be- 
fore it. 

James  L.  Stephens,  —  the  benefactor  of  Stephens'  College, 
was  born  in  G-arrard  County,  Ky.,  November  17,  1815,  and  with 
his  father  removed  to  Boone  County,  Mo.,  in  the  fall  of  1819.  He 
grew  to  earlj^  manhood  on  the  farm  with  his  father,  receiving 
such  an  education  as  the  schools  of  the  country  at  that  day  af- 
forded, and  in  the  spring  of  1836  entered  the  dry  goods'  store 
of  Parker  &  Barr,  of  Columbia,  as  clerk,  and  has  continuously 
resided  in  Columbia  ever  since,  excepting  one  year  in  New  York 
City,  two  years  in  Greensburg,  Indiana,  and  one  year  each  in 
Mexico  and  Fulton,  Mo.  In  1843  he  was  engaged  in  a  large  bu- 
siness on  his  own  account,  conducting  three  dry  goods'  stores, 
in  three  county  seats — one  in  Mexico,  one  in  Fulton,  and  one  in 
Columbia.  He  inaugurated  the  first  thoroughly  successful  cash 
system  in  business  in  Central  Missouri,  and  whilst  largely  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  he  also  conducted  a  model  farm,  and 
for  more  than  twenty  years  bought  and  sold  annually  from  300 
to  500  head  of  mules.  He  has  been  one  of  the  most  successful 
business  men  in  his  section  of  the  state,  and  no  one  has  more 
generously  contributed  in  means  and  labor  to  build  up  and  es- 
tablish public  improvements,  having  contributed  at  least  one- 
half  of  all  he  has  earned  through  an  extended  business  career  to 
aid  in  building  roads,  churches,  schools,  &c.  In  addition  to  his 
donation  of  820,000  to  the  endowment  of  the  college,  he  advan- 
ced $6,000  besides  to  relieve  the  institution  of  a  mortgage  that 
had  been  placed  upon  it  under  its  former  organization,  and  to 
aid  in  erecting  its  buildings;  and  he  at  one  time  undertook  the 
work  of  raising  a  $50,000  endowment  for  it,  and  succeeded  in  se- 
curing pledges  for  half  that  sum,  which  failed  in  consequence 
of  the  entire  sum  not  being  subscribed  at  the  time  the  school  was 
changed  from  a  local  to  a  state  institution.    At  another  time  he 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


867 


raised  cm  a  general  subscription  from  the  citizens  of  Boone 
County,  some  ^8,000  toward  enlarging  the  college  property. 
This,  with  other  kind  oflSces  in  the  interest  of  the  institution, 
caused  the  General  Association  at  its  session  in  1870  to  confer 
his  name  upon  it. 

In  1860  he  was  the  regular  nominee  of  the  democratic  party 
for  state  senator,  and  made  the  race  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
party  against  Ex-Grovernor  Hardin,  receiving  the  full  strength 


HON.  JAS.  L.  STEPIIEXS. 

of  the  party,  which  was  at  the  time  in  a  decided  minority,  caus- 
ing his  defeat  by  some  500  votes.  In  1880  he  was  again  nomin- 
ated by  the  ninth  senatorial  district,  composed  of  the  counties 
of  Audrain,  Boone  and.  Callaway,  and  elected  by  an  overwhelm- 
ing majority  against  the  combined  ticket,  composed  of  green- 
backers  and  republicans. 

Mr.  Stephens  was  for  several  years  president  of  the  executive 
board  of  the  General  Association. 


868  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

MT.  PLEASANT  COLLEGE,  HUNTSVILLE,  MO  *  . 
'In  1853  the  citizens  of  Randolph  County,  impressed  with  the 
need  of  an  institution  of  learning,  and  wishing  to  secure  to  them- 
selves its  benefits,  determined  to  erect  suitable  buildings  at  a 
cost  of  not  less  than  $10,000.  Acting  on  the  advice  of  Hon.Wm. 
A.  Hall,  to  put  the  institution  under  the  care  and  patronage  of 
Mt.  Pleasant  Baptist  Association,  a  letter  stating  the  above  pro- 
posal signed  by  Wm.  A.  Hall,  H.  Austin  and  P.  P.  Euby,  in  be- 
half of  the  citizens  of  ^Randolph  County,  was  addressed  to  and 
accepted  by  the  association,  and  the  institution  took  the  name 
of  the  association.  Under  this  arrangement  the  money  was  se- 
cured and  the  building  erected. 

February  28,  1855,  the  charter  was  obtained.  In  1857  the  build- 
ing having  been  completed  at  a  cost  of  $12,500,  and  a  school  of 
170  pupils  under  Eev.  Wm.  Thompson,  LL.  D.,  president,  Eev. 
J.  H.  Carter,  A.  B.,  professor  of  mathematics,  and  Miss  Bettie 
Ragland,  principal  of  the  female  department,  having  been  taught 
with  gratifying  results  one  year,  the  institution  was  formally 
tendered  by  the  board  of  trustees  to  the  association  and  accep- 
ted ;  the  association  at  the  same  time  promising  to  endow  the 
college  remotely  with  $25,000,  and  within  two  years  with  $10,- 
000,  appointed  Eev.  Noah  Flood  to  proceed  at  once  to  secure 
the  last  named  amount,  and  pledged  herself  to  maintain  sufficient 
and  efficient  teachers  until  the  $10,000  endowment  was  secured. 
Eev.  W.  E.  Eothwell  succeeded  Dr.  Thompson  in  the  presidency 
and  the  college  ran  till  1861,  filling  the  most  sanguine  expecta- 
tions of  its  friends.  President  Eothwell  gathered  a  quite  exten- 
sive library,  provided  apparatus  for  chemical,  philosophical  and 
astronomical  purposes,  secured  a  considerable  cabinet  of  miner- 
als and  fossils,  and  established  the  reputation  of  the  college. 

The  war  in  1861  crippled  the  resources  of  the  school  by  cut- 
ting oif  students,  and  a  deficit  of  $580  in  teachers'  salaries  was 
imposed,  which  failing  to  be  met  by  the  association,  the  trustees 
of  the  college  let  it  to  President  Eothwell,  who  at  his  own  risk, 
and  mainly  on  his  own  eftort,  carried  the  college  through  the 
clouds  of  war  into  the  sunshine  of  1866. 

The  school,  which  had  hitherto  been  self-sustaining  or  carried 
by  the  magnanimity  of  President  Eothwell  to  1866,  now  being 
cut  down  by  the  impoverished  and  unsettled  state  of  the  coun- 
try, made  a  move  for  endowment  a  necessity,  and  the  call  be- 
came imperative.     The  board  of  trustees  at  Mt.  Gilead  Churel) 

*  By  Eld.  S.  y.  Pitts,  in  Central  Baptist,  June,  1879^  "^ 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


869 


in  1866,  with  emphasis  called  upon  the  association  to  redeem  her 
past  pledges  for  endowment. 

Y,  E.  Pitts  and  Wade  M.  Jackson  were  appointed  solicitors  to 
raise  $10,000  in  twelve  months.  The  next  year  (1868)  at  the  as- 
sociation at  Keytesville,  Y.  E.  Pitts  reported  as  endowment : 

In  notes,     ........$  5,640.00 

In  cash,            ........  200.00 

Jerry  Kingsbury  be(|uost,              .....  2,500.00 

Balance  unprovided  for,           ......  1,6G0.00 


.'SIO.OOO.OO 
The  balance,  $1,660  was  raised  by  subscription  at  that  sitting 

of  the  association. 

In   1870,  Mt.  Pleasant  Association   wishing  further  to  endow 


MT.    PLKASAXT    COLLEGE. 

the  college,  and  learning  that  Macon  Association  were  contem- 
plating building  a  similar  institution  of  learning  at  Macon  City 
in  the  adjoining  county,  and  within  thirty  miles  of  Huntsville, 
proposed  to  Macon  Association  to  consolidate  upon  Mt.  Pleasant 
College,  offering  them,  1st,  one-half  of  the  board  of  trustees;  and 
2d,  requiring  them  to  raise  $5,000  to  be  blended  with  the  endow- 
ment fund.  W.  E.  Eothwell,  Benj.  Terrill,  Joshua  W.  Terrill,W. 
E.  Samuel  and  W.  T.  Beckelheimer  were  appointed  a  committee 
with  discretionary  power,  to  confer  with  Macon  Association.  In 
1872  Macon  Association  having  canvassed  her  ability  to  build 
and  the  proposal  of  Mt.  Pleasant  Association,  agreed  by  resolu- 
tion to  co-operate  with  Mt.  Pleasant  Association  in  building  up 
Mt.  Pleasant  College;  when  the  committee  from  Mt.  Pleasant 
Association  guaranteed  their  one-half  of  the  board  of  trustees 
except  one,  leaving  this  majority  of  the  board  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
Association. 


870  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

In  the  meantime  (1869)  Eev.  J.  W.  Terrill  succeeded  President 
Eothwell.  The  war  being  over,  confidence  restored,  and  the 
times  being  prosperous  and  inviting,  the  college,  with  other  en- 
terprises, took  a  new  life.  Added  to  this.  President  Terrill 
brought  to  the  institution  a  combination  of  merit,  enterprise  and 
energy  rarely  found  in  one  man,  and  introducing  a  new,  popular 
and  successful  method  of  teaching,  carried  the  college  to  its  high- 
est point  of  success.  The  question  of  repairs,  additions  and  bet- 
terments (for  the  building  had  been  used  as  military  quarters  in 
the  war)  now  arose,  and  the  terms,  patronage  and  success  of  the 
school,  and  the  earnest  protestations  of  both  Mt.  Pleasant  and 
Macon  Associations,  seemed  to  demand  and  encourage  immedi- 
ate action  in  this  direction.  The  trustees  concluded  to  make  am- 
ple improvement  and  additions,  and  to  the  main  building  added 
two  wings  running  out  and  back  of  the  main  building,  giving  in 
rooms,  halls,  stairways  and  closets  a  building  whose  size,  ar- 
rangement, decoration  and  stability,  will  rank  with  any  in  the 
state. 

Added  to  this  patronage  and  liberality  of  the  citizens  of  Ran- 
dolph County,  and  especially  the  citizens  of  Huntsville,  to  the 
institution,  which  had  ever  been  marked,  the  board  of  trustees 
were  induced  to  build  a  commodious  and  tasteful  boarding-house, 
three  stories,  besides  a  basement. 

The  citizens  of  Huntsville  for  this  purpose  furnished  $3,000 
cash,  which,  with  a  loan  on  first  mortgage,  assisted  by  a  loan  of 
$3,500  endowment  fund,  secured  by  second  mortgage  on  the 
building,  it  was  completed. 

These  buildings  and  additions  were  begun  and  completed  in 
1871,  and  a  considerable  debt  incurred.  In  1873  the  financial 
trouble  which  had  been  threatening  overwhelmed  the  country, 
and  a  wave  more  damaging  and  blighting  than  war  passed  over 
the  college.  For  two  years  longer  under  President  Terrill  it 
stood  bravely  on  its  feet  carrying  the  heavy  pressure. 

But  the  boarding-house  was  sold  under  first  mortgage,  and 
failing  to  bring  the  debt,  the  second  mortgage,  $3,500  endow- 
ment fund,  was  lost;  and  the  Jerry  Kingsbury  bequest,  $2,500, 
being  swept  aAvay  when  the  bank  failed,  and  the  parties  failing 
to  come  to  time  on  their  notes  from  financial  embarrassments, 
the  $10,000  endowment  was  never  realized. 

In  1876  Rev.  M.  J.  Breaker  came  to  the  head  of  the  institution, 
and  like  his  worthy  predecessor,  Rothwell,  stood  by  it  in  a  dark 
hour  of  peril,  and  by  eifort  and  sacrifice  bore  her  on  in  her  noble 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  871 

mission  for  tliree  years  longer,  till  when  on  March  21,  1879,  a 
judgment  having  been  obtained  against  the  college  for  debt,  and 
looking  for  the  execution  to  fall  in  June  following,  President 
Breaker  resigned  and  the  school  closed,  the  second  time  in  its 
existence  of  twenty-three  years — once  before  after  the  close  of 
the  war  in  1869  under  President  Eothwell;  both  times  at  the 
spring  term.  Mt.  Pleasant  College,  during  her  twentj^-three 
years  of  existence,  has  been  presided  over  by  Rev.  Wm.  Thomp- 
son, LL.D.,  one  year;  Rev.  W.  R.  Rothwell,  D.D.,  twelve  years; 
Rev.  J.  W.  Terrill,  seven  years;  and  Rev.  M.  J.  Breaker,  three 
years ;  has  instructed  hosts  of  youths^  turned  out  109  graduates, 
blessed  the  cause  of  education,  elevated  her  community,  and  de- 
monstrated that  the  co-education  of  the  sexes  is  the  fittest  and 
best. 

Shall  Mt.  Pleasant  College  live  or  diel  has  been  the  anxious 
question  that  has  been  thrilling  the  desponding  hearts  of  her 
friends  all  the  year.  Her  past  history,  her  now  vacant  walls, 
her  future  hopes  all  pleaded  no! 

Rev.  A.  S.  Worrell,  D.D.,  late  of  California,  who  was  elected 
president  in  1878,  was  written  to.  He  answered  :  "  I  will  be  there 
in  ten  days."  He  came.  The  matter  was  canvassed,  a  public 
meeting  of  the  citizens  was  held  in  the  college  chapel,  May  27, 
when  it  was  announced  that  th©  college  was  in  debt  $10,600, 
which  must  be  immediately  provided  for.  The  announcement 
was  stirring,  and  the  case  seemed  hopeless.  There  was  a  rally, 
and  friends  said  tremulously  but  trustfully,  "The  college  must 
not  die!" 

Through  the  concessions  of  creditors,  and  by  subscriptions, 
the  debt  was  reduced  to  $4,540,  and  another  meeting  was  ap- 
pointed for  the  following  Thursday  night,  when  it  was  announced 
that  the  debt  had  been  reduced  to  |2,415;  at  this  meeting  $415 
was  subscribed,  and  Thursday  evening,  June  5,  appointed  for 
another  meeting,  when  it  was  stated  that  $1,130  was  still  to  be 
raised.  The  meeting  was  to  be  decisive.  The  fact  was  received 
in  silence,  men  and  women  looked  at  each  other's  earnest  faces, 
and  talked  in  little  groups  in  an  undertone.  An  adjournment 
was  proposed — no  one  wanted  to  go — the  interest  deepened — 'the 
knots  of  consultation  gathered — it  came  to  the  decision  of  one 
man.  You  could  feel  the  grating  of  the  keel  as  she  moved  over 
the  bar;  the  brother  said:  "Yes,  let  it  go,"  and  the  college 
passed  into  the  agitated  sea  of  hope. 

As  a  matter  of  historic  interest,  information  and  memory  of 


872  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

the  worthy  dead,  a  fact  in  this  cotiTiection  should  be  stated. 
Some  twenty  years  ago  Wiley  Ferguson,  a  citizen  of  Randolph 
County,  dying,  left  a  bequest  known  as  the  Ferguson  bequest, 
to  be  under  the  control  of  the  county  court,  the  interest  of  which 
was  to  be  expended  in  the  education  of  poor  and  orphan  chil- 
dren. This  bequest,  amounting  to  $3,000,  was  loaned  to.Mt. 
Pleasant  College  on  secured  mortgage,  with  these  conditions: 
The  college  is  to  furnish  instruction  to  orphan  children  to  the 
amount  of  six  per  cent,  interest  of  the  fund,  and  the  county 
court  stipulates  to  designate  the  children  who  shall  receive  the 
benefit  annually.  It  is  the  policy  of  the  college  to  carry  this 
debt  as  custodian  of  the  Ferguson  bequest.  All  other  debts  hav- 
ing been  anticipated  by  subscription  as  stated,  a  grand  reunion 
of  graduates,  students  and  friends  of  the  college  was  announced 
for  June  27,  1878,  on  the  college  grounds. 

In  June,  1881,  Prof.  J.  B.Weber,  a  graduate  of  La  Grange  Col- 
lege, Mo.,  was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  college. 

On  the  morning  of  July  15, 1882,  the  college  edifice  was  burned 
to  the  ground ;  the  walls  only  being  left  intact.  The  cause  of  the 
fire,  which  originated  in  the  laboratory,  was  wholly  unknown. 
The  apparatus,  college  library  and  many  of  the  president's  val- 
uable books,  together  with  a  fine  collection  of  minerals,  were 
all  consumed.  The  piano,  organ,  pulpit,  Bible  and  hymn  book 
were  saved.  There  was  no  insurance  on  the  building  or  furni- 
ture. The  trustees  design  to  rebuild  the  original  edifice,  71x43, 
with  six  rooms,  and  reopen  the  institution  at  an  early  day. 
LA  GRANGE  COLLEGE. 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  Baptist  church  at  La  Grange,  Lewis 
County,  the  Wyaconda  Association,  at  its  session  in  1856,  after 
mature  deliberation,  voted  "  to  establish  a  male  and  female  sem- 
inary of  the  highest  order  in  her  bounds."  To  this  end  trustees 
were  appointed,  viz.:  Ealph  Smith,  Geo.  K.  Biggs,  J.  A.  Hay, 
Thos.  R.  Richardson  and  Ezra  Kerfoot.  Also  Rev.  James  M. 
Lillard  was  appointed  traveling  agent  to  raise  $5,000  to  com- 
mence operations  with.  At  the  same  meeting  it  was  decided  that 
the  seminary  should  be  located  at  that  point  in  the  bounds  of 
the  association  which  would  raise  the  largest  amount  of  money 
for  building  up  and  sustaining  said  institution. 

Two  points  onlj" — Memphis,  Scotland  County,  and  La  Grange, 
Lewis  County — competed  for  the  location.  The  former  subscrib- 
ed $7,512,  and  the  latter  $9,671 ;  La  Grange  was  hence  made  the 
seat  of  the  seminary. 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  873 

In  April,  1857,  the  trustees  appointed  Thomas  Eichardson  and 
J.  A.  Hay  to  contract  for  and  superintend  the  erection  of  suit- 
able buildings.  The  house,  a  brick,  90x70  feet,  was  sufficiently 
completed  by  September,  1858,  to  be  occupied  in  the  lower  part 
of  it  for  school  purposes,  and  on  the  15th  of  that  month  the  sem- 
inary was  opened  with  the  following  faculty:  Mr.  "W.  M.  Ellis, 
principal ;  Mr.  T.  F.  Peck,  Miss  Clara  Kyle  and  Miss  Angle  Pren- 
tiss, assistant  teachers. 

March  12,  1859,  a  charter  was  procured,  and  the  institution  was 
called  *' La  Grange  Male  and  Female  College."  The  commod- 
ious brick  edifice,  commenced  in  1857,  was  not  completed  until 
1866,  when  J.  F.  Cook,  LL.  D.,  became  president  of  the  institu- 
tion. 

President  Cook  inspired  the  friends  of  the  college  with  new 
hopes.  He  had  been  for  several  years  connected  with  the  edu- 
cational interests  of  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Missouri  with  the 
highest  recommendations  from  that  state,  as  a  Christian  gentle- 
man and  scholar,  and  thoroughly  competent  to  fill  the  position 
to  which  he  had  been  newly  elected. 

The  following  is  condensed  from  a  "Historic  Sketch"  of  the 
college,  published  in  the  Catalogue  of  1880,  p.  21 : 

"During  the  fourteen  years  of  Dr.  Cook's  presidency  there 
have  been  more  than  2,000  matriculations;  among  whom  about 
50  students  for  the  gospel  ministry,  150  children  of  our  ministers 
and  many  indigent  students  have  received  free  tuition.  During 
this  time  nearly  $15,000  have  been  expended  in  improvements 
and  the  payment  of  debts  contracted  in  building.  No  financial 
agent  except  the  president  has  been  in  the  field,  and  the  institu- 
tion has  sufficient  assets  to  free  it  from  all  indebtedness. 

"An  average  of  not  more  than  three  hundred  dollars  has  been 
annually  received  for  the  benevolent  department;  the  residue 
having  been  furnished  by  Dr.  Cook. 

"  The  board  of  trustees,  in  its  report,  says  : 

"  'Another  year  of  good  work  has  been  accomplished  by  this 
institution,  and  she  sent  forth  at  the  close  of  last  session  eight 
graduates  to  be  numbered  among  her  honored  alumni,  who  are 
filling  important  positions  in  the  states  around  us  as  well  as  in 
our  own  state.  We  have  been  blessed  in  the  men  that  have  been 
furnished  us  by  the  churches  to  educate  for  the  ministry,  and  in 
every  position  in  which  they  have  been  placed,  whether  in  the- 
ological seminaries,  in  the  pastorate  or  in  missionary  labor,  they 
have  stood  among  the  best.    We  have  them,  now,  pursuing  their 


874  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

studies  in  seminaries  in  America  and  in  Europe,  and  in  active 
labor  in  several  states,  extending  to  the  Pacific  Coast.  It  was 
known  that  we  had  no  money  to  provide  board  and  clothing  for 
our  ministerial  students,  and  we  not  often  had  the  indigent  ap- 
ply to  us.  It  is  known  that  we  have  no  money  to  pay  their  tui- 
tion, and  though  we  have  had  about  fifty  students  in  the  min- 
istry who  have  been  educated  in  this  institution  partially  or 
through  the  whole  course,  yet  free  tuition  has  been  furnished  to 
all  of  them,  with,  perhaps,  two  exceptions;  and  over  150  stu- 
dents, children  of  pastors  and  orphans  of  our  denomination,  have 
received  free  tuition  in  this  institution.  More  than  ten  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  this  work  has  been  done  without  any  available 
aid  from  endowment,  and  has,  in  a  large  measure,  been  the  gift 
of  President  Cook  to  the  denomination.  Through  the  past  years 
of  financial  troubles  and  failures,  he  has  stood  by  the  work  un- 
flinchingly, and  though  involving  himself  in  debt,  has  never 
failed  to  furnish  free  tuition  to  the  classes  mentioned.  During 
the  past  summer  he  was  brought  near  the  grave  by  serious  ill- 
ness, caused,  perhaps,  by  excessive  labor. 

"  'Many  of  the  best  public  and  graded  schools  are  taught  by 
pupils  from  La  Grange  College,  and  five  of  the  number  are  col- 
lege presidents.'  " 

Joshua  Flood  Cook,* — president  of  La  Grange  College,  was 
born  in  Shelby  County,  Kentuck}-,  January  14,  1834.  He  pro- 
fessed religion  and  united  with  the  Baptists  in  1846.  In  1850  he 
came  to  Missouri  and  lived  with  his  uncle,  the  lamented  Noah 
Flood.  He  spent  the  next  five  years  teaching  and  attending  the 
Howard  High  School;  then  entered  Georgetown  College  Ky., 
where  he  graduated  in  1858,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Sue  G.  Far- 
mer the  same  year.  In  1859  he  became  president  of  the  New 
Liberty  Female  College,  which  position  he  held  until  he  went 
south  in  September,  1861,  where  he  remained  during  the  war. 
He  filled  the  office  of  pastor  at  Eminence,  ^y.,  in  1865-'6. 

At  the  age  of  thirty-two  he  was  elected  president  of  La  Grange 
College,  Missouri,  for  the  term  of  twenty  j'ears,  sixteen  of  which 
have  now  passed.  For  him  these  years  have  been  years  of  ex- 
cessive toil  and  great  anxiety.  No  more  unfavorable  time  could 
have  been  found  for  establishing  a  college  than  in  the  fall  of  1866. 
The  deplorable  condition  of  aftairs  in  this  state  is  too  well  known 
to  need  relating.  The  difficulty  of  founding  a  college  under  such 
circumstances  would  have  discouraged  one  of  less  energy  and 

*  By  Prof.  J.  G.  Farmed 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


875 


peculiar  fitness  for  the  work  than  Dr,  Cook.  When  he  took 
charge  of  the  college  it  was  encumbered  with  a  debt  of  $10,000. 
The  building  was  in  the  worst  repair  and  without  one  dollar  in 
the  treasury.  He  has  expended  over  $15,000  in  paying  debts, 
for  building  and  improvements,  and  the  college  now  has  assets 
sufficient  to  free  it  from  all  indebtedness.  As  an  educator  Dr. 
Cook  has  no  superior  in  the  state,  as  is  fully  attested  by  the  many 
prominent  men  in  the  various  professions  whom  he  has  educa- 
ted. In  addition  to  his  college  work  he  has  preached  almost  ev- 
ery Sabbath  and  often  weeks  at  a  time.  His  preaching  is  char- 
acterized by  simplicity,  boldness  and  "the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  sai  n  ts." 
He  stays  in  the 
old  ruts  of  theol- 
ogy, and  cares 
little  for  modern 
progressive  ide- 
as. He  is  a  "self- 
made  man."  In- 
tellectually and 
morally,  his  in- 
dividuality is 
strongly  marked. 
He  has  a  general 
air  of  frankness, 
straightforward- 
ness and  honesty. 
May  he  be  long 
spared  to  carry 
on  his  good 
work. 

Since  1866    he  rev.  j.  f.  cook,  ll. d. 

has  been  actively  identified  with  Baptist  interests  in  the  bounds 
of  the  Wyaconda  Association,  as  well  as  in  other  sections  of 
the  state.  He  wears  very  gracefully  and  modestly  the  merited 
title  of  Doctor  of  Laws. 

LEXINGTON  BAPTIST  FEMALE  COLLEGE.* 
This  institution  was  founded  A.  D.  1855.     As  soon  as  the  char- 
ter was  secured,  the  trustees  purchased  a  building  costing  $24,- 
000,  located  in  that  part  of  Lexington  known  as  "Old  Town." 
Some  six  or  eight  thousand  dollars  were  expended  in  altering  and 

*  By  Kev.  H.  Talbird,  D.D.,  pastor  of  First  Baptist  Church,  Lexington,  Mo. 


876  EDUCATIONAL    INSTITITTIONS. 

arranging  the  building  and  in  beautifying  the  grounds,  so  as  to 
render  it  a  suitable  place  for  the  education  of  young  ladies. 

Rev.  E.  S.  Dulin  was  elected  president,  and  as  the  result  of  his 
indomitable  energy  and  judicious  management  the  school  be- 
came from  its  very  beginning,  if  not  the  best,  at  least  one  of  the 
best  female  colleges  in  the  state.  Dr.  Dulin  is  a  gentleman  of 
extensive  learning,  a  thorough  educator,  a  most  excellent  disci- 
plinarian, and  in  short  just  the  person  suited  to  the  presidency 
of  a  female  college.  He  retained  his  position  from  1855  to  1858, 
when  he  resigned,  and  Prof.  J.  B.  Budwell  was  requested  to  oc- 
cupy his  place  until  a  suitable  successor  could  be  found. 

In  1859  Rev.  J.  A.  Hollis  was  elected  president.  He  was  fully 
qualified  for  the  position,  being  an  amiable  Christian  gentleman, 
a  good  scholar  and  a  judicious  disciplinarian.  While  under  his 
control  the  college  continued  to  increase  in  prosperity.  He  held 
the  position  from  1859  to  1861. 

At  the  opening  of  the  war  his  school  was  large  and  prosper- 
ous, especially  so  for  the  times.  When  the  Federal  Army  came 
to  occupy  Lexington,  it  was  at  once  seen  that  the  edifice  of  the 
Baptist  Female  College,  and  that  of  the  Masonic  College  for 
young  men,  were  most  suitably  located  for  garrison  and  hospital 
purposes,  and  the  officers  of  the  army  required  that  these  build- 
ings should  be  at  once  vacated.  Thus  two  of  the  best  educational 
institutions  in  the  state  were  forced  to  suspend. 

Except  for  the  short  time  during  which  Gen.  Price  held  Lex- 
ington, the  Federal  authorities  held  undisputed  possession  of  the 
college  building,  using  it  as  a  hospital.  But  even  for  that  short 
period  this  arrangement  was  not  interfered  with.  On  the  de- 
parture of  Gen.  Price,  those  of  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the  Fed- 
eral Arm}-  who  could  not  endure  transportation  were  left  in  quiet 
possession,  and  were  so  found  by  the  Federal  authorities  on  their 
re-occupancy  of  the  city.  Shortly  after  this  they  converted  the 
buildings  into  a  pest-house,  and  the  small-pox  patients  of  their 
army  were  sent  to  it.  During  the  mutations  of  the  war,  these 
poor  follows  were  sometimes  neglected,  and  the  citizens  of  Lex- 
ington kept  them  from  starving.  But  the  country  had  been 
stripped  of  mules  and  horses,  and  for  the  want  of  the  means  of 
transportation  the  citizens  could  not  supply  them  with  all  the 
fuel  thc}^  needed.  The  severity  of  the  weather  forced  them  to 
cut  up  for  firewood  the  doors  of  unoccupied  rooms,  and  ulti- 
mately the  window  and  door-frames  of  the  building.  It  was, 
perhaps,  their  only  protection  from  freezing.     Hence,  when,  af- 


878  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

ter  the  war,  the  building  came  again  into  the  possession  of  the 
trustees,  it  was  found  to  be  in  a  state  of  complete  dilapidation. 
This,  together  with  the  fact  that  it  had  been  used  as  a  pest-house, 
made  the  board  unwilling  to  re-occupy  it  as  a  female  college, 
and  the  building  with  the  grounds  was  sold  for  the  pitiable  sum 
of  $4,000.  Thus  a  property  worth  at  least  $35,000,  and  devoted 
to  the  cause  of  education,  was  destroyed  by  the  bad  management 
of  those  in  authority.  The  building  has  since  been  taken  down 
for  the  brick  in  its  walls. 

The  board  of  trustees  have  never  put  in  a  claim  for  this  loss. 
Mr.  Hollis  was  paying  a  rental  for  the  building,  which  virtually 
amounted  to  $1,000  per  annum,  but  the  money  was  expended  in 
furnishing  increased  appliances  for  a  thorough  education  to  the 
daughters  of  Missouri.  The  board  therefore  petitioned  the  gen- 
eral government  to  pay  them  the  rent,  at  the  rate  of  $1,000  per 
annum  for  the  four  years  during  which  their  agents  held  the 
property.  They  have  been  informed  that  the  claim  has  been 
allowed,  but  no  appropriation  has  been  made  for  its  liquidation. 
This  delay  has  wrought  a  great  hardship  to  the  board  and  to  the 
friends  of  the  college.  They  have  contributed  as  much  as  $25,000 
to  replace  the  property  so  thoughtlessly  destroyed.  But  after 
all  the  sacrifices  which  they  have  made  in  voluntary  contributions 
to  the  cause  of  female  education,  they  find  themselves  burdened 
with  a  debt  of  $4,227.  During  the  last  twelve  years  they  have 
paid  the  interest  on  this  amount  at  ten  per  cent. — certainly  a 
great  hardship.  The  prompt  payment  of  this  just  claim  would 
have  released  the  board  from  this  heavy  burden.  Will  it  ever 
be  paid  ? 

During  the  year  1864,  while  the  college  edifice  was  still  occu- 
pied as  a  hospital.  Dr.  E.  S.  Dulin  consented  to  become,  for  the 
second  time,  the  president  of  Lexington  Baptist  Female  College. 
Other  buildings  had  to  be  provided  for  its  accommodation.  Un- 
der his  management  the  prosperity  of  the  school,  so  far  as  the 
number  of  its  pupils  constituted  prosperity,  was  soon  restored. 
It  soon  became  necessary  to  provide  additional  accommodations, 
and  the  present  building  was  purchased  at  the  cost  of  $11,500, 
and  $4,300  expended  in  fitting  it  up  for  the  purposes  of  a  school. 
Dr.  Dulin  retained  his  position  up  to  1870,  when  he  was  induced 
to  resign  to  become  the  president  of  Stephens'  College,  Colum- 
bia, Missouri. 

The  lamented  D.  H.  Selph,  D.D.,  was  elected  to  the  place  thus 
made  vacant.    He  was  as  well  fitted  as  any  man  could  be  for  the 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS.  879 

responsible  position,  but  the  complete  failure  of  his  health,  re- 
sulting in  his  death,  forced  him,  after  what,  under  the  circum- 
stances, must  be  admitted  to  have  been  a  brilliant  success,  to  ten- 
der his  resignation  in  1873. 

Prof.  A.  F.  Fleet,  A.  M.,  was  elected  in  his  place.  With  his 
admirable  scholarship,  untiring  industry  and  fine  administrative 
abilities,  he  could  not  fail.  During  his  entire  administration 
the  college  enjoyed  a  constantly  increasing  prosperity,  so  much 
so  that  frequent  additions  had  to  be  made  to  the  college  edifice, 
at  an  expenditure  of  several  thousand  dollars.  In  1879  Prof. 
Fleet  resigned  to  take  the  professorship  of  Greek  in  the  State 
University,  and  was  succeeded  by  Prof.  J.  F.  Lanneau,  A.  M. 
No  female  school  in  the  state  has  enjoyed  the  uninterrupted 
prosperity  which  has  marked  the  history  of  this  institution. 
This,  under  God,  is  mainly  attributable  to  the  fact  that  it  has 
been  presided  over  by  a  succession  of  able  presidents,  each  of 
whom  was  admirably  fitted  for  the  work  of  female  education.  It 
is  the  honest  conviction  of  the  board  of  trustees  that  Prof.  Lan- 
neau is,  in  no  true  sense  of  the  word,  inferior  to  either  of  his 
predecessors,  and  in  some  important  respects  he  is  the  best 
president  the  college  has  ever  had. 

John  Francis  Lanneau  —  was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  in 
1836.  In  November,  1856,  he  graduated  at  the  South  Carolina 
Military  Academy  with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class.  He  was 
at  once  appointed  tutor  of  mathematics  in  Furman  University, 
Greenville,  S.  C,  and  the  year  after  adjunct  professor  of  natural 
philosophy  and  chemistry.  In  the  spring  of  1861,  resigning  his 
position  in  the  universit}-,  he  entered  the  Confederate  Army  as 
captain  of  cavalry  in  the  Hampton  Legion.  In  1862,  just  after 
the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  Va.,  he  was  transferred  to  the  engi- 
neer corps,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  and  in  1864  was  made 
captain  of  engineers.  He  was  employed  in  constructing  the  de- 
fences of  Eichraond  and  of  Petersburg,  Ya.,  Mobile,  Ala.,  and 
Columbus,  S.  C;  served  in  the  field  on  the  staff  of  Generals  Lee, 
Longstreet  and  others  ;  and  during  the  last  campaign  of  the  war 
was  chief  engineer  of  Hampton's  Cavalry  Corps.  In  the  fall  of 
1863  he  was  called  to  the  faculty  of  his  Alma  Mater  at  Charleston, 
S.C.,but  declined  the  appointmcnt,preferring  active  service  inYir- 
ginia.  In  December,  1864,  he  was  again  called  to  his  Alma  Mater, 
as  assistant  professor  of  mathematics,  and  accepted  the  position, 
but  did  not  enter  upon  its  duties,  the  institution  being  soon 
closed  by  the  results  of  the  war. 


880 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


Furman  University  was  revived  in  1865,  and  Prof.  Lanneau 
was  placed  in  the  chair  of  mathematics  and  astronomy.  In  1868 
lie  accepted  the  professorship  of  mathematics  in  William  Jewell 
College,  Liberty,  Mo.,  and  served  there  for  five  years.  In  1873 
he  was  called  to  the  presidency  of  the  Alabama  Central  Female 
College,  at  Tuscaloosa,  Ala.,  and  conducted  that  institution  suc- 
cessfully for  six  years.  In  1879  Prof.  Lanneau  returned  to  Mis- 
souri, having  been  tendered  the  presidency  of  the  Baptist  Fe- 
male College, 


Lexington,  Mo., 
and  under  his 
efficient  manage- 
ment the  school 
is  enjoying  a 
very  high  de- 
gree of  favor. 

In  1869  he  was 

married  to  Miss 

Louise    S.   Cox, 

o  f     Greenville, 

S.  C,  a  graduate 

of  the     Baptist 

Female  College 

of  that  place,  to 

whom  much   of 

his  success  in  his 

present  work  is 

due.      Of    Mrs. 

Lanneau,    Dr. 

PROF.  J.  F.  LANXKAU.  Johu  A.  Broad- 

us  once  justly  said:  "She  possesses  superior  intelligence  and 

thorough  culture,  with  the  refinement  and  modest  simplicity  of 

a  true  lady,  and  is  warmly  loved  by  all  who  know  her." 

HARDIN  COLLEGE,  MEXICO,  MO.* 
Hardin  College  is  jet  too  young  to  have  a  history.     We  shall 

however  place  upon  record  a  few  facts  that  may  be  of  service  to 

future  historians. 

The  following  are  extracts  from  the  articles  of  association: 
"Art.    1.  The  undersigned,  their  associates   and  successors, 

hereby  agree  to  organize  themselves  into  an  association,  to  be 


*  By  Eev.  J.  C.  Maple. 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  881 

incorporated  under  the  Bame  of  Hardin  College,  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  and  continuing  an  institution  of  learning  for  the 
education  of  females  at  the  city  of  Mexico,  in  the  county  of  Au- 
drain, state  of  Missouri.  This  association  shall,  by  its  corporate 
name,  have  succession  for  one  thousand  years.  A  majority  of 
the  board  of  directors  shall  be  in  full  fellowship  with  some  mis- 
sionary Baptist  church  of  the  state  of  Missouri. 

"Art.  2.  The  affairs  of  said  institution  shall  be  managed  by  a 
board  of  thirteen  directors.  The  board  shall,  without  delay,  fill 
any  vacancy  that  may  occur  in  its  body.  J.  D.  Murphy,  William 
Harper,  S.  H.  Craddock,  E.  J.  Gibbs,  Thomas  Smith,  Joel  Guth- 
rie, Thomas  B.  Hitt,  James  Carroll,  John  M.  Gordon,  William 
H.  Woodward,  Lewis  Hord,  James  Callaway  and  Charles  H. 
Hardin,  shall  compose  for  the  time  being  the  board  of  direc- 
tors." 

"Art.  4.  *  *  *  *  The  first  article  hereof  shall,  so  long  as 
this  corporation  may  exist,  remain  unchanged  and  inviolable," 

In  Art.  5,  the  association  is  permitted  to  acquire  property  to 
the  *'  value  of  one  million  of  dollars." 

THE  HAKDIKT   DONATION. 

The  first  donation  of  Ex.  Gov.  C.  H.  Hardin  to  the  college, 
amounting  to  between  thirty  and  forty  thousand  dollars,  in 
land  and  well-secured  notes,  was  made  upon  the  following  con- 
ditions: 

"  That  the  terms  of  the  first  article  of  the  'Articles  of  Associ- 
ation' of  said  corporation  of  Hardin  College  shalll  never  be 
changed.  That  said  real  estate,  which  embraces  five  acres,  and 
is  known  as  the  seminary  grounds,  may  be  used  as  a  site  for  the 
college  edifices  and  buildings,  but  the  same  may  be  sold  when- 
ever the  board  of  directors  of  said  college  shall  see  proper  to 
sell  the  same  and  purchase  other  grounds  for  the  purpose.  All 
the  other  real  estate  herein  conveyed  shall  be  sold  as  rapidly  as 
prices  satisfactory  to  the  board  may  be  agreed  on  ;  and  the  debts, 
herein  transferred,  collected  as  speedily  as  the  board  may  direct. 
The  amounts  due  on  the  debts  this  day,  and  the  gross  proceeds 
of  the  sales  of  said  real  estate,  shall  be  held  and  maintained  as  a 
permanent  endowment  fund  for  said  college,  which  shall  be  kept 
at  interest  or  invested  in  stocks  as  continuously  as  possible  ;  and 
on  the  third  Tuesday  in  June,  in  every  year,  forty  per  cent,  of 
the  gross  earnings  of  rents  arising  from  any  real  estate  herein 
conveyed,  and  also  of  the  interest,  profits  and  other  proceeds 
^.rising  from  any  part  of  the  endowment  fund  being  at  interest 
56 


882  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

or  invested  in  stocks,  shall  be  added  to  and  become  a  part  and 
parcel  of  the  permanent  endowment  fund  of  said  college  until 
such  endowment  fund  shall  amount  to  one-half  million  dollars, 
when  the  said  forty  per  cent,  shall  be  applied  annually  as  herein 
directed  as  to  the  remaining  sixty  per  cent. — and  the  residue  (to- 
wit,  sixty  per  cent.)  of  the  gross  amount  of  rents,  interest  and 
profits  and  other  proceeds  as  above  described  shall  be  applied 
to  the  payment  of  the  salaries  of  teachers  and  such  other  pur- 
poses as  the  board  may  direct.  No  part  of  said  endowment  fund 
nor  of  the  annual  accruing  forty  per  cent,  as  above  described 
shall  be  used,  directly  or  indirectly,  for  any  other  purposes  what- 
ever than  as  specified,  nor  shall  any  part  or  portion  of  the  same, 
or  either  of  them,  nor  of  the  stocks,  when  any  part  of  such  fund 
shall  be  invested  in  stocks,  nor  of  the  evidences  of  loans,  when 
any  part  of  said  fund  shall  be  at  interest,  be  pledged,  mortgaged 
or  made  liable  in  any  form  or  proceeding  whatever,  for  any  debt, 
interest  or  liability  of  the  college." 


HARDIN  COLLEGE. 

On  the  10th  of  June,  1873,  the  board  of  directors  of  Hardin 
College  met  and  elected  permanent  officers.  This  was  the  first 
meeting  after  the  circuit  court  had  directed  a  "certificate  of  cor- 
poration to  issue."  On  the  23d  day  of  the  same  month  the  board 
again  met  and  adopted  the  following  : 

^^  Whereas,  Charles  H.Hardin  and  Mary  B.  Hardin,  his  wife, 
have  tendered  their  deed  dated  June  10,  1873,  to  this  corporation 
to  certain  lands,  &c.  *  *  upon  certain  conditions  and  trust  men- 
tioned therein,  now  therefore  be  it 

'^Resolved,  That  this  corporation  accept  said  deed,  and  bind  and 
obligate  itself  to  faithfully  fulfill  and  discharge  at  all  times  and 
in  all  particulars  the  several  trusts  and  conditions  and  stipula- 
tions therein  contained." 

Through  the  liberality  of  the  people  of  Mexico  and  vicinity, 
aided  by  further  gifts  from  the  founder  of  the  institution,  Charles 
H.  Hardin,  enough  money  was  soon  raised  to  put  up  the  needed 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  883 

buildings,  and  purchase  additional  grounds  for  buildings  and 
campus. 

The  college  buildings  are  of  brick,  and  were  erected  with 
durability  constantly  in  view.  The  main  edifice  now  has  a  front- 
age of  one  hundred  feet,  and  is  four  stories  in  height.  The  build- 
ings and  grounds  are  worth  over  twenty  thousand  dollars  ;  and 
the  endowment  fund  consists  of  over  twenty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars at  interest,  and  unsold  bonds  estimated  at  a  cash  value  of 
about  ^8,500. 

On  the  29th  of  July,  1873,  Prof.  A.  W.  Terrill,  then  of  Mount 
Pleasant  College,  was  elected  president  of  Hardin  College, 
which  position  he  accepted,  and  filled  the  same  in  a  most  accept- 
able manner  until  the  close  of  the  college  year  1879,  when  fail- 
ing health  compelled  him  to  resign.  The  college  greatly  pros- 
pered under  the  very  efiicient  management  of  Prof.  Terrill  dur- 
ing most  or  all  of  his  term  of  office. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  college  board,  July  2,  1879,  Mrs.  H.  T. 
Baird  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation 
of  Prof.  Terrill.  She  has  succeeded  beyond  the  highest  antici- 
pations of  the  friends  of  the  college.  The  course  of  study  has 
been  extended,  and  a  strict  discipline  continuously  enforced. 
The  three  years  of  Mrs.  Baird's  presidency  have  been  among  the 
most  prosperous  years  of  the  institution. 

In  May,  1882,  Ex-Gov.  Hardin  made  another  gift  to  the  col- 
lege, which  consisted  of  his  check  for  $18,750.  It  was  his  por- 
tion of  the  estate  of  Andrew  Harper,  deceased.  ''  One  condi- 
tion of  the  gift  is  that  a  professorship  of  moral  and  mental  phil- 
osophy, to  be  known  as  the  '  Andrew  Harper  Professorship,' 
shall  be  established  and  maintained  in  Hardin  College." 

Hardin  College  is  located  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  health- 
ful and  fertile  sections  of  Missouri,  surrounded  by  a  community, 
in  enterprise  and  culture,  second  to  none  in  the  state  ;  and,  so 
far  as  can  be  adjudged,  has  the  brightest  future  before  it. 

Charles  Henry  Hardin — is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  was 
born  in  1820.  Many  years  ago,  with  his  father's  family,  he 
moved  to  Boone  County,  Mo.  After  graduating  he  studied  law, 
and  in  1843  entered  upon  practice  at  Fulton.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  laborious,  sound  and  efficient  lawyers  in  the  country.  As 
such  he  was  popular  and  always  had  his  hands  full  of  business. 

He  was  elected  to  the  legislature  in  1852,  and  by  re-election 
served  six  years.  He  was  made  a  member  of  the  committee  to 
revise  and  compile  the  state  statutes.     He  served  also  one  or 


884 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


more  terms  in  the  senate.  In  this  capacity  he  served  as  chair- 
man of  the  judiciary 
committee.  By  a  ma- 
jority of  40,000  he  was 
elected  governor  of 
Missouri  in  1874,  and 
by  judicious  manage- 
ment restored  the 
credit  of  the  state 
bonds.  After  the  close 
of  his  term  of  service 
he  retired  to  his  home 
near  Mexico,  Mo,, 
and  for  his  Chris- 
tian generosity  he  is 
honored  and  beloved 
by  all  who  know  him 
or  have  heard  of  his 
noble  activity  in  the 
great  field  of  female 
education.     H  e  i  s   a 

From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia." 

Hox.  c.  H,  HAKDix,  mcm Der  oi  the  Mexico 

Baptist  Church. 

Mrs.  H.  T.  Baird, — the  eldest  child  of  Samuel  E.  and  Har- 
riet M.  Davis,  was  born  in  Shelby  County,  Kentucky.  She  was 
educated  at  Science  Hill  Academy,  at  Shelbyville,  and  at  about 
the  age  of  14  years  she  was  converted  under  the  ministry  of  Eld. 
George  Waller,  aided  by  her  grandfather  Eld.  Francis  Davis. 
Her  first  husband  was  Jesse  K.  Baird,  to  whom  she  was  married 
when  about  16  years  old,  and  five  years  after  this  event  she  re- 
moved to  Missouri  as  teacher,  under  the  auspices  of  Eld.  W.  E. 
Broadus  and  John  L.  Waller,  locating  at  Shelbyville,  where  she 
taught  a  select  school  for  four  years.  Thence  she  removed  to 
Liberty,  Clay  County,  and  taught  in  Liberty  Female  College  for 
four  years,  as  associate  president  with  her  brother,  John  T. 
Pavis,  Her  next  school  for  three  years  was  at  Lancaster,  Schuy- 
ler County,  Mo,,  after  which  she  was  at  Springfield,  111.,  as 
teacher  in  the  high  school  for  seven  years,  from  which  place  she 
was  called  to  the  presidency  of  old  Bethel  (now  Ingleside)  Male 
and  Female  College,  Palmyra,  in  1873,  where  she  remained  for 
six  years,  when  she  resigned  ;  shortly  after  which  she  was  elect- 
ed president  of  Hardin  College,  and  under  her  adminstr9.tion 


EbtrCATtONAti   INSTITUTIONS. 


886 


the  institution  is  growing  in  excellence  and  repntation.     "While 
at  Palmyra  she  was 


married  to  her  sec- 
ond husband,  Mr. 
H.  T.  Baird,  the 
present  efficient  bu- 
siness manager  of 
the  institution  over 
which  she  presides. 
By  her  first  hus- 
band she  was  the 
mother  of  three 
children,  Dr.  D.  T. 
Baird,  of  Colorado, 
and  Mrs.  Bell  Baird 
True  and  Miss  Iton- 
ia  J.  Baird,  the  two 
latter  of  whom  are 
teachers  in  Hardin 
College.  Mrs.  Baird 
is  eminent!}"  well 
qualified  for  her 
life  work,  that  of 
an  instructor  and 
trainer  of  young  ladies,  and  is  just  now  in  the  midst  of  her  use- 
fulness in  this  profession. 

ST.  JOSEPH  FEMALE  COLLEGE. 

Prom  Dr.  Dulin's  manuscript  and  the  catalogue  of  1877-'8  we 
are  furnished  the  following  succinct  account  of  this  institution: 

"  For  a  number  of  years  the  attention  of  parents  and  educators 
had  been  directed  to  the  fact  that  a  female  college  of  the  highest 
grade  was  needed  somewhere  west  of  the  Mississippi.  The  geo- 
graphical position  of  St.  Joseph,  her  pre-eminently  healthy  loca- 
tion, her  unsurpassed  social,  intellectual  and  religious  advan- 
tages, and  being  a  great  railroad  centre,  rendering  her  access- 
ible from  all  parts  of  Missouri,  Kansas,  Texas,  Arkansas,  Ne- 
braska, Iowa  and  Illinois,  marked  her  out  as  the  place  above  all 
others  for  this  educational  enterprise.  Consequently  in  1876  the 
splendid  Patee  House  property  in  St.  Joseph  was  purchased  for 
this  purpose.  This  magnificent  structure  has  two  hundred  ele- 
gant rooms,  chapel,  dining-hall,  parlors  and  bath-rooms,  and  is 
located  within  a  few  blocks  of  all  the  railroads,  within  walking 


MRS.   U.   T.  BAIRD. 


"886  'EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 

■distance  of  several  churches,  and  a  line  of  street  railway  leading 
from  the  college  to  all  the  more  prominent  churches  and  business 
■portions  of  the  city.  It  is  unsurpassed,  if  equalled,  by  any  col- 
lege building  in  the  great  West. 

"  On  the  first  Monday  in  September,  1876,  Eev.  E.  S.  Dulin, 
LL.D.,  having  been  called  to  the  presidency  of  the  institution, 
opened  the  first  session  of  the  St.  Joseph  Female  College. 

"In  May,  1877,  the  charter  was  granted  by  the  court  under  the 
general  act  to  incorporate." 

The  Faculty  of  Science. — For  the  second  session  the  faculty  of 
science  consisted  of  Eev.  E.  S.  Dulin,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  president'; 
Mrs.  F.  E.  Everett,  Mrs.  E.  Gr.  G-arnett,  Miss  M.  S.  Lemen,  Miss 
C.  M.  Towles,  Miss  M.  E.  Yickars,  Prof.  Geo.  Lyon,  Eev.  S. 
Grertsman,  Mademoiselle  Albertine  Eckel  and  Miss  Sallie 
Thatcher. 

Faculty  of  Arts. — Prof.  William  Seibert,  Mrs.  Mary  W.  James 
Miss  M.  J.  Morrison,  Miss  F.  M.  Marshall  and  Miss  M.  E.  Vick- 
ars. 

The  entire  enrollment  of  pupils  for  this  session  was  one  hun- 
dred and  one;  from  the  states  of  Missouri,  Kansas,  Iowa,  Illi- 
nois, Colorado  and  Texas. 

The  board  of  trustees  consists  of  thirty,  the  time  of  one-third 
of  Avhom  expires  annually.  They  were  appointed  by  the  St.  Jo- 
seph, the  Northwest  Missouri  and  the  Xorth  Liberty  Baptist  As- 
sociations of  Missouri;  and  the  Northeast  Baptist  Association  of 
Kansas;  each  of  which  appoints  its  p'*o  ?'"'^^'f  share.  These  trus- 
tees are  leading  citizens  of  several  different  states,  representing 
the  various  religious  denominations. 

The  entire  original  cost  of  the  building  was  about  $120,000, 
erected  upon  the  most  thorough  principles  of  substantial  endur- 
ance, having  been  fitted  up  and  furnished  in  superb  style,  with 
ample  capacity  for  the  accommodation  of  an  unlimited  number 
of  boarders  and  day  scholars. 

The  college  was  closed  in  1881,  and  the  building  is  now  used 
as  a  hotel. 

McCUNE  COLLEGE,  LOUISIANA,  MO. 
{Successor  of  Louisiana  Baptist  College.) 

The  Louisiana  Baptist  College  was  incorporated  in  1869,  by 
N.  McDannold,  S.  B.  Ayres,Wm.  Major,  Addison  Tinsley,  A.M. 
Tinsley,  M.  M.  Modisett,  Hugh  Allen  and  others. 

Eligible  property  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  $6,000,  and  sub- 
sequently improved  by  an  addition  costing  $4,000.    Eev.  John 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  867 

T.  Williams,  A.M.,  was  elected  first  president  and  conducted  the 
institution  for  four  years.  In  1873  he  resigned  and  the  board  se- 
lected Rev.  J.  D.  Biggs,  A.  M.,  as  his  successor,  who  retained 
charge  of  it  for  two  years  and  resigned.  In  1875  Mr.  Williams 
was  again  elected  president  and  remained  until  1879,  when  he 
resigned.  The  property  having  become  involved  in  debt  was 
sold  under  a  mortgage  in  March,  1879,  and  A.J.  McCune,  anoble 
Baptist  brother,  became  the  purchaser,  at  once  oifering  it  to  the 
denomination  for  what  it  cost  him;  but  for  want  of  confidence  in 
the  future  success  of  the  enterprise,  his  proposition  was  not  ac- 
cepted. 

Prof.  A.  Slaughter  was  elected  to  the  presidency  in  June,  1880. 
In  the  following  September  the  first  session  under  his  manage- 
ment was  opened,  and  before  its  close  114  pupils  had  been  en- 
rolled from  four  different  states  and  from  nine  counties  in  Mis- 
souri. 

In  June,  1881,  a  reorganization  was  effected  under  a  new  char- 
ter, with  the  following  articles  of  association  : 

"  We  the  undersigned,  being  desirous  of  establishing  a  college 
or  institution  of  learning  in  the  city  of  Louisiana,  Pike  County, 
Missouri,  and  also  desiring  to  incorporate  said  college  under  the 
provisions  of  Article  10,  Chapter  21,  of  the  revised  statutes  of 
Missouri  now  in  force,  hereby  agree  to  and  adopt  the  following 
articles  of  association  or  constitution  for  the  government  and 
management  of  said  college,  to-wit : 

"Art.  1.  The  name  of  the  institution  shall  be  '  McCune  Col- 
lege.' 

"Art.  2.  The  object  of  this  college  shall  be  the  education  of 
the  minds  of  the  youth  in  all  the  sciences  and  literature  which 
are  usually  taught  in  institutions  of  learning  of  the  same  char- 
acter. 

"Art.  3.  The  entiremanagement  of  said  college  with  reference 
to  the  education  and  discipline  of  the  students  thereof,  shall  be 
vested  in  the  president  of  the  faculty  of  said  college,  subject, 
however,  in  all  cases  to  the  general  supervision  and  approval  of 
the  board  of  regents  of  said  college. 

"Art.  4.  The  members  of  said  corporation  or  college  shall  on 
the  first  Friday  in  Juno  of  each  year  elect  nine  of  their  mem- 
bers, who  shall  be  styled  'Board  of  Eegents' of  said  college, 
and  members  of  said  board  shall  hold  their  office  one  year  or 
until  their  successors  are  elected  and  qualified — unless  sooner  re- 
moved for  causes  in  accordance  with  these  articles  of  association. 


888  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 

''Art.  5.  Should  the  members  of  said  college  for  any  reason 
fail  to  hold  the  annual  meeting  at  the  time  fixed  by  Article  4  of 
these  articles,  then  the  president  of  the  board  of  regents,  or  a 
majority  of  said  board,  may  call  a  meeting  at  such  time  and 
place  as  may  be  deemed  best,  by  first  giving  notice  to  the  mem- 
bers of  said  corporation  of  the  time  and  place  of  holding  said 
meeting." 

"Art,  17.  The  following  named  persons  shall  compose  the  first 
board  of  regents,  viz.:  A.  J.  McCune,  W.  M.  "White,  A.  Slaugh- 
ter, W.  M.  Tipton,  S.  B.  Ayres,  G.  C.  Merrill,  A.  Tinsley,  Thos. 
McDannold  and  Wm.  E.  Wiatt.  A.  J.  McCune  has  been  elected 
president  of  the  board  for  the  ensuing  year  ;  W.  M.AVhite  secre- 
tary, and  A.  Slaughter  treasurer." 

Louisiana,  Pike  County,  the  location  of  McCune  College,  is 
one  of  tiie  prettiest  and  most  picturesque  towns  in  the  state,  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi  Eiver,  and  is  connected  with 
the  leading  railroads  ;  east  and  west  by  the  Chicago  and  Alton 
Railroad,  and  accessible  from  the  north  and  the  south  by  means 
of  the  St.  Louis,  Keokuk  and  Northwestern  Eailroad.  Its  fu- 
ture is  thus  assured  as  one  of  the  growing  cities  of  the  ever-ad- 
vancing great  West. 

The  building  is  a  well  ventilated  and  commodious  structure, 
centrally  located,  and  with  the  addition  of  a  mansard  roof,  now 
contemplated,  can  accommodate  125  boarders.  Prof.  A.  Slaugh- 
ter is  retained  as  president  of  the  institution. 

Although  the  denominational  character  of  this  school  is  not 
named  in  the  articles  of  association,  yet  we  presume  the  fact  that 
every  member  of  the  board  of  regents  is  a  Baptist,  will  be  sufii- 
cient  to  define  it  as  a  Baptist  institution. 

A.  Slaughter — is  a  native  of  Eappahannock  County,  "Virginia. 
He  was  born  August  12, 1828,  and  was  married  when  quite  j^oung 
to  Miss  L.  W.  Abbott  of  Virginia.  After  maturity  he  spent  a 
few  years  in  "West  Virginia,  then  he  was  for  a  season  teacher  in 
the  public  schools  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  moved  thence 
to  Kansas  in  1857,  and  from  there  to  "Westport,  Mo.,  and  opened 
a  school.  On  account  of  the  disturbed  condition  of  the  country 
ho  moved  thence  to  Wellington,  where  he  taught  until  1867, 
when  he  was  elected  principal  of  the  public  school  of  Lexington, 
Missouri.  After  this  he  was  called  to  Texas  Prairie  High  School, 
and  in  1874  the  people  of  Praii'ie  Home,  Cooper  County,  donated 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


889 


a  large  building  to  him  in  which  to  open  the  Prairie  Home  Insti- 
tute. This  build- 
ing was  burned 
and  in  it  all  his 
goods.  Subscrip- 
tions were  circu- 
lated,  a  n  ew 
house  was  built 
and  the  school 
re-opened  in 
1875.  Here  he 
remained  until 
1880,  when  he 
was  called  to 
Louisiana,  as 
president  of 
"Baptist"  (now 
McCune)  Col- 
lege, where  he 
is  succeeding 
well,  his  school 
having  grown  in 
two  years  to  112  students. 

gPw\:n^d  riyer  college,  EDE^^3L^'.G,  mo. 

The  executive  committee,  consisting  of  A.  H.  Burkeholder, 
Rev.  H.  H.  Turner  and  Wm.  C.  Harvey,  in  a  circular  under  date 
of  July  15,  1881,  furnish  the  subjoined  sketch  : 

Grand  Eiver  College  was  chartered  by  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  state  of  Missouri  in  1859.  John  T.  Witten,  now  living  near 
Edinburg,  and  Wm.  Peery,  deceased,  were  the  founders.  The 
school  had  good  success  until  the  war  of  the  rebellion  closed  its 
usefulness.  And  then,  instead  of  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  knowl- 
edge within  its  walls,  the  soldiers  of  the  United  States  Army 
were  quartered  there  for  a  time.  In  1866  John  E.  Vertrees  took 
charge  of  the  school  as  a  private  enterprise.  And  in  1867  the 
people  of  the  vicinity,  in  order  to  encourage  the  teachers,  form- 
ed a  stock  company  and  furnished  the  capital  to  increase  its  use- 
fulness. Grand  Eiver  College  thus  continued  for  ten  j^ears,  and 
until,  in  1876,  the  people  of  Edinburg  offered  to  pass  the  prop- 
erty into  the  hands  of  the  Baptists  of  North  Missouri. 

A  board  of  trustees  was  appointed  by  the  West  Fork,  IS'orth 
Grand  Eiver,  Mt,  Moriah  and  the  Gentry  Baptist  Associations. 


I^ROF.  A.  SLAUGHTER. 


890  EDUCATIONAL   INStlTUtlON^. 

These  trustees,  when  duly  organized,  accepted  the  trust  in  be- 
half of  the  Baptists  of  North  Missouri.  Afterwards  the  Living- 
ston County  and  the  Linn  County  Associations  joined  with  them. 
These  trustees  agreed  to  improve  the  property  and  carry  out  the 
purpose  of  the  original  founders,  and  in  April,  1880,  the  title  to 
the  property  was  duly  passed  to  them,  to  be  held  in  trust  for  the 
Baptists  of  North  Missouri  for  educational  purposes. 

John  E.  Yertrees  continued  at  the  head  of  the  institution  until 
June,  1879,  at  which  time  he  resigned,  and  Prof.  Thos.  H.  Storts 
was  appointed  principal;  and  Prof.  R.  B.  McVeigh,  a  graduate 
of  Dennison  University,  G-ranville,  Ohio,  was  appointed  first  as- 
sistant, with  Miss  Ella  Peery  in  the  female  department.  The 
year  1879-'80  was  one  of  marked  prosperity.  One  hundred  and 
thirty-one  pupils  were  enrolled,  and  a  president's  house  was  built. 

At  the  annual  board  meeting  in  June,  1881,  the  office  of  presi- 
dent of  the  faculty  was  created,  and  by  unanimous  vote  John  E. 
Yertrees  was  elected  to  fill  this  place.  At  the  same  meeting  it 
was  determined  to  begin  the  work  of  endowment. 

Scholarships  and  Endowment. — To  begin  the  work  of  endow- 
ment, the  board  adopted  a  plan  of  selling  a  limited  number  of 
scholarships  for  cash,  at  the  following  rates,  viz.:  perpetual 
scholarship,  $300  j  ten  j^ears'  scholarship,  $150;  five  years'  schol- 
arship, $90;  two  years'  scholarship,  $45.  The  board  proposes 
to  stop  the  sale  of  these  scholarshijDS  before  a  sufficient  number 
shall  have  been  disposed  of  to  burden  the  college;  and  all  funds 
secured  in  this  way  are  to  be  invested  at  the  best  rate  of  interest 
compatible  with  security,  and  the  interest  only  to  be  used  for  the 
payment  of  teachers. 

Believing  that  the  co-education  of  the  sexes  works  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  both,  this  institution  is  for  both  males  and  females. 
The  childi'en  of  Baptist  ministers  engaged  in  the  ministry,  and 
young  men  preparing  for  the  ministry  and  approved  by  their 
churches,  are  offered  tuition  at  half  the  regular  rates. 

Edinburg,  the  seat  of  Grand  River  College,  is  in  the  western 
part  of  Grundy  County,  four  miles  west  of  Trenton,  which  is  at 
the  junction  of  the  Chicago,  Eock  Island  and  Pacific  and  the 
Great  Wabash  Railroads.  It  is  about  midway  between  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  the  Missouri  Rivers,  in  the  midst  of  the  Grand  River 
country,  far-famed  for  the  fertility  of  its  soil  and  its  great  pro- 
ductiveness. The  whole  of  North  Missouri  is  tributary  to  it; 
and  no  institution  has  a  warmer  place  in  the  hearts  of  its  friends 
than  the  Grand  River  College. 


892 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 


SOUTHWEST  BAPTIST  COLLEGE,  BOLTYAE,  MO. 
This  institution  is  located  at  Bolivar,  Polk  County.  It  is  in 
the  geographical  centre  of  Southwest  Missouri,  and  was  founded 
by  the  Southwest  Baptist  Convention  in  the  year  1878.  It  was 
chartered  March  19,  1879,  with  powers  and  privileges  belonging 
to  first  class  colleges,  and  designed  for  the  co-education  of  the 
sexes.  The  county  in  which  it  is  located  has  not  a  saloon  in  it, 
and  the  moral  sentiment  of  the  people  is — "There  never  shall  be 
one."  The  course  of  study  is  equal  to  that  of  the  best  American 
colleges.     The  curriculum  is  rigidly  adhered  to. 

Ecv.  J.  E.  Maupin  was  the  first  president.  There  are  seven 
others  associated  with  him  in  the  faculty. 

One  feature  of  the  charter  is  that  all  teachers  in  this  institu- 
tion must  be  members  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  Young  men 
studying  for  the  ministry  are  given  tuition  free. 

The  session  closing  June,  1880,  was  prosperous,  having  matric- 
ulated one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  students. 

J.  E.  Maupin — is  a  native  of  Schuyler  County,  Mo.,  and  was 

born  June  19, 
1852.  His  father 
is  a  Virginian, 
his  mother  is  a 
descendant  of 
the  Marshall 
family  of  Vir- 
ginia, but  was 
born  in  Kentuc- 
ky. He  w^as  ed- 
ucat ed  in  the 
graded  schools 
of  Illinois,  the 
Chicago  Theo- 
logical Semin- 
ary, and  La 
Grange  College, 
Mo.  From  the 
last  named  he 
graduated  in  full 
course  in  1877. 
.  REV.  J.  R.  MArprx.  In    the  summer 

of  1878  he  began  the  founding  of  Southwest  Baptist  College,  in 
which  work  he  is  succeeding  admirably. 


894 


EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 


While  at  La  Grange  College  he  was  converted  under  the  preach- 
ing of  Dr.  S.  H.  Ford.  This  event  occurred  in  February,  1873, 
about  one  year  after  which  he  commenced  preaching  the  gospel, 
and  was  pastor  for  a  time  of  Ten  Mile  Church  in  Lewis  County. 
He  also  traveled  as  itinerant  in  Wyaconda  and  Mt.  Pleasant  As- 
sociations. Though  engaged  in  the  duties  of  college  president, 
he  has  filled  the  pastoral  oflSce  at  Brush  Grove  and  Humansville 
in  Polk  County,  and  has  witnessed  about  100  conversions  among 
his  students,  besides  fully  300  in  his  efforts  among  the  churches. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  Staples,  a  graduate  of  Christian 
University,  June  4,  1878. 

PIERCE  CITY  BAPTIST  COLLEGE,  PEEECE  CITY,  MO.* 
An  effort  was  made  about  twenty  years  ago  to  found  a  Baptist 
institution  of  learning  in  Southwest  Missouri.  The  leaders  in 
that  movement  who  still  live,  are  among  the  friends  of  Pierce 
City  Baptist  College.  The  temporary  organization  of  this  insti- 
tution was  effected  by  W.  S.  Post,  D.D.,  early  in  1877.  In  the 
same  year  the  Shoal  Creek,  Lawrence  County,  Greene  County  and 
Spring  Eivcr  Associations  adopted  it,  with  name,  location,  offi- 
cers, &c.,  and  appointed  each  two  members  of  a  board  of  trustees. 


PIERCE  CITY  COLLEGE. 

In  1878  the  same  associations,  except  Greene  County,  re-elected 
their  trustees  and  endorsed  the  enterprise. 

In  September,  1879,  the  corner-stone  of  the  building,  50x60 

*  By  Kev.  L.  E.  Martin. 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  895 

feet  and  three  stories  high,  was  laid,  and  the  institution  was 
chartered.  This  building  is  an  elegant  brick  structure  and  will 
cost  about  $10,000,  with  capacity  for  300  students.  It  is  now  (July 
1881)  rapidly  approaching  completion. 

The  school  was  formally  opened  in  October,  1880,  with  Prof. 
C.  S.  Sheffield,  A.M.,  as  president.  Eev.  H.  C.  Lollar  fills  the 
chair  of  moral  philosophy,  biblical  interpretation  and  church 
history.  Mrs.  Nellie  Sheffield  has  charge  of  the  department  of 
music  and  art.  The  present  aim  of  this  institution  is  to  do  the 
work  of  a  first  class  academy.  It  provides  for  an  academic 
course,  a  normal  course  and  a  collegiate  preparatory  course. 

"Pierce  City  is  a  town  of  considerable  importance,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  A.  &  P.  E.  E.  with  the  M.  C.  &  N.  E.  E.,  about  261 
miles  southwest  from  St.  Louis.  It  was  laid  off  in  1871,  and  had 
a  population  in  1875  of  1,500."     (CampbelVs  Gazetteer, -psige  SOQ.) 

Prof.  Sheffield,  the  president  of  this  young  institution,  is  a 
graduate  of  Eochester  Baptist  University.  He  matriculated  in 
the  first  fractional  session  46  students. 

MAYFIELD-SMITH  ACADEMY.* 

The  subscription  for  an  institution  of  learning  in  Southeast 
Missouri  was  gotten  up  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Mayfield,  assisted  by  Dr. 
H.  J.  Smith,  under  date  of  February  10,  1878.  Smithville,  Bol- 
linger County,  was  selected  as  the  location,  and  the  institution 
was  denominated  the  Mayfield-Smith  Academy.  It  is  owned  and 
controlled  by  the  St  Francois  Baptist  Association.  Of  the  enter- 
prise. Brother  Mayfield  says : 

"  The  low  grade  of  the  educational  interests  of  Southeast  Mis- 
souri, and  the  great  lack  of  moral  and  religious  culture,  demand- 
ed a  school  such  as  we  now  have.  By  G-od's  help,  not  by  any 
courage  of  my  own,  I  drew  up  an  article,  and  in  30  minutes 
raised  $550.  At  this  juncture  Dr.  H.  J.  Smith,  a  Presbyterian, 
joined  me  in  the  work  heartily,  and  he  has  been  ever  since  a 
faithful  worker  for  the  school.  Brother  H.  F.  Tong  has  also 
contributed  valuable  aid  to  the  enterprise. 

The  first  session  was  taught  in  a  hall  owned  by  Dr.  Smith,  and 
the  whole  number  of  pupils  enrolled  was  twenty-two. 

In  the  spring  of  1879  work  was  commenced  on  suitable  school 
buildings  at  Smithville,  but  for  want  of  funds  the  enterprise  was 
suspended  the  following  fall.     After  prayerful  deliberation  the 

*  The  principal  part  of  tliis  sketch  was  furnished  by  Eev.  T.  W.  Tate  and  Dr. 
Mayfield. 


896  EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

board  of  trustees  located  the  academy  at  Marble  Hill,  Bollinger 
County.  This  was  consummated  September  29,  1880,  and  in  the 
following  June  Eev.  A.  M.  Johnson  was  put  into  the  field  as  finan- 
cial agent.  An  excellent  school  building  is  now  in  process  of 
erection,  to  be  ready  for  occupancy  by  the  close  of  the  year  1882, 
and  the  friends  of  the  institution  are  sanguine  of  success. 

The  aim  of  this  school  is  to  have,  as  soon  as  practicable,  a 
course  which  will  at  least  embrace  a  preparatory  department 
with  the  freshman  and  sophomore  courses  of  first  class  western 
colleges. 

THE  SAINT  LOUIS  SEMINAEY,  JENNINGS  STATION,  MO. 

This  school  was  projected  in  1871.  Property  possessing  great 
natural  beauty,  situated  in  the  suburbs  of  St.  Louis,  was  donat- 
ed by  the  Jenning's  heirs  to  the  Saint  Louis  Baptist  Association, 
on  condition  that  a  seminary  for  the  higher  education  of  young 
ladies  be  established  under  the  direction  of  the  Baptists.  Trus- 
tees appointed  by  the  association  accepted  the  donation,  valued 
at  $10,000,  and  Prof.  B.  T.  Blewett,  president  of  Bethel  College, 
Kentucky,  up  to  the  war,  was  invited  to  take  charge  of  the  school. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  trustees  about  $11,000  were  expend- 
ed in  improvements,  and  the  seminary  opened  in  October,  1871. 

The  school  reached  a  moderate  degree  of  success,  but  the  want 
of  co-operation  soon  began  to  suggest  that  the  trustees  had  as- 
sumed obligations  they  could  not  meet.  The  sale  of  the  property, 
therefore,  became  a  necessity.  Prof.  Blewitt  was  the  purchaser, 
and  passing  from  under  the  direction  of  the  Baptists,  the  semi- 
nary was  converted  into  a  private  select  school,  and  has,  we  learn, 
increasing  patronage  from  year  to  year. 


CHAPTER  III. 


EELIGIOUS   PEEIODICALS. 

The  Missouri  Baptist  of  1842 — The  Western  Watchynan — Burning  of  the  Watch- 
man Office — Another  Missouri  Baptist — Suspension  of — Missouri  Baptist  Jour- 
nal, 1866 — J.  H.  Luther  and  R.  M.  Rhoadee — The  Baptist  Record — ;ConsoHdation 
of  the  Journal  and  the  Record — The  Central  Baptist — William  Ferguson — W.  H. 
Williams — The  Christian  Repository — S.  H.  Ford — Baptist  Battle-Flag  (now 
changed  to  The  American  Baptist  Flag) — D.  B.  Ray. 
THE  MISSOURI  BAPTIST. 

UP  to  the  year  1840,  the  Baptists  of  Missouri  had  no  religious 
newspaper  published  in  the  state.  That  year  the  G-eneral 
Association  passed  a  resolution  recommending  the  patronage  of 
the  Pioneer  and  Baptist  banner,  published  at  Louisville,  Kentucky. 
(^Minutes,  p.  4.) 

In  1842,  at  the  meeting  of  the  G-eneral  Association,  and  by  that 
body,  "  a  committee  was  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  expedi- 
ency of  publishing  a  Baptist  periodical  as  sjseedily  as  possible 
under  the  sanction  of  the  association."  (^American  Baptist  Register, 
1852,  p.  190.)  In  September  of  the  same  year  the  first  number 
of  the  Missouri  Baptist — a  monthly  paper — was  issued  from  St. 
Louis,  with  Elds.  Isaac  T.  Hinton  and  E.  S.  Thomas  as  editors. 
At  the  end  of  the  first  volume — August,  1843 — the  committee  on 
the  Missouri  Baptist  reported  that  twelve  numbers  of  the  paper 
had  been  published  at  an  expense  of  $418.45,  and  up  to  that  date 
only  $318  had  been  received,  leaving  $100.45  due.  The  commit- 
tee also  "recommended  that  the  paper  be  continued,  and  that,  in 
order  to  secure  its  publication  twice  a  month,  a  union  be  formed 
with  the  Illinois  Baptist  Convention,  who  shall  be  at  liberty  to 
appoint  an  editor  for  the  Illinois  department,  and  the  title  to  be 
altered  so  as  to  embrace  both  states,  or  the  Upper  Mississippi 
Valley,  generally  ;  that  the  paper  shall  be  printed  in  St.  Louis 
under  the  direction  of  the  present  editor,  and  that  it  be  hence- 
forth issued  twice  a  month,  so  soon  as  any  individual  will  under- 
take the  pecuniary  responsibility  3  *  *  *  that  the  editor  and  two 
other  brethren  be  a  committee  to  carry  this  plan  into  effect." 
{Mm.  Gen.  Asso.  Mo.,  1843,  pp.  6,  7.) 

The  old  Missouri  Baptist  of  June  17,  1843,  Yol.  I,  No.  10,  is  be- 
67 


898  RELIGIOUS    PERIODICALS. 

fore  us.     It  is  an  octavo  sheet  of  four  pages.     The  following  is 
from  its  title  page  : 

"  TAe  Missouri  Baptist,  published  under  the  direction  of  the 
Baptist  General  Association  of  Missouri.  I.  T.  Hinton,  E.  S. 
Thomas,  editors.  St.  Louis,  June  17, 1843.  Yol.  I,  ISTo.  10.  One 
dollar  a  year  in  advance." 

The  consolidated  paper  was  called  the  ^'Missouri  and  Illinois  Bap- 
tist, under  the  direction  of  the  G-eneral  Association  of  Missouri,  and 
the  Baptist  Convention  of  Illinois,  published  at  the  Baptist  Book 
Depositor}^,  St.  Louis,  on  the  1st  and  the  15th  of  each  month,  at 
one  dollar  per  annum."  {Min  Gen.  Asso.  Mo.,  1843,  p.  11.)  This 
paper  had  a  precarious  existence  for  something  over  a  year,  and 
then  ceased  to  exist,  not  having  paid  expenses. 

Again  in  1845  the  General  Association  of  Missouri  appointed 
a  commitee  of  five,  consisting  of  Leland  Wright,  Fielding  Wil- 
hite,  E.  S.  Thomas,  Eoland  Hughes  and  Wm.  M.  McPherson,  "to 
devise  means  for  the  publication  of  a  Baptist  periodical  in  the 
state."  {Min.  Gen.  Asso.  Mo.,  1845,  p.  9.)  In  1846  this  committee 
reported  favorably,  and  another  committee,  consisting  of  Wm. 
M.  McPherson,  Eoland  Hughes  and  Geo.  Trask,  was  appointed 
and  instructed  to  "  prepare  a  prospectus  for  a  religious  newspa- 
per, to  be  published  in  St.  Louis."  This  was  done,  and  some  700 
subscribers  were  in  this  way  obtained.  The  General  Association 
continued  its  efforts,  and  in  1847,  when  in  session  at  Walnut 
Grove  Church,  Boone  Count}^,  $40  were  raised  to  issue  a  speci- 
men copy  of  the 

WESTEEN  WATCmiAN. 

In  May,  1848,  the  committee  made  a  contract  for  publishing 
this  paper,  having  previously  issued  the  first  number  as  above 
named.  The  second  number  was  issued  June  6,  and  sent  to  1,023 
subscribers.  Eev.  S.  W.  Lynd  was  editor  and  Bro.  T.  W.  Ustick, 
publisher.  The  committee  say :  *'  Our  contract  with  Bro.  Ustick 
for  publishing  the  Western  Watchman  is  as  follows:  The  publisher 
to  have  the  right  of  inserting  five  columns  of  advertisements,  and 
to  receive  $2  per  copy  for  the  first  1,000  copies;  $1  per  copy  for 
the  next  250  copies;  75  cts.  for  the  next  250;  and  50  cts.  a  copy 
for  all  above  that  number.  This  arrangement  is  to  continue  two 
years,  and  the  committee  binds  itself  to  increase  the  subscription 
list  to  at  least  1,200  within  the  present  year."  (3Iin.  Gen.  Asso., 
1848,  p.  6.) 

Before  the  close  of  volume  one  the  Watchman  oflfice  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  and  the  paper  was  discontinued. 


RELIGIOUS   PERIODICALS.  899 

The  Watchman  Fund  Association. — "  On  the  adjournment  of  the 
General  Association  (at  Mt.  Nebo,  Cooper  County,  August,  1849,) 
the  first  day  of  its  session,  a  convention  was  called  by  Eld.  J.  M. 
Peck,  of  the  shareholders  and  friends  of  the  Western  Watchman^ 
to  take  into  consideration  its  condition  and  prospects. 

*' J.  "W.  Waddell,  Esq.,  was  selected  as  chairman  and  W.  F. 
Nelson  as  secretary.  Bro.  Peck  gave  a  sketch  of  the  Western 
Watchman — its  origin,  history,  wants,  destruction  of  the  office 
by  fire,  and  measures  adopted  to  resuscitate  and  place  it  upon  a 
firm  foundation, 

"Whereupon,  on  motion,  it  was 

"Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  to  organize  an  association  to 
sustain  a  Baptist  periodical  in  this  state,  and  also  to  circulate 
such  other  publications  as  may  be  needed  by  the  denomination, 
and  that  it  be  formed  on  the  basis  of  the  shares  and  contribu- 
tions already  raised. 

"Appointed  J.  M.  Peck,  Koland  Hughes  and  W.  F.  Nelson,  a 
committee  on  constitution,  and  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  call  of 
the  chair."     (Min.  Gen.  Asso.  Mo.  1849,  p.  22.) 

On  August  26,  two  days  after  the  preliminary  meeting,  an- 
other meeting  was  held,  which  completed  the  organization  of 

The  Watchman  Publication  Society. — "  This  society  had  two  ob- 
jects in  view  :  1st.  The  publication  of  the  Western  Watchman,and 
2d.  The  establishment  of  a  'depository  for  religious  books  and 
tracts,  approved  by  the  United  Baptists.'  To  accomplish  these 
ends  funds  were  raised  in  shares  of  ten  dollars  each.  An  ex- 
ecutive board  of  fifteen  shareholders,  appointed  annually,  man- 
aged the  affairs  of  the  society.  On  the  last  day  of  the  meeting 
of  the  General  Association  it  was  unanimously  agreed  to  trans- 
fer all  interest  and  responsibility  in  the  Western  Watchman  to  the 
Watchman  Publication  Society,  all  of  which  was  done  upon  the  re- 
commendation of  the  'provisional  committee  on  the  Western 
Watchman.'  " 

In  May,  1851,  Eld.  Wm.  Crowell  was  chosen  editor  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  Western  Watchjnan,  and  he  assumed  henceforth  all 
responsibility  in  its  publication.  The  number  of  subscribers  at 
the  time  amounted  to  near  1,700.  The  paper  increased  in  circu- 
lation and  favor  for  several  years,  being  the  recognized  Baptist 
paper  of  the  state  about  ten  years.  Early  in  the  year  1859  much 
dissatisfaction  began  to  be  manifest  as  to  Dr.  Crowell's  manage- 
ment of  the  paper.  Two  things  made  the  Watchman  lose  favor 
at  the  time — its  alien-immersion  sentiments  and  its  freesoil  pro- 


900  RELIGIOUS   PERIODICALS. 

clivities.     The  TFestern  TFate^man  lost  ground  rapidly,  and  during 
the  year  1861  it  suspended. 

The  Missouri  Baptist  Publication  Society. — This  body  was  organ- 
ized by  a  convention  held  at  Chariton  meeting-house,  Howard 
County,  April  16,  1859. 

The  constitution  thus  explicitly  states  the  object : 

"Art  2.  The  primary  object  of  this  society  shall  be  the  estab- 
lishment, on  a  firm  basis,  of  a  religious  newspaper,  to  advocate 
our  denominational  principles  and  polity  in  the  state  of  Missou- 
ri, and  to  form  a  nucleus  for  a  periodical  and  book  establishment 
to  meet  the  growing  wants  of  our  people  in  this  great  central 
valley. 

"Art  3.  Any  person  being  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church, 
in  good  standing,  may  become  a  stockholder  in  this  society  by 
subscribing  the  sum  of  $50,  of  which  sum  twenty  per  cent,  shall 
be  paid  into  the  treasury  so  soon  as  $5,000  is  secured,  &c." 

At  the  first  meeting  "Brethren  E.  S.  Dulin,  IsToah  Flood  and 
D.  H.  Hickman  were  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  the 
editor  of  the  Western  Watchman  and  ascertain  whether  said  paper 
could  be  purchased  and  upon  what  terms."  Negotiations  for 
the  purchase  of  said  paper  continued  for  eight  or  ten  months,  and 
all  overtures  failing,  the  Missouri  Baptist  Publication  Society 
commenced  the  publication  of  a  newspaper  called 
THE  MISSOUEI  BAPTIST. 

The  first  number  of  this  paper  was  issued  from  St.  Louis, 
March  3,  1860.  T.  "W.  Ustick  was  the  publisher,  and  for  three 
months  Dr.  S.  H.  Ford,  then  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  conducted 
it  for  the  committee,  when,  July  23,  1860,  he  accepted  the  posi- 
tion of  editor.  For  one  year  and  three  months  this  paper  con- 
tinued its  visits  to  the  Baptist  families  of  the  state,  all  the  while 
growing  in  favor,  but  finally,  June  15,  1861,  was  compelled  to 
yield  to  the  adversities  of  war.  In  the  paper  of  that  date  the 
following  announcement  was  made  : 

"To  the  Stockholders  and  Patrons  of  the  Missouri  Baptist. 

Miami,  Mo.,  June  10,  1861. 

'■'■Bear  Brethren : — It  becomes  my  painful  duty  to  announce  the 
suspension  of  the  Missouri  Baptist,  until  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  society  (which  takes  place  Monday,  July  29).  The  board 
having  borrowed  a  considerable  amount  of  money  to  carry  on 
the  paper  during  the  latter  part  of  the  first  volume,  felt  unwil- 
ling to  increase  the  debt.  It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the  board 
that  every  stockholder  who  possibly  can,  will  be  at  the  annual 


RELIGIOUS   PERIODICALS.  901 

meeting.     All  who  are  in  arrears  for  the  paper  will  please  for- 
ward the  amount  to  the  secretary.  W.  M.  Bell,  Secretary." 

The  publication  of  the  Missouri  Baptist  was  not  resumed.    This 
fact,  coupled  with  the  failure  of  the  Western  Watchman,  left  the 
Baptist  denomination  of  Missouri  without  any  religious  period- 
ical reading,  which  continued  through  the  war  period. 
THE  MISSOURI  BAPTIST  JOUKNAL. 

Late  in  the  year  1865  Messrs  J.  H.  Luther  and  E.  M.  Rhodes 
issued  a  prospectus  proposing  the  establishment  of  a  paper  at 
Palmyra,  Mo.,  which  should  voice  the  sentiments  of  Missouri- 
ans.  With  an  enthusiasm  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  journal- 
ism the  Baptists  took  hold  of  the  enterprise  and  secured  its  suc- 
cess at  once  by  calling  for  an  edition  of  one  thousand  copies. 

The  first  number  of  the  Missouri  Baptist  Journal  was  issued  Jan- 
uary 8,  1866,  just  as  the  smoke  of  the  civil  war  was  clearing 
away. 

"Among  the  gentlemen  who  urged  Dr.  Luther  to  embark  in 
this  hazardous  enterprise  were  Williams,  Buckner,  Hollis,  Hick- 
man and  Pitts,  now  gone  to  rest,  and  Dr.  Dulin,  Prof.  Rothwell 
and  Rev.  S.  A.  Beauchamp,  who  yet  live.  Dr.  Luther  was  then 
under  bonds  for  preaching  without  taking  the  oath  required  of 
ministers,  and  it  was  mainly  with  the  design  of  opposing  this 
encroachment  of  religious  liberty,  and  furnishing  a  common  or- 
gan of  communication  for  the  Baptists,  that  this  paper  was  es- 
tablished." (From  a  sketch  of  J.  H.  Luther,  in  Central  Baptist, 
Vol.  X,  No.  20.) 

The  circulation  of  the  Journal  continued  to  increase  until,  in 
the  middle  of  the  third  volume,  it  was  consolidated  with 

THE  RECORD. 

This  paper  originated  with  the  Baptist  State  Convention,  con- 
cerning which  (see  sketch  in  another  place)  that  body,  in  ses- 
sion September,  1865,  adopted  the  following : 

"Resolved,  That  the  executive  board  be  authorized  to  perfect, 
at  the  earliest  practicable  moment,  some  plan  by  which  a  first- 
class  religious  weekly  paper  may  be  secured." 

Before  the  next  meeting  of  the  convention  (September,  1886,) 
the  publication  of  the  Record  was  commenced  in  St.  Louis,  with 
Rev.  A.  A.  Kendrick  as  temporary  editor,  and  Chancy  R.  Barns 
as  publisher.     It  was  a  semi-monthly  paper. 
THE  CENTRAL  BAPTIST. 

This  paper  is  the  outcome  of  the  Missouri  Baptist  Journal  and 
The  Record.     Rev.  A.  A.  Kendrick,  then  managing  editor  of  the 


902  RELIGIOUS    PERIODICALS. 

Record,  made  a  proposition  to  consolidate  the  two  papers  and 
thus  remove  the  greatest  obstacle  to  the  harmony  of  the  entire 
denomination  in  the  state.  This  consolidation  was  effected  in 
August,  1868,  and  the  Central  Baptist  was  chosen  as  the  name  of 
the  new  candidate  for  popular  favor.  The  most  happy  results 
followed.  The  Baptists  being  no  longer  divided  by  party  lines, 
an  increased  activity  discovered  itself  in  all  our  denominational 
enterprises. 

"The  editor-in-chief,  J,  H.  Luther,  was  assisted  successively 
by  Eevs.  Norman  Fox,  A.  A.  Kendrick  and  W.  Pope  Yeaman, 
scholarly  gentlemen,  who  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  give 
the  paper  a  literary  character,  and  make  it  an  acknowledged 
power  throughout  the  land.  No  paper  in  the  United  States  has 
made  for  itself  a  nobler  reputation  as  the  champion  of  religious 
freedom,  the  advocate  of  mental  and  moral  culture,  and  the  de- 
fender of  distinctive  Baptist  principles."  (From  J.  H.  Luther's 
MS.) 

Three  and  a  half  years  after  the  consolidation  the  circulation 
of  the  Central  Baptist  had  reached  its  eighth  thousand. 

In  May,  1875,  W.  Pope  Yeaman,  D.D.,  and  Eev.  Wiley  J.  Pat- 
rick became  sole  editors,  both  having  been  for  the  time  connec- 
ted with  the  paper,  with  Luther,  Teasdale  &  Co.  From  this  time 
for  some  two  years  the  Central  Baptist  was  published  by  the  West- 
ern Baptist  Publishing  House,  then  but  recently  formed.  Eev. 
Mr.  Patrick  retired  from  the  editorial  chair  in  September  of  this 
year,  leaving  Dr.  Yeaman  alone  for  a  season.  He  continued  as 
editor  until  October,  1877,  having  been  assisted  a  part  of  the 
time,  successively,  by  Eev.  Mr.  Abbott  and  Eev.  Wm.  Ferguson, 
when  he  retired,  leaving  Mr.  Ferguson  in  full  control  of  the  en- 
terprise, as  proprietor  and  editor,  having  been  efficiently  aided, 
a  part  of  the  time,  by  Eev.  J.  C.  Armstrong  as  associate  editor. 
Under  the  able  management  of  Mr.  Ferguson  the  paper  was  re- 
lieved of  financial  embarrassment  and  widened  its  field  of  circu- 
lation. 

Owing  to  failing  health,  Mr.  Ferguson  sold  the  Central  Baptist 
in  1882  to  Eev.  W.  H.  Williams,  under  whose  direction,  we  are 
confident,  the  paper  will  preserve  its  well-earned  reputation. 

William  Ferguson.* — Eev.  Wm.  Ferguson  was  born  in  Saline 
County,  Missouri,  July  15,  1845.  In  early  life  he  professed  re- 
ligion, and,  being  impressed  with  the  dut}'  of  preaching  the  gos- 
pel, in  1868  he  gave  up  the  stud}^  of  law  and  entered  William 

*  In  part  from  a  gketch  in  Baptist  Cyclopedia,  by  Cathcart. 


RELIGIOUS   PERIODICALS. 


903 


Jewell  College,  at  Liberty,  Mo.,  to  prepare  for  the  ministry. 
Here,  from  the  very  start,  he  was  among  the  first  in  his  classes, 
and  secured  the  abiding  love  and  respect  of  his  instructors  and 
fellow-students.  On  his  graduation,  in  1873,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Florence  M.  Chandler,  of  Liberty,  and  assum- 
ed the  pastorate  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Fulton,  Mo.  After  one 
year  of  successful  labor  he  was  elected  to  the  responsible  posi- 
tion of  financial  agent  of  the  Missouri  Baptist  Ministerial  Edu- 
cation Society,  and  of  "William  Jewell  Cr-llege,  which  position 
he  held  with  great  ac- 
ceptance and  success 
until  January,  1877, 
when  he  purchased  a 
partnership  interest 
with  Rev.  W.  Pope 
Yeaman,  D.D.,  in  the 
Central  Baptist,  of 
which,  in  1878,  he  be- 
came sole  proprietor. 
Under  his  manage- 
ment of  rare  tact  and 
ability  the  paper  was  j: 
lifted  out  of  financial 
embarrassments  and 
kept  within  the  first 
rank  of  denomination- 
al exponents.  In  1882 
Madison  University 
gave  him  the   degree  ^      ..^,    ^   ..  .^     ,     ,.  „ 

"  "  From  "Tlic  Baptist  Encyclopedia. 

of  Master  of  Arts.    In  rev.  w^lliam  fergtjsox. 

July  of  the  same  year,  on  account  of  j^recarious  health,  he  sold 
the  Central  Baptist  to  Eev.  W.  Harrison  Williams  of  Charlottes- 
ville, Virginia. 

Mr.  Ferguson  possesses  many  qualifications  which  mark  the 
born  journalist.  To  a  well-balanced  mind,  holding  decided  con- 
victions, and  exercising  a  positiveness  in  their  maintenance,  he 
joins  a  heart  of  keen  sensibilities  and  broad  sympathies,  which 
enable  him  to  weigh  and  deal  fairly  with  all  the  questions  which 
interest  the  church  and  humanity.  These  qualities,  combined 
with  unassuming  modesty  and  geniality,  secure  the  respect,  es- 
teem and  love  of  all  who  know  him. 

William  Harrison  Williams, — editor  and  proprietor  of  the 


904 


ftELIGIOUS    PERIODICALS. 


Central  Baptist,  is  a  native  of  Virginia.  In  early  life  he  was  bap- 
tized by  Dr.  B.  Manly,  Jr.,  and  became  a  member  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Richmond,  Ya.  This  event  occurred  in  March, 
1854.  He  graduated  from  Richmond  College  in  1861,  and  the 
same  year  entered  and  continued  one  session  in  the  Southern 
Baptist  Theological  Seminary.  He  was  chaplain  in  the  Southern 
Army  for  nearly  four  years,  having  been  ordained  to  the  minis- 
try December  13,  1863. 

In  July,  1865,  he 
entered  his  first  pas- 
torate at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  continuing 
fourteen  months, 
during  which  he  re- 
organized the  church 
and  rebuilt  the 
house.  In  Septem- 
V .■^.,  ...   ^f^MtmsiL  "^   <   -=1^^  \>Qv^   1866,   he  re-en- 

<««?^^^ii[^^Mw^^^^         <,        ^aMfff^  tered   the    Southern 

Baptist  Seminary, 
and  at  the  end  of 
two  sessions  receiv- 
ed his  diploma  as  a 
''full  graduate"  of 
that  institution. 

Mr.  Williams  be- 
came pastor  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church 
Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1868,  and  went  thence,  as  pastor,  to  Staun- 
ton, Va.,  where  his  labors  were  much  blessed,  both  in  the  Sunday- 
school  and  in  the  church  proper;  the  former  trebling  in  numbers 
and  the  latter  greatly  growing  in  membership.  His  next  pas- 
torate was  at  Tuscaloosa,  Alabama,  which  commenced  in  Jan- 
uary, 1872,  where  he  spent  five  years  of  his  popular  and  useful 
life.  From  I^ovember,  1877,  to  the  summer  of  1882,  he  was  pas- 
tor at  Charlottesville,  Va.,  a  specially  important  field  because 
of  its  proximity  to  the  university  of  the  state.  In  all  his  efforts 
he  has  had  the  cordial  co-operation  of  a  noble  Christian  wife,  of 
whom  Dr.  Jeter  used  to  say,  "Were  I  a  little  boy  again  I  should 
like  to  have  Mrs.  Williams  for  my  mother." 

Of  Mr.  Williams'  connection  with  the  Central  Baptist  and  his  re- 
lation to  our  institutions  the  reader  has  been  already  informed. 


RKV.  "W.  H.  "WILLIAMS. 


RELIGIOUS    PERIODICALS.  905 

FOKD'S   CHEISTIAN  EEPOSITOEY. 

This  is  a  Baptist  monthly,  published  in  St.  Louis,  by  Dr.  S.  H. 
Ford  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  S.  R.  Ford,  editors.  The  Repository  was 
first  established  in  1852,  and  issued  from  Louisville,  Ky.,  with 
Jno.  L.Waller  and  Charles  D.  Kirk  as  editors.  In  the  com- 
mencement of  its  third  year  Dr.  Ford  became  associated  with 
Waller,  and  in  January,  1856,  aj)pears  as  sole  proprietor.  The 
Repository/  enjoyed  an  increasingly  prosperous  career  until  the 
flames  of  the  civil  strife  compelled  its  suspension  in  August, 
1861.  The  design  of  this  periodical,  as  stated  in  its  introduc- 
tion, was  to  fill  the  place  between  the  newspaper  and  the  book. 

In  July,  1871,  the  first  number  of  Ford's  Christian  Repository  was 
issued  from  St.  Louis,  with  headquarters  at  the  Baptist  Deposi- 
tory.  The  editor  then  said  : 

"After  ten  years  of  suspense,  this  periodical  is  again  sent  forth 
into  the  world  of  thought  and  work.  It  seeks  to  occupy,  as  in 
former  years,  its  own  peculiar  sphere.  Its  aim  is  to  supply  a 
place,  which,  so  far  as  its  conductors  are  aware,  is  not  filled  by 
any  other  journal.  It  addresses  itself  to  each  member  of  the 
household,  and  its  pages  will  be  filled  with  matter  worthy  of 
being  preserved. 

"  It  asks  the  generous  co-operation  of  the  press,  of  the  minis- 
try, of  the  brotherhood  and  of  the  sisterhood.  Physically  un- 
fitted by  a  fall  for  pastoral  labor,  the  editor  will  devote  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  to  this  work,  and  with  Grod's  blessing  he 
has  no  fear  of  success."  (^Christian  Repository,  1871,  Yol,  XI 
page  78.) 

The  Repository  is  an  80  page  magazine,  and,  as  a  Baptist  month- 
ly, is  in  the  front  ranks,  visiting  tl>ousands  of  families  at  every 
issue,  throughout  the  country.  The  family  department,  conduct- 
ed by  Mrs.  Sally  E.  Ford,  is  especially  attractive  and  interesting 
to  the  general  reader. 

Samuel  Howard  Ford,* — son  of  Eev.  Thomas  Howard  Ford, 
was  licensed  in  1840,  passed  through  the  classes  of  the  State  Uni- 
versity of  Missouri,  and  was  ordained  in  1843  at  the  Little  Bonne 
Femme  Church,  Boone  County,  Mo.  He  became  pastor  at  Jef- 
ferson City,  Mo.,  and  in  two  years  after  of  the  North  Church, 
St.  Louis,  for  two  years;  also  at  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo.,  and  of  the 
Fast  Baptist  Church,  Louisville,  Ky.  In  1853  he  was  associated 
with  Dr.  John  L.  Waller  in  the  editorship  of  the  Western  Recorder 
and  the  Christian  Repository.     Of  the  latter  he  is  still  the  editor. 

*  From  a  Bketch  in  Cathcai-fs  Baptist  Cyclopedia,  p.  404. 


906 


RELIGIOUS    PERIODICALS. 


His  talented  wife  is  the  author  of  Grace  Truman,  Dreamer's  Blind 
Daughter,  and  other  works  of  great  value.     At  the  breaking  out 

of  the  war  Dr.  Ford 
went  to  Memphis, 
Tennessee,  where  he 
preached  f  o  r  some 
time.  For  two  years 
he  was  at  Mobile  as 
pastor  of  St.  Francis 
St.  Baptist  Church, 
and  at  the  close  of 
the  war  he  accepted 
the  pastoral  care  of 
the  Central  Baptist 
Church,  Memphis, 
where  he  preached 
for  seven  years,  till 
ill  health  caused  him 
to  resign.  While  in 
this  church  he  was 
instrumental  in  build- 
ing a  capacious  house 

From  "The  Baptist  Encyclopedia.'  of     W  O  r  S  h  1  p,      UpOH 

REV.  S.  H.  FORD,  D.D.,  LL.D.  whlch     $75,000      WCrC 

expended  during  his  pastorate,  and  in  increasing  the  member- 
ship from  75  to  450.  Dr.  Ford  has  received  the  honorary  degree 
of  LL.D.  He  preaches  without  manuscript,  is  earnest  and  elo- 
quent, and  many  hundreds  have  been  converted  under  his  min- 
istry. He  is  a  firm  Baptist.  He  has  had  discussions  with  A. 
Campbell,  Bishop  Spaulding  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  Dr.  N. 
L.  Eice.  Dr.  Ford  is  a  Hebrew  and  a  Syriac  scholar,  well  read 
in  general  literature,  and  is  especially  familiar  with  the  Eomish 
controversy.  In  his  theology  he  is  a  Calvinist.  In  the  past 
twenty-seven  years  he  has  written  upon  almost  every  subject 
bearing  upon  the  religious  issues  of  the  times.  He  is  upwards  of 
60  years  of  age,  and  is  as  active,  energetic  and  laborious  as  ever. 
Baptists  in  all  parts  of  our  countrj',  and  in  the  British  Provinces 
and  in  the  British  Islands,  wish  length  of  years  to  the  learned 
editor  of  the  Repository  and  to  his  cultured  and  talented  wife. 
THE  AilEPJCAX  BAPTIST  FLAG. 
Under  the  name  of  The  Baptist  Battle  Fhg,  the  first  number  of 
this  periodical  was  sent  forth  from  La  Grange,  Mo.,  June  1, 1875, 


RELIGIOUS   PERIODICALS.  907 

with  Eld.  D.  B.  Eay  as  editor  and  proprietor,  and  Eld.  C.  N.  Eay 
as  corresponding  editor.  The  design  and  character  of  this  pub- 
lication were  thus  given  in  its  prospectus,  sent  out  some  months 
before  its  first  issue: 

"To  encourage  the  enlistment  of  volunteers  in  the  service  of 
the  'Captain  of  our  salvation,'  and  the  soldiers  to  'put  on  the 
whole  armor  of  God;'  to  entreat  everyone  Ho  endure  hard- 
ness as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,'  and  *  fight  the  good  fight 
of  faith,'  'that  he  may  please  Him  who  has  chosen  him  to  be  a 
soldier;'  towage  uncompromising  war  on  error,  whether  held 
by  friends  or  foes,  and  'earnestly  contend  for  the  faith  which 
was  once  delivered  to  the  saints.'  But  we  must  not  forget  that 
'the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal  but  mighty  through 
God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds.'  " 

"  The  Battle  Flag  will  give  special  attention  to  ecclesiastical 
history.  It  will  prove  that  the  Baptist  church  is  'the  only 
Christian  community  which  has  stood  since  the  days  of  the  apos- 
tles,'&c.  'The  historical  department  of  the  Battle  Flag  is  de- 
signed to  make  a  storehouse  of  reliable  historical  facts,  with  the 
book  and  page  for  each  quotation;  so  that  any  one  may  be  able 
to  correct  the  misrepresentations  which  are  in  constant  circula- 
tion against  the  Baptists.  It  is  not  designed  to  be  a  state  paper, 
but  to  occupy  a  field  in  polemic  and  historical  theology  unoccu- 
pied by  any  periodical  in  the  world.  We  will  therefore  ask  aid 
throughout  the  whole  land.  The  paper  will  start  as  soon  as  the 
cash  subscription  is  large  enough  to  support  it.'  'I  feel  confi- 
dent,' says  the  editor,  'that  the  Battle  Flag  will  waive  in  tri- 
umph over  many  a  battle-field,  even  when  I  shall  have  '  fought 
the  good  fight'  and  have  gone  to  rest  with  the  loved  ones  at 
home." 

In  June,  1877,  the  Battle  Flag  and  the  Baptist  Herald  of  Leba- 
non, Mo.,  were  consolidated,  and  the  office  of  publication  moved 
to  St.  Louis.  The  consolidated  paper  retained  the  name  of  Bap- 
tist Battle  Flag.  The  present  name,  American  Baptist  Flag,  was 
adopted  July,  23,  1879,  and  it  continues  under  the  management 
of  Eld.  D.  B.  Eay,  its  original  founder.  It  has  fully  met  the  ex- 
pectation of  its  friends  as  a  "polemic  and  a  historical  paper." 

David  B.  Eay. — The  proprietor  and  editor  of  the  American 
Baptist  Flag,  Eld.  D.  B.  Eay,  was  born  March  30,  1830,  at  Hick- 
man, Kentucky.  When  fifteen  years  of  age,  in  October,  1844, 
he  professed  religion,  and  joined  the  Little  Albion  Baptist 
Church,  having  been  baptized  by  Eld.  White.     Several  years  af- 


908 


RELIGIOUS   PERIODICALS. 


ter  he  commenced  preaching,  and  in  1856  he  was  ordained  as  a 
gospel  minister,  entering  at  once  upon  this  work.  From  this 
until  1870,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  were  the  fields  of  his  labor, 
and  he  then  became  associate  editor  with  Dr.  A,  S.  "Worrell,  on 
the  staff  of  the  Baptist  Sentinel,  at  Lexington,  Ky.  In  1873  he 
removed  to  La  Grange,  Mo.,  and  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
church  there.  In  this  field  he  continued  some  seven  j^ears,  and 
removed  in  1880  to  St.  Louis. 

In  his  younger 
life  he  spent  two 
years  in  Clinton 
Seminary,  Ky., 
butill  health  com- 
pelled  him  to 
leave  school.  Af- 
ter this  he  spent 
much  time  in  the 
study  of  theolo- 
gy, the  sciences 
and  history. 

Dr.  Eay  has 
held  nearly  forty 
oral  discussions 
on  religious  ques- 
tions. In  this 
work  he  has  met 
some  of  the  ablest 
debators  among 
the  Methodists 
and  the  Disciples, 
commonly  called 
Campbell  ites. 
REV.  D.  B.  RAY,  D.D.  Among  tho  form- 

er, he  has  engaged  in  debate  with  J.  B.  McCutcheon  of  "West 
Tennessee;  Dr.  Gilford  Jones  of  Memphis,  Tennessee;  A.  H.Lee, 
G.  H.  Hays  and  C.  W.  Miller  of  Kentucky;  and  Jacob  Ditzler. 
Of  the  latter,  he  has  met  T.  W.  Karkey  of  Mississippi ;  J.  E. 
Mylcs  and  Samuel  A.  Kellej^  of  Kentucky;  Dr.  J.  A.  Lucas  of 
Missouri ;  W.  B.  F.  Treat  and  Aaron  Walker  of  Indiana,  and  D. 
R.  Lucas  of  Illinois.  These  discussions  have  often  been  folio  v?-- 
ed  by  revivals  of  religion,  "as  well  as  the  discomforture  of  his 
opponents." 


RELIGIOUS    PERIODICALS.  909 

But  this  is  only  one  element  of  Dr.  Eay's  life  in  the  ministry. 
He  has  done  much  of  what  we  call  itinerant  work,  holding  pro- 
tracted meetings,  in  which  he  has  been  more  than  ordinarily  suc- 
cessful— in  fact,  abundantly  so.  Some  three  thousand  souls  have 
been  converted  in  these  meetings,  and  of  this  number  about  twen- 
ty-five have  entered  the  ministry. 

He  is  an  author.  His  first  work,  Text  Book  on  Campbellism,  was 
published  in  1867,  and  has  passed  through  seven  editions,  and 
has  done  much  to  expose  the  errors  of  this  system.  He  next  is- 
sued in  1870,  Baptist  Succession,  which  is  a  most  useful  work,  and 
a  hand-book  of  Baptist  history.  This  book  is  in  its  ninth  edi- 
tion. His  Church  Discussion  contains  his  debate  with  theCamp- 
bellites. 

He  is  now  doing  a  heavy  work  as  proprietor  and  editor  of  the 
American  Baptist  Flag.  His  home  is  in  St.  Louis,  and  he  is  a  man 
of  acknowledged  ability  and  great  courage. 

Dr.  Ray  was  instrumental  in  the  formation  of  the  St.  Louis 
Baptist  Publishing  Companj-,  of  which  he  has  been,  from  the  be- 
ginning, the  president. 


CHAPTER  rV. 


PUBLICATION  INTEEESTS. 

The  St.  Louis  Branch  House  of  the  American  Baptist  Puhlication  Society — ^Lewis  E. 
Kline — The  St.  Louis  Baptist  Publishing  Company. 

THE  ST.  LOUIS  BKANCH  HOUSE. 

THIS  may,  very  properly,  be  enumerated  among  the  Baptist 
institutions  of  Missouri,  notwithstanding  its  ownership  is 
in  the  society  named,  and  it  is  designed  and  managed  alike  for 
the  benefit  of  the  denomination  in  all  the  states  and  territories 
to  which  its  work  and  influence  may  go.  But  Baptists  of  the  city 
of  St.  Louis,  foreseeing  and  believing  that  such  an  institution  as 
this,  located  permanently  here,  at  this  chief  central  metropolis 
of  the  great  valley  of  the  continent,  would  not  only  prove  a  use- 
ful agency  to  the  building  up  of  the  cause  at  home,  but  for  ex- 
tending and  strengthening  it  over  the  state  and  the  wide  country 
beyond,  wisely  accepted  a  proposition  made  by  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  through  its  board  in  Philadelphia, 
to  the  Baptists  in  St.  Louis,  and  raised  and  paid  over  to  that  so- 
ciety the  sum  of  $5,000.  This  secured  the  permanent  establish- 
ment of  a  branch  house  of  the  society  here  for  the  sale  of  the  so- 
ciety's publications  and  of  Baptist  literature  generally,  as  well 
as  to  constitute  a  center  from  which  colporteurage  and  Sunday- 
school  work  for  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  beyond  should  be  con- 
ducted. Baptists  of  this  field  may,  therefore,  properly  bo  consid- 
ered as  part  proprietors  of  the  institution,  inasmuch  as  they  have 
vested  as  well  as  beneficiary  interests  in  it.  And  no  one  small 
investment  made  by  Missouri  Baptists  has  probably  ever  done 
more  for  the  advancement  of  our  general  cause  in  the  state  and 
beyond  than  has  this. 

Rev.  G.  J.  Johnson,  D.D., — who  for  five  years  previously  had 
served  the  Publication  Society  as  its  western  secretary  from  an- 
other point  in  the  field,  was  now  called  to  St.  Louis,  and,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  duties  of  secretary  for  the  benevolent  and  missiionary 
work  of  the  society,  was  made  its  business  agent  and  depositary 
to  conduct  the  branch  house.  About  the  1st  of  November,  1868, 
the  Baptist  Book  Depository  of  St.  Louis  was  formally  opened, 


PUBLICATION   INTERESTS. 


Sll 


with  public  ceremonies,  including  addresses  by  Eev.  John  H. 
Luther,  D.D.,  then  editor  of  the  General  Baptist,  Drs.  A.  H.  Bur- 
lingham  and  A.  A.  Kendrick,  and  others,  then  pastors  in  St. 
Louis.  Four  most  reputable  lay  brethren  also,  all  of  whom  had 
given  the  most  liberally  for  the  enterprise — but  are  now  all  so  soon 
dead  and  gone — Marshall  Brotherton,  Wm.  M.  McPherson,  Thos. 
Pratt  and  Daniel  B.  Gale — were  present  and  participated.  The 
Central  Baptist,  always  true  to  the  movement,  and  the  other  Bap- 
tist papers  of  the  field,  by  their  efficient  advocacy,  gave  wide  ad- 
vertisement of  the  house,  and  thus  its  business  early  commenced. 
The  sales,  however,  for  the  first  four  months,  only  aggregated 
$2,356.38;  but  the  next  year,  1869-'70,  showed  a  grand  increase, 
it  now  footing  up  for  twelve  months, 
$24,373.75 ;  the  next  year,  $32,562.83; 
the  next,  $32,920.96 ;  then  $30,851.53;  ^^^ 
and  the  next,  the  jubilee  or  fiftieth   |||^^ 

year  of  the  society  and  the  fifth  of      " 

this  branch,  reaching  the  largest 
aggregate  of  sales  it  has  ever  at- 
tained, to-wit:  $36,140.72.  The  con- 
tinued and  increasingly  "hard 
times,"  that  have  since  followed 
and  oppressed  all  the  financial  af- 
fairs of  the  country,  have  measur- 
ably affected  the  business  of  this 
branch,  so  that  its  sales  have  not, 
for  the  last  five  years,  aggregated  so 
largely  as  in  the  jubilee  year.  And 
still  the  material  interests  of  the 
branch  have  not  weakened.  The 
area  of  its  trade  has  been  constantly 

widening  and  the  confidence  of  the  st.  louis  branch  house. 

denomination  in  it,  and  the  conviction  of  its  indispensableness  to 
our  interests  as  Baptists,  have  been  unceasingly  growing  and 
strengthening.  And — what  can,  perhaps,  be  said  of  no  other 
branch  house  of  the  society — this  has,  from  the  first,  steadily 
paid  its  expenses  and  also  added  meanwhile  somewhat  to  its 
capital,  so  that  its  stock  and  all  its  means  of  usefulness  have,  since 
the  opening,  been  much  enlarged. 

In  ten  years  its  sales  aggregated  over  $300,000,  and  the  grants, 
though  mainly  issued  from  the  parent  house  in  Philadelphia, 
passing  through  this  branch  on  the  way  to  the  beneficiaries,  have 


912  PUBLICATION   INTERESTS. 

footed  up,  for  publications  alone,  at  least  $25,000.  In  all,  during 
the  first  ten  years  of  its  existence,  through  this  branch  fully  one- 
third  of  a  million  of  dollars  of  Baptist  literature  has  gone  forth 
to  bless  the  world. 

Sometimes  a  single  tract,  costing  but  one  cent,  or  a  pamphlet, 
costing  only  five  cents,  has  been  the  means  of  the  conversion  of 
a  soul,  or  the  opening  of  the  eyes  of  a  mistaken  disciple  to  see 
the  errors  of  pedoism. 

"Wonderful  has  been  the  influence  of  this  more  than  $325,000 
worth  of  literature  going  out  in  Bibles,  Testaments,  tracts, 
pamphlets,  bound  volumes  large  and  small,  libraries,  Sunday- 
school  papers,  etc.,  etc.,  all  over  Missouri,  and  Southern  Illinois, 
and  Kentucky,  and  Iowa,  and  Kansas,  and  on  and  on  to  the  north 
boundary,  to  the  Pacific,  to  the  Gulf,  and  eastward  to  the  At- 
lantic. 

But  the  dissemination  of  a  scriptural  literature  is  not  all  of 
the  work  done  in  connection  with  this  branch  and  the  district  of 
which  it  is  the  centre  and  headquarters.  In  the  ten  years,  by 
contributions  of  individuals  and  churches  of  the  district,  $50,000 
have  been  collected  for  the  support  of  the  benevolent  and  mis- 
sionary work  of  the  society,  such  as  grants  of  publications,  for 
colporteurage  and  Sunday-school  work.  To  this  amount  the 
parent  society  has  always  added,  at  least,  as  much  more  in  ap- 
propriations for  this  work,  and  for  the  support  of  the  secre- 
tary and  collecting  agents,  making  $100,000  in  all,  expended 
here  in  this  service  during  the  first  ten  years  of  its  life. 

As  many  as  twenty-five  colporteurs  and  Sunday-school  mis- 
sionaries have  at  a  time  been  at  work  within  the  boundaries  of 
this  district,  receiving  their  supplies  from,  and  making  the  regu- 
lar reports  back  to  this  branch. 

After  a  little  more  than  twelve  years'  connection  with  the  Pub- 
lication Society,  as  its  district  secretary,  over  seven  of  which 
St.  Louis  had  been  his  headquarters,  and  during  this  last  period 
he  had  also  served  as  depositary  and  had  charge  of  the  branch 
house.  Dr.  Johnson  resigned  these  positions,  and  for  nearly 
three  years  gave  himself  to  an  educational  agency  for  Shurtleff 
College;  but  is  again  connected  with  the  society  at  the  parent 
house  in  Philadelphia,  as  its  general  missionary  secretary.  Of 
his  varied  work  and  the  extent  of  his  usefulness  while  in  our 
field,  all  well  know. 

Upon  the  retirement  of  Dr.  Johnson,  January  1, 1876,  the  only 
one  thought  of  as  successor  to  fill  the  place  of  depositary,  to 


PUBLICATION   INTERESTS. 


913 


have  charge  of  the  branch  house  and  conduct  the  business  of  the 
society,  was  Mr.  Lewis  E,  Kline,  who,  for  seven  years  had  al- 
ready served  here  under  his  predecessor,  as  chief  clerk  and  book- 
keeper of  the  branch,  and  who  had  always  been  found  compe- 
tent and  trustworthy.  Under  his  able  management,  the  past 
six  years,  the  business  has  advanced  pros2:)erously  and  success- 
fully, increasing  in  volume  and  in  field  of  operation. 

To  follow  a  man 
with  Dr.  John- 
son's reputation 
was  no  small  mat- 
ter, and  required 
rare  business 
tact;  and  further, 
since  his  retire- 
ment there  being 
really  no  district 
secretary  —  and 
hence  no  one  in 
the  field — it  was  a 
hard  task  to  keep 
up  the  business, 
much  more  to  in- 
crease it,  but  Mr. 
Kline  proved 
himself  fully  com- 
petent to  the  task. 
Without  the  usual  lewis  e.  kline. 

collegiate  preparation  for  such  work,  being  wholly  a  self-made 
man,  by  active,  persevering  and  strict  attention  to  business,  and 
often  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances,  he  has  succeeded 
far  beyond  the  expectations  of  the  most  sanguine  ;  much  of  the 
time  doing  the  work  of  two  men ;  always  at  his  post,  not  having 
been  out  of  the  store  one  day  from  1871  to  1877  inclusive,  and 
only  twenty-three  days  in  eleven  years,  and  twelve  of  these  were 
caused  by  sickness  brought  on  by  overwork.  Such  has  been 
this  man's  devotion  to  the  interests  of  his  patrons;  and  by  these 
methods  he  has  done  a  most  wonderful  work  through  the  St. 
Louis  Branch  House  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Soci- 
ety. By  straight-foi'ward,  fair  and  square  dealing  he  has  passed 
through  storms  and  fires  untouched  by  any  of  said  influences; 
in  fact,  "  by  virtue  of  his  course  he  is  a  monument  and  a  model 
58 


914  PUBLICATION   INTERESTS. 

of  patience,  perseverance,  pluck  and  discreet  judgment,"  and  is 
deservedly  one  of  the  most  universally  popular,  and  the  most 
highly  esteemed  of  business  men  in  the  Baptist  denomination  in 
the  West. 

Eev.  D.  T.  Morrill,  of  St,  Louis,  for  a  few  months  succeeded 
Dr.  Johnson  as  district  secretary  for  the  benevolent  department, 
for  the  collecting  of  funds  from  the  churches  for  missionary 
work,  but  soon  returned  to  his  preferred  work  as  pastor. 

Upon  Bro.  Morrill's  retirement,  Eev.  C.  E.  W.  Dobbs,  D.D., 
of  Bowling  Green,  Kentucky,  was  appointed,  who  also  retired 
in  a  few  weeks,  before  he  had  fairly  begun  the  work.  Since 
then,  January,  1877,  Mr.  Kline  has  been  acting  as  district  secre- 
tary; although  not  actively  prosecuting  this  department  of  the 
society's  work,  he  has  secured  some  handsome  donations  and  be- 
quests, so  that  while  this  department  has  not  been  actively  cul- 
tivated, it  has  not  altogether  gone  by  default. 

"  On  May  1,  1882,  the  depository  was  moved  into  the  new 
'Baptist  Headquarters,'  in  the  Dorris  Block,  No.  1109  Olive 
Street,  which  is  only  five  squares  due  north  of  the  "Union  De- 
pot. The  entire  building  has  been  leased  by  Mr.  Kline,  and 
the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  occupies  the  first  floor, 
which  has  been  elegantly  and  tastefully  fitted  up  for  its  purpose. 
The  Central  Baptist  office  is  on  the  second  floor  front  rooms.  On 
the  same  floor  may  be  found  the  office  of  the  Eev.  S.  W.  Mars- 
ton,  secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Society;  and  also  the  office 
of  Ford's  Christian  Repository.  The  third  floor  of  the  building  has 
been  generously  donated  by  Mr.  Kline  to  the  use  of  the  Minis- 
ters' Conference,  Ladies' Missionary  Society  Eooms,  &c."  (From 
Ford's  Christian  Repository,  June,  1882.) 

Altogether,  ''  Baptist  Headquarters,"  Xo.  1109  Olive  Street,  St. 
Louis,  are  conveniently  arranged  and  admirably  located  and 
suited  to  the  ends  of  their  establishment;  and  the  Baptists  from 
any  part  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  will  find  both  pleasure  and 
profit  in  visiting  them. 

THE  ST.  LOUIS  BAPTIST  PUBLISHING  COMPANY. 

On  the  16th  of  January,  1878,  David  B.  Eay,  James  B.  Weber 
and  John  M.  Eobinson  associated  themselves  together  under  the 
appellation  of  the  St.  Louis  Baptist  Publishing  Company,  lo- 
cated in  the  city  of  St.  Louis. 

By  the  articles  of  association,  the  objects  for  which  said  com- 
pany was  formed  were  declared  to  be  the  transaction  of  a  general 
book  and  job  printing  business,  the  publication  and  sale  of  books, 


PUBLICATION    INTERESTS.  915 

pamphlets,  tracts  and  periodicals.  In  his  preface  to  the  afore- 
said articles  of  association  the  president  says:  "The  vast  flood 
of  afiiliating  literature  which  is  overflowing  the  land,  makes  the 
establishment  of  our  publishing  company  a  necessity.  Latitudi- 
narianism  and  no-churchism  is  becoming  the  order  of  the  day. 
It  is  the  design  of  our  publishing  company  to  give  neither  aid 
nor  comfort  to  an  alien  gospel  or  alien  churches.  It  will  oppose 
alien  baptism,  alien  communion,  alien  ordination  and  an  alien 
pulpit.  While  others  publish  a  diluted,  mixed  or  perverted  gos- 
pel, it  will  be  the  province  of  our  company  to  publish  the  truth, 
the  whole  truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth  concerning  the  gospel 
kingdom  and  ordinances  of  Jesus  Christ." 

The  authorized  capital  stock  of  the  company  is  $15,000,  divi- 
ded into  six  hundred  shares  of  $25  each.  All  of  this  stock  is  now 
taken  except  about  $2,000. 

The  following  were  elected  ofiicers :  D.  B.  Ray,  president;  J. 
M.  Robinson,  vice-president,  and  J.  B.  Weber,  secretary  and 
treasurer ;  and  these  three  constituted  the  board  of  directors  for 
the  management  of  the  business. 

January  19, 1878,  the  company  was  duly  chartered  and  became 
a  body  politic  and  corporate,  under  the  name  as  given  above. 

In  June,  1881,  the  company  "  purchased  the  stereotype  plates 
and  the  entire  stock  of  books  of  the  Baptist  Publishing  House 
of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  removed  them  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.  This 
purchase  embraced  the  standard  works  of  the  old  firm  of  Graves, 
Marks  &  Co.,  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Sunday-school  Union,  and 
those  once  owned  by  the  Sunday-school  board  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  as  well  as  the  stock  of  plates  and  books  once 
owned  by  the  Southern  Baptist  Publication  Society  at  Memphis, 
Tennessee." 

Including  the  foregoing  purchase,  the  company  no"W  owns  the 
stereotype  plates  and  copyrights  of  more  than  one  hundred  re- 
ligious and  denominational  books,  also  about  forty  tract  plates, 
the  original  cost  of  all  of  which  was  more  than  $35,000.  The 
stock  of  books  included  in  the  aforesaid  purchase  was  invoiced, 
at  retail  prices,  at  more  than  $12,000. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  company's  existence  it  published 
about  60,000  copies  of  new  books. 

Important  changes  are  now  contemplated  by  the  company, 
among  which  is  the  increase  of  its  board  of  directors  from  three 
to  seven. 


CHAPTER  Y. 


THE  MISSOUEI  ''TEST  OATH." 

The  Oath — Its  Penalty — How  Eeceived  b}'  the  Denomination — Strictures  on,  by  Dr. 
W.   Pope    Yeaman — Decision  of  the  Supreme  Court   Thereon — Its  Abolition — 
— "Star  Chamber"  Notes — State  of  Society  in  1865  and  1866  —  Imprisonments 
,  — Indictments — Trials — ilurders,  «S:c. 

OX  the  6th  of  Januaiy,  1865,  the  State  Convention  met  in  St. 
Louis.  During  the  session  it  adopted  a  new  constitution, 
embodying  an  "  Oath  of  Loyalty,"  commonly  called  the  "  Test 
Oath,"  which  affected  men  of  all  professions,  and  of  all  official 
positions,  secular  and  religious.  The  3d  section  of  the  2d  arti- 
cle of  the  new  constitution  was  as  follows : 

"  At  any  election  held  by  the  people  under  this  constitution, 
or  in  pursuance  of  any  law  of  this  state,  or  under  any  ordinance 
or  by-law  of  any  municipal  corporation,  no  person  shall  be 
deemed  a  qualified  voter,  who  has  ever  been  in  armed  hostility 
to  the  United  States,  or  to  the  lawful  authorities  thereof,  or  to 
the  government  of  this  state;  or  has  ever  given  aid,  comfort, 
countenance,  or  support  to  persons  engaged  in  such  hostility; 
or  has  ever,  in  any  manner,  adhered  to  the  enemies,  foreign 
or  domestic,  of  the  United  States,  either  by  contributing  to  them, 
or  by  unlawfully  sending  within  their  lines,  money,  goods,  let- 
ters, or  information;  or  has  ever  disloyally  held  communication 
with  such  enoimies;  or  has  ever  advised  or  aided  any  person  to 
enter  the  service  of  such  enemies;  or  has  ever,  by  act  or  word, 
manifested  his  adherence  to  the  cause  of  such  enemies,  or  his 
desire  for  their  triumph  over  the  arms  of  the  United  States,  or 
his  sympathy  with  t^^ose  engaged  in  exciting  or  carrjnng  on  re- 
bellion against  the  United  States ;  or  has  ever,  except  under 
overpowering  compulsion,  submitted  to  the  authority,  or  been 
in  the  service  of  the  so-called  'Confederate  States  of  America,' 
with  the  purpose  of  adhering  to  said  states  or  armies  ;  or  has  ev- 
er been  a  member  of,  or  connected  with,  any  order,  society,  or 
organization  inimical  to  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
or  to  the  government  of  this  state;  or  has  ever  been  engaged  in 
guerilla  warfare  against  loyal  inhabitants  of  the  United  States, 


THE    MISSOURI    ''TEST    OATH.**  917 

Or  in  that  description  of  marauding  commonly  known  as  '  bush- 
whacking ;'  or  has  ever  knowingly  and  willingly  harbored,  aid- 
ed, or  countenanced  any  person  so  engaged;  or  has  ever  come 
into  or  left  this  state  for  the  jjurpose  of  avoiding  enrollment  for 
or  draft  into  the  military  service  of  the  United  States;  or  has 
ever,  with  a  view  to  enrollment  in  the  militia  of  this  state,  or  to 
escape  the  performance  of  duty  therein,  or  for  any  other  pur- 
pose, enrolled  himself,  or  authorized  himself  to  be  enrolled  by 
or  before  any  officer,  as  disloyal,  or  as  a  Southern  sympathizer, 
or  in  any  other  terms  indicating  his  disaffection  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  in  its  contest  with  rebellion,  or 
his  sympathy  with  those  engaged  in  such  rebellion;  or  having 
ever  voted  at  any  election  of  the  people  in  this  state,  or  any  other 
of  the  United  States,  or  in  any  of  their  territories,  or  held  office 
in  this  state,  or  in  any  other  of  the  United  States,  or  in  any  of 
their  territories,  or  under  the  United  States,  shall  thereafter 
have  sought  or  received,  under  claim  of  alienage,  the  protection 
of  any  foreign  government,  in  order  to"  secure  exemption  from 
military  duty,  in  the  militia  of  this  state,  or  in  the  army  of  the 
United  States;  nor  shall  such  person  be  capable  of  holding,  in 
this  state,  any  office  of  honor,  trust,  or  profit,  under  its  authority; 
or  of  being  an  officer,  councilman,  director,  trustee,  or  other  man- 
ager of  any  corporation,  public  or  private,  now  existing  or  here- 
after established  by  its  authority  ,  or  of  acting  as  a  professor  or 
teacher  in  any  educational  institution,  or  in  any  common  or 
other  school ;  or  of  holding  any  real  estate,  or  other  property, 
in  trust  for  any  church,  religious  society,  or  congregation.  But 
the  foregoing  provisions  in  relation  to  acts  done  against  the 
United  States  shall  not  apply  to  any  person  not  a  citizen  there- 
of, who  shall  have  committed  such  acts  while  in  the  service  of 
some  foreign  country  at  war  with  the  United  States,  and  who 
has,  since  such  acts,  been  naturalized,  or  may  hereafter  be  natu- 
ralized, under  the  laws  of  the  United  States;  and  the  oath  of 
loyalty  hereinafter  prescribed,  when  taken  by  such  person,  shall 
be  considered  as  taken  in  such  sense. 

"  Sec.  6.  The  oath  to  be  taken  as  aforesaid  shall  be  known  as 
the  Oath  of  Loyalty,  and  shall  be  in  the  following  terms  : 

"  '  I,  A.  B.,  do  solemnly  swear,  that  I  am  well  acquainted  with 
the  terms  of  the  third  section  of  the  second  article  of  the  con- 
stitution of  the  State  of  Missouri,  adopted  in  the  year  eighteen 
hundred  and  sixty-five,  and  have  carefully  considered  the  same; 


918  THE  MISSOURI    "  TEST   OATH." 

that  I  have  never,  directly  or  indirectly,  done  any  of  the  acts  in 
said  section  specified  ;  that  I  have  always  been  truly  and  loyally 
on  the  side  of  the  United  States  against  all  enemies  thereof,  for- 
eign and  domestic;  that  I  will  bear  true  faith  and  allegiance  to 
the  United  States,  and  will  support  the  constitution  and  laws 
thereof  as  the  supreme  law  of  the  land,  any  law  or  ordinance  of 
any  state  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding ;  that  I  will  to  the 
best  of  my  ability  protect  and  defend  the  union  of  the  United 
States,  and  not  allow  the  same  to  be  broken  up  and  dissolved, 
or  the  government  thereof  to  be  destroyed  or  overthrown,  un- 
der any  circumstances,  if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it;  that  I  will 
support  the  constitution  of  the  state  of  Missouri;  and  that  I 
make  this  oath  without  any  mental  reservation  or  evasion,  and 
hold  it  to  be  binding  on  me." 

The  ninth  section  of  the  second  article  relates  in  part  to  min- 
isters of  the  gospel,  and  is  as  follows: 

*'  Sec.  9.  No  person  shall  assume  the  duties  of  any  state,  coun- 
ty, city,  town  or  other  office,  to  which  he  maybe  appointed, oth- 
erwise than  by  a  vote  of  the  people  ;  nor  shall  any  person,  after 
the  expiration  of  sixty  days  after  this  constitution  takes  effect, 
be  permitted  to  practice  as  an  attorney  or  counsellor  at  lAw ; 
nor,  after  that  time,  shall  any  person  be  competent  as  a  bishop, 
priest,  deacon,  minister,  elder,  or  other  clergyman  of  any  relig- 
ious persuasion,  sect,  or  denomination,  to  teach,  or  preach,  or 
solemnize  marriages,  unless  such  person  shall  have  first  taken, 
subscribed  and  filed  said  oath."  {.Journal  of  the  Miswuri  State 
Convention,  Jan.  6-April  10,  1865,  pp.  258-'60.) 

But  the  reader  cannot  understand  this  subject  rightly  without 
section  fourteen,  which  fixes  the  penalty.  We  give  the  section 
in  full,  as  follows  : 

"Sec.  14.  Whoever  shall,  after  the  times  limited  in  the  sev- 
enth and  ninth  sections  of  this  article,  hold  or  exercise  any  of 
the  offices,  positions,  trusts,  professions,  or  functions  therein  spec- 
ified, without  having  taken,  subscribed,  and  filed  said  oath  of 
loyalty,  shall,  on  conviction  thereof,  be  punished  by  finenotless 
than  five  hundred  dollars,  or  by  imprisonment  in  the  county  jail 
not  less  than  six  months,  or  by  both  such  fine  and  imprisonment ; 
and  whoever  shall  take  said  oath  falsely,  by  swearing  or  by  af- 
firmation, shall,  on  conviction  thereof,  be  adjudged  guilty  of  per- 
jury, and  be  punished  by  imprisonment  in  the  penitentiary  not 
less  than  two  j'ears."  (Journal  of  the  Missouri  State  Convention,  Jan. 
-April,  1865,  p.  260.) 


THE    MISSOURI    "  TEST   OATH."  919 

Such  were  the  enactments  of  the  Missouri  State  Convention 
at  the  close  of  our  civil  war.  Said  acts  were  of  the  severest 
and  most  sweeping  character,  aflFecting  not  only  ordinary  citi- 
zenship, but  extending  into  all  the  official  relations  of  the  com- 
inonwealth,  both  secular  and  religious.  A  brief  history  of  the 
religious  feature  of  the  document  only,  we  shall,  however,  at- 
tempt. 

Upon  the  adoption  of  the  new  constitution  there  was  a  general 
outcry,  especially  among  the  different  religious  denominations, 
against  the  provisions  of  the  test  oath  or  oath  of  loyalty.  It  was 
regarded,  by  at  least  eight-tenths  of  the  people,  as  a  deadly 
thrust  at  the  dearly  bought  and  long  cherished  privilege — the 
liberty  of  conscience — and  was  hence,  in  violation  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States.  The  General  Association,  and  also 
many  of  the  district  associations  of  the  state,  published  their 
unqualified  disapproval  of  the  proscriptive  features  of  the  new 
constitution.  The  Missouri  Baptist  State  Convention  and  several 
district  associations  endorsed  the  test  oath,  the  convention  declar- 
ing those  only  who  took  the  oath  as  qualified  to  preach  the  gospel. 
There  were  at  this  time  about  five  hundred  Baptist  ministers  in 
Missouri,  some  fifty  of  whom,  with  about  the  same  proportion  of 
churches  and  church  members,  supported  the  state  convention 
and  the  test  oath.*  The  eight  or  nine-tenths  of  the  denomination, 
on  the  other  hand,  condemned  the  oath  as  an  infringement  of  the 
inalienable  and  guaranteed  right  of  American  citizens  to  worship 
Grod  without  molestation  or  dictation  from  the  civil  powers, 
and  also  as  in  violation  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States. 
They  regarded  the  instrument  as  a  persecuting  document,  and 
with  great  earnestness  and  determination  worked,  in  all  honor- 
able ways,  to  secure  its  repeal  or  amendment.  Great  numbers 
of  the  ministry,  believing  that  they  ''  ought  to  obey  God  rather 
than  man,"  not  a  few  of  whom  were  "Union  men,"  never  having 
been  in  hostility  to  the  government  of  the  United  States,  nor 
even  regarded  as  "  Southern  sympathizers,"  continued  preach- 
ing as  before,  without  taking  the  oath  aforesaid,  and  were  conse- 
quently indicted  by  the  grand  juries  of  their  respective  districts, 
not  a  few  of  whom  were  incarcerated  in  the  prisons  for  this  of- 
fence. 

*  "  Before  the  war  there  were  in  this  state  450  Baptist  ministers  and  750  Baptist 
churches,  having  45,000  members  ;  now  there  are,  perhaps,  50  qualified  ministers  and 
100  churches  holding  regular  services. "  (First  Annual  Eeport  [Missouri  Baptist  State 
Convention,  1865,  p.  10.)  It  is  upon  this  authority  that  we  make  the  above  statement 
as  to  the  number  of  ministers  who  supported  the  new  constitution  and  oath. 


920  THE    MISSOURI    "  TEST   OATH." 

"Time  will  decide  whether  the  sudden  convulsion  of  society 
which  broke  up  the  homes  and  relations  of  a  contented  peasant- 
ry and  made  it  a  prey  to  vice,  vagrancy  and  oppressive  compe- 
tition, was  really  a  work  of  God  and  humanity,  or  the  work  of 
the  devil.  History,  too,  as  time  advances,  will  decide  the  moral 
quality  of  the  act  of  that  convention  which  closed  hundreds  of 
churches,  drove  their  preachers  from  their  flocks  and  imprisoned 
and  murdered  pastors  in  the  discharge  of  their  spiritual  duties. 
*    *    * 

"  The  acts  of  that  dark  oath  period  are  a  part  of  history  which 
partisan  religion  cannot  expunge.  In  the  records  at  Washing- 
ton, and  in  the  clerk's  offices  of  a  hundred  counties  in  Missouri, 
there  is  the  painful,  shameful  testimony  that  in  the  nineteenth 
century,  in  'free  Missouri,' men  did  suffer  for  conscience  sake. 
It  is  vain  to  say  that  there  was  no  persecution  because  the  oath 
was  binding  upon  men  of  every  sect.  There  was  a  distinction, 
and  it  was  in  favor  of  those  who  acknowledged  the  right  of  the 
state  to  manage  ecclesiastical  affairs.  To  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses there  was  a  state  church,  a  court  party,  a  sect,  if  you  please, 
recognizing  in  Caesar,  rather  than  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  head  of 
religion."  (Eev,  J.  H.  Luther,  editorial  in  Missouri  Baptist  Jour- 
nal, Vol.  II,  No.  30.) 

As  no  one  could  hold  a  civil  office  in  the  state  without  having 
taken  the  oath,  the  offices  were  filled  with  men  absolutely  in 
sj^mpathy  with  the  new  test  (there  were,  however,  some  noble 
exceptions).  This  fact  at  once  placed  the  opponents  of  the  oath 
at  some  disadvantage.  The  particular  friends  of  the  new  consti- 
tution seemed  to  be  determined  that  said  instrument  should  be 
respected  and  obeyed  in  all  its  sections;  while  the  masses  of  the 
people,  especially  of  the  church  goers,  were  equally  zealous  in 
their  opposition  to  its  unconstitutional  and  persecuting  features. 
The  sequel  showed  who  were  right  in  this  contest. 

The  case  being  an  important  one,  we  submit  a  summary  of  the 
argument  from  the  pen  of  Eev.  W.  Pope  Teaman,  D.D. — then  of 
Kentucky — published  in  the  Baptist  Monthly,  edited  by  W.  Pope 
Yeaman  and  Geo.  Varden,  at  Covington,  Ky.  The  article  is  en- 
titled "  Strictures  on  the  Missouri  Constitution"  {Baptist  Monthly, 
1865,  Vol.  I,  pp.  161-'9): 

"The  new  constitution  of  the  state  of  Missouri,  forced  upon  the 
people  of  the  state  without  their  consent,  is  nothing  more  than  a 
systematic  oppression  and  persecution  of  the  ministry  of  the  gos- 
pel, under  color  of  law.     The  spirit  and  letter  of  the  document 


IHE    MISSOURI   "  TEST   OATH.**  d2l 

clearly  evince  the  character  of  its  authors — ignorance,  fanaticism 
and  narrow-mindedness  being  the  chief  characteristics  of  those 
who  composed  the  bogus  constitutional  convention.  The  prac- 
tical operations  of  the  constitution  are  subversive  of  the  interests 
of  government  and  society.  The  design  of  all  organic  law  should 
be  the  interest  and  happiness  of  those  who  are  to  be  affected  by 
it;  but  such  was  evidently  not  the  design  of  those  who  have  the 
infamy  of  the  authorship  of  the  new  constitution  of  Missouri. 
Its  design  is  to  force  a  certain  condition  of  society  and  to  pro- 
mote the  interests  of  those  who  are  for  a  radical  revolution  in 
the  social  status  of  the  state.  It  undertakes  to  do  what  no  other 
constitution  in  this  country  has  ever  undertaken,  that  is,  to  es- 
tablish political  tests  of  qualifications  for  the  ordinary  pursuits 
of  life.  No  man  can  practice  law,  teach  school  or  preach  the 
gospel  who  does  not  first  swear  himself  into  the  radical  party 
of  revolutionists. 

"We  propose  to  notice  only  so  much  of  the  constitution  as  af- 
fects the  cause  of  Christ  and  His  ministry. 

"Now,  what  is  the  character  of  the  oath  required  by  the  con- 
stitution ?  Is  it  to  discharge  faithfully  the  duties  of  the  position 
assumed  by  the  party  taking  the  oath  ?  No  ;  but  it  is  to  the  ef- 
fect that  he  has  never  entertained  any  thought  or  expressed  any 
opinion  in  conflict  with  the  dominant  sentiment  of  the  con- 
vention who  framed  the  constitution.  *****  Passing 
from  so  minute  a  notice  of  the  bungling  edict  of  the  Missouri 
Sanhedrim,  we  shall  present  our  thoughts  in  the  shape  of  rea- 
sons why  the  ministry  of  Missouri  should  not  submit  to  the  de- 
mands of  the  constitution  so  far  as  to  take  the  prescribed  oath, 
and, 

"1st.  Because  the  so-called  constitution  of  Missouri  is  in  con- 
flict with  the  constitution  of  the  United  States. 

"The  test  oath  of  the  Missouri  constitution  is  an  ex  post  facto 
law,  hence  contravenes  the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  United 
States.  Section  10  of  article  1  of  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States  reads  thus:  'No  state  *  *  *  *  shall  pass  any  bill  of 
attainder,  ex  post  facto  law,  or  law  impairing  the  obligations  of 
contracts.'  What  is  an  ex  post  facto  law?  A  law  which  makes 
acts  punishable  which  were  not  so  at  the  time  of  their  commission. 
The  learned  Sergent  says  :  'An  ex  jJost  facto  law,  in  criminal  cas- 
es, consists  in  declaring  an  act  penal  or  criminal  which  was 
innocent  when  done,  or  in  raising  the  grade  of  an  offense, 
making  it  greater  than  it  was  when  committed,  or  increasing  the 


922  THE    MISSOURI    "  TEST    OATH." 

punishment  after  the  commission  of  the  offense.'  In  Cranch's  Re- 
ports we  find  this  definition  :  'An  ex  post  facto  law  is  one  that  ren- 
ders an  act  punishable  in  a  manner  in  which  it  was  not  punisha- 
ble at  the  time  it  was  committed.'  Of  this,  Kent  in  his  com- 
mentaries says,  'This  definition  is  distinguished  for  its  compre- 
hensive brevity  and  precision,' 

"Now,  to  have  sympathy  with  'those'  in  rebellion  against  the 
United  States  is  not  defined  anywhere  as  a  crime,  and  no  form 
of  punishment  has  been  provided  for  it.  Neither  is  it  laid  down 
as  a  crime  to  'contribute'  to  'those'  in  rebellion.  It  is  a  crime  to 
give  'material  aid  and  comfort  to  the  enemies  of  the  United 
States,'  but  material  aid  and  comfort  is  to  contribute  to  the  facil- 
ities and  resources  for  carrying  on  hostilities ;  it  does  not  em- 
brace acts  of  humanity  to  'those'  who  are  engaged  in  hostilities; 
it  is  even  admissible  for  one  army  to  feed  the  hungry  and  fam- 
ishing of  another,  Johnson's  army  received  rations  for  ten  days 
from  Sherman's  army  before  the  final  surrender  of  the  former. 
It  may  be  contended  that '  sympathy  is  treason,'  and  that  treason 
is  punishable.  The  constitution  of  the  United  States  does  not 
make  sympathy  treason,  '  Treason  against  the  United  States 
shall  consist  only  in  levying  war  against  them,  or  in  adhering  to 
their  enemies,  giving  them  aid  and  comfort,  No  person  shall  be 
convicted  of  treason  unless  on  the  testimony  of  two  witnesses 
to  the  same  overt  act,'  (^Constitution  of  United  States,  Sec.  3,  Art. 
3.)  Sympathy  is  no  overt  act,  neither  is  it  adherence,  for  that 
must  be  by  an  overt  act.  A  man  may  have  sympathy,  but  his 
sense  of  duty  to  his  country  and  its  laws  may  restrain  him  from 
such  a  manifestation  of  that  sympathy  as  would  work  the  injury 
of  his  government.  To  this  it  may  be  objected  that  the  consti- 
tution of  Missouri  reads,  '  has  ever  expressed  by  act  or  word  his 
sympathy,'  But  so  vague  and  ambiguous  is  this  language,  that 
room  is  given  for  vindictive  and  corrupt  courts  and  juries  to  de- 
cide that  a  motion  of  the  lips  or  a  batting  of  the  eye  are  '  acts' 
expressive  of  sympathy  ;  or  that  a  word  of  disapproval  of  some 
of  the  doings  and  policy  of  the  administration  in  carrying  on 
the  war  was  adhering  to  the  enemies  of  the  United  States,  while 
every  lawyer  whose  legal  opinions  are  unaffected  by  political 
prejudice  knows  better.  A  man  may  be  devoutly  loj'al  to  his 
government,  and  yet  condemn  the  doings  of  some  of  its  public 
functionaries. 

"  The  constitution  of  Missouri  proposes  to  disfranchise  and 
expatriate  all  persons  who  befo7'e  the  adoption  of  the  constitu- 


THE    MISSOURI    "  TEST    OATH."  923 

tion  had  ever  thought,  done  or  said  certain  things,  the  thinking, 
doing  or  saying  of  which  were  not  punishable  at  the  time  they 
were  committed ;  and  even  if  they  were  in  any  manner  punish- 
able, it  was  not  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  the  said  constitu- 
tion. The  constitution,  therefore,  makes  laws  ex  post  facto,  and 
they  are  not  binding,  either  in  law  or  morals,  upon  the  people 
of  the  state. 

"  2.  Because  the  Missouri  constitution  is  in  conflict  with  the 
laws  of  Christ's  kingdom. 

"No  earthly  power,  civil  or  military,  has  the  right  to  prescribe 
tests  and  qualifications  for  the  Christian  ministry.  Those  who 
are  legitimately  Christ's  ministers  are  called  to  the  work  by  Him. 
They  are  His  ambassadors.  He  has  them  set  apart  to  the  work 
of  His  own  laws,  executed  by  His  own  people.  To  undertake, 
by  civil  or  military  authority,  to  interfere  with  the  ambassadors 
of  Christ,  as  such,  is  to  be  guilty  of  sheerest  blasphemy.  While 
it  is  the  duty  of  every  citizen  to  live  in  obedience  to  the  laws  of 
his  state,  so  long  as  they  do  not  conflict  with  the  laws  of  Grod,  it 
is  not  his  duty  to  obey  them  when  they  transcend  human  author- 
ity and  encroach  upon  the  rights  of  Heaven;  indeed,  if  he  render 
himself  in  willing  obedience  to  such  laws,  he  transgresses  the  will 
of  Grod  and  dishonors  Him.  For  to  lay  aside  the  authority  of 
God  in  acknowledging  that  human  tribunals  have  the  right  to 
define  the  qualifications  of  His  ministers,  is  exceedingly  dishon- 
orable to  Him.  Submission  to  the  extraordinary  requisitions  of 
the  Missouri  convention  would  be  the  establishment  of  a  prece- 
dent the  practical  operations  of  which  are  subversive  of  the  in- 
terests,  glory  and  authority  of  Christ's  kingdom.  It  would  be  to 
admit  that  legislatures  and  conventions  for  making  constitutions 
have  the  right  to  legislate  upon  things  belonging  solely  to  Christ. 
Let  this  admission  be  once  made,  and  wicked  men,  so  many  of 
whom  are  now  in  power,  would  hail  it  as  the  key-note  to  the 
church's  funeral  dirge,  for  in  the  precedent  they  would  find  a 
license  for  still  further  interference  with  the  churches  and  the 
ministry.  And  this  license  will  be  used  in  secularizing  the 
churches,  and  each  revolution  in  the  political  status  of  the  state 
would  produce  its  corresponding  revolution  in  the  secular  char- 
acter of  the  churches. 

"The  first  preachers  of  the  gospel,  after  the  Ascension,  recog- 
nized the  supreme  authority  of  Christ  in  all  things  pertaining  to 
His  kingdom,  and  when  earthly  tribunals  sought  to  interfere 
with  them  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties  to  Christ,  they  boldly 


924  THE    MISSOURI    "TEST   OATH/' 

refused  to  submit  to  their  mandates.  The  Sanhedrim  at  Jerusa- 
lem, after  consultation  over  the  case  of  Peter  and  John,  had  them 
called  back  into  their  presence,  'and  commanded  them  not  to 
speak  at  all,  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus.'  To  which  Peter 
responded  :  '  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken 
unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye  j  for  we  cannot  but  speak 
the  things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard.'  (Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles, 4;  19,  20.)  And  they  continued  to  preach  in  the  name  of  Je- 
sus. After  the  miraculous  death  of  Ananias,  the  apostles  were 
again  arrested  and  brought  before  the  Sanhedrim,  and  the  high 
priest  asked  them,  saying:  'Did  we  not  straitly  command  you 
that  you  should  not  teach  in  this  name?  And,  behold,  ye  have  fill- 
ed Jerusalem  with  your  doctrine,  and  intend  to  bring  this  man's 
blood  upon  us.'  To  this  the  apostles  replied:  'We  ought  to  obey 
God  rather  than  man.'  (Acts  of  the  Apostles,  5  ;  28,  29.)  The 
Sanhedrim  of  the  Jews  certainly  had  as  much  authority  over  the 
people  of  Jerusalem  as  the  recent  convention  of  Missouri  had 
over  the  people  of  that  state.  Yet  the  apostles  of  Christ  set  His 
authority  far  above  that  of  the  Sanhedrim. 

"We  have  another  case  of  later  times  in  which  holy  men  re- 
fused to  submit  to  laws  subversive  of  the  laws  of  Christ,  In  the 
time  of  Charles  II.  an  oath  was  established,  called  'an  oath  of 
parliament,'  in  the  body  of  the  act  called  '  an  oath  of  allegiance.' 
'A  strange  frenzy  of  extravagant  loyalty,'  saj'S  Hetherington, 
'seized  upon  the  whole  kingdom  like  an  uncontrollable  epidem- 
ic. The  result  of  this  frenzy  was  the  proposal  of  the  oath  of  al- 
legiance, in  which  occur  the  following  affirmations:  I  acknowl- 
edge my  said  sovereign  only  supreme  governor  of  this  kingdom, 
over  all  persons  and  in  all  cases,  and  shall,  to  my  utmost  power, 
defend,  assist  and  maintain  his  majesty's  jurisdiction  aforesaid 
against  all  enemies,  and  never  decline  his  majesty's  power  and 
jurisdiction.'  As  all  can  see,  these  clauses  admitted  of  a  double 
interpretation.  The  covenanters  would  not  have  objected  to 
them  had  their  meaning  applied  to  civil  matters  alone,  but  no 
such  limitation  was  specified,  and  the  first  might  have  been  con- 
strued into  an  admission  of  the  king's  supremacy  in  ecclesiasti- 
cal as  well  as  civil  matters. 

"  This  action  of  the  British  parliament,  though  nothing  like  so 
bold  as  the  action  of  the  Missouri  convention,  was  the  occasion 
for  the  beginning  of  the  struggle  between  the  Scotch  church  and 
the  advisors  of  Charles  II.,  which  did  not  end  for  about  twenty- 
eight  years,  nor  until  about  eighteen  thousand  had  sufi'ered  death, 


THE    MISSOURI    "  TEST    OATH."  925 

slavery,  exile  and  imprisonment,  simply  for  adhering  to  the  prin- 
ciple that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  sole  Head  and  King  of  the 
church,  and  that  His  government  therein  is  distinct  from  that  of 
civil  magistrates.  The  permission  to  preach  on  condition  of 
taking  the  oath  recognizing  the  king's  sujDremacy  was  offered  to 
a  Mr.  Blair,  minister  at  Galiton,  who  took  the  paper  in  his  hand, 
saying,  'My  lord  chancellor,  I  cannot  be  so  uncivil  as  to  refuse 
a  paper  offered  to  me  by  your  lordship,'  then,  letting  the  paper 
fall  to  the  ground,  he  added,  'but  I  can  receive  no  instructions 
from  you  for  regulating  the  exercise  of  my  ministry;  for  if  I 
should  receive  instructions  from  you,  I  should  be  your  embassa- 
dor, not  Christ's.'  Por  this  he  was  thrown  into  a  county  jail, 
where  he  died. 

"  We  might  come  down  to  later  times  and  call  attention  to  a 
Waller,  a  Craig  and  a  Childs,  in  Virginia,  who,  only  about  a  century 
ago,  in  the  county  of  Spottsylvania,  were  seized  by  the  sheriff 
and  hauled  before  three  magistrates,  who  bound  them  in  the  pen- 
alty of  one  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco  to  appear  at  court  two 
days  after.  At  court  they  were  arraigned  as  disturbers  of  the 
peace,  and  after  they  had  been  fiercely  accused,  the  court  offered 
to  release  them  if  they  would  preach  no  more  in  the  county  for  a 
year  and  a  day.  Refusing  to  do  this,  they  were  sent  into  close 
jail.  As  they  were  moving  on  from  the  court-house  to  the  prison 
through  the  streets  of  Fredericksburg  they  sang  the  hymn, 
"  'Broad  is  tlie  road  that  leads  to  death,'  &c. 

"This  solemn  procession  and  this  bold  and  fearless  conduct  on 
the  part  of  men  who  were  conscious  of  having  committed  no 
wrong,  produced  a  prodigious  effect  upon  all  who  witnessed  the 
same,  and  had  a  powerful  reaction  for  the  cause  for  which  they 
suffered. 

"Lewis  Craig  was  soon  released  from  prison,  but  Waller  and 
others  continued  there  forty-three  days,  and  constantly  preach- 
ed through  the  prison  grates.  The  mob  without  used  every  eff- 
ort to  prevent  them,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  These  fearless  and 
faithful  men  of  God  were  released  from  prison  unconditionally." 

The  constitutionality  of  the  "  oath  of  loyalty,"  was  at  last, 
tested  before  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  whose  de- 
cision was  rendered  January  14,  1867.  The  opinion  of  the  court 
was  delivered  by  Associate  Justice  Field  who  confirmed  the  ar- 
guments previously  so  ably  made  by  Dr.  Yeaman. 

At  the  time  this  decision  was  rendered  and  published,  numbers 
of  ministers  in  the  state  were  under  bonds  awaiting  a  trial  for 


926  THE    MISSOURI    ''  TEST   OATH." 

preaching  without  taking  the  oath  aforesaid.  All  such  cases 
were  at  once  dismissed  and  there  was  general  rejoicing  over  the 
land. 

STATE  OF  SOCIETY  EST  MISSOURI  DTJEING  THE  REIGN  OF  THE 

TEST  OATH. 
STAR  CHAMBER  NOTES. 

Under  this  head  we  shall  group  a  number  of  thrilling  inci- 
dents which  occurred  mostly  during  the  year  1866,  while  the 
Test  Oath  was  in  force,  illustrative  of  the  condition  of  society 
in  Missouri  resulting  from  the  attempt  to  incorporate  that  "  un- 
precedented" document  into  the  fundamental  law  of  the  com- 
monwealth. 

Of  the  Star  Chamber,  Eev.  J.  H.  Luther,  then  editor  of  the 
Missouri  Baptist  Journal,  said  : 

The  court  of  the  Star  Chamber,  so  called  from  the  gilded  stars  on  the  ceiling  of  the 
old  council  chamber  of  the  palace  of  Westminster,  in  which  it  sat,  was  a  tribunal  fa- 
mous in  the  history  of  England.  Mention  is  made  of  it  as  early  as  the  reign  of  Edward 
III.  The  statute  of  Henry  VII.  (1488)  placed  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court  on  a  prom- 
inent basis,  by  appointing,  as  its  officers,  a  bishop,  a  temporal  lord  and  two  justices. 
This  court  took  cognizance  of  riots,  perjurj',  misbehavior  of  sheriffs,  &c.  It  always 
proceeded  without  the  assistance  of  a  jury.  It  continued  under  the  Tudors,  in  spite 
of  restraining  statutes,  to  exercise  a  jurisdiction  which  gradually  rendered  it  one  of  the 
most  odious  instruments  in  overthrowing  the  liberties  of  the  people.  To  such  an  ex- 
tent was  its  authority  stretched  under  the  Stuiirts,  that,  according  to  Clarendon,  any 
disrespect  to  any  acts  of  state,  or  to  the  persons  of  statesmen,  was  in  no  time  more 
penal,  and  the  foundations  of  right  never  in  more  danger  of  being  destroj'ed.  The 
mode  of  process  was  generalh*  by  information  iiled  at  the  suit  of  the  attorney  general ; 
or,  in  certain  cases,  of  a  private  relator,  and  in  other  respects  resembled  that  familiar 
to  the  court  of  chancery.  Although  the  court  was  held  incompetent  to  pronounce 
sentence  of  death,  lines,  imprisonments,  the  pillory,  whipping,  branding  and  various 
species  of  maiming,  were  freely  resorted  to ;  and  "  the  greater  certainty  of  conviction," 
says  Hallam,  "ancl  the  greater  severity  of  the  punishment,  rendered  it  incomparably 
more  formidable  than  the  ordinar3' benches  of  justice."  [Mo.  Bap.  Jour.,  Vol.  I, 
No.  3G.) 

Rev  .1.  H.  Luther,  editor  of  the  Missoui-i  Baptist  Journal,  was  this  (Thursday) 
morning  visited  by  the  sheriff'  of  Marion  County,  and  required  to  give  bond  in  the 
sum  of  ^1,000,  to  appear  before  the  judge  of  the  circuit  court  on  the  fourth  Monday 
in  July  next,  to  answer  the  charge  of  preaching  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  without  re- 
ordination  at  the  hands  of  the  commissioner  ot  the  state  church,  resident  in  the  coun- 
ty aforesaid. 

Since  writing  the  above,  we  learn  that  Rev.  H.  A.  Bourland  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  Rev.  Janics  S.  Green,  Baptist,  have  been  waited  upon  by  the  sheriff,  and  both 
required  to  give  similar  bonds. 

When  such  men  are  the  victims  of  s?<c/i- grand  juries,  and  at  the  mercy  of  such  offi- 
cials, what  may  we  hope  for  the  future  ?     (Palmyrn  Spectator.) 

We  learn  through  a  private  letter  that  Eld.  A.  P.  Williams  was  to  start  last  week 
for  Marshall,  Saline  County,  to  be  put  on  trial  for  preaching  the  gospel.  Eld.  W.  J. 
Patricic's  trial  will  come  oft'  next  Monday  week  in  Paris,  Monroe  County.  He  is  to 
be  defended  by  eminent  counsel  from  St.  Louis.     {Mo.  Bap.  Jour.,  Vol.  I,  No.  18.) 

A   SEMI-CENTENNARIAN   MALTREATED. 

On  the  10th  inst.,  Rev.  B.  F.  Kenny,  a  distinguished  Baptist  clergyman,  of  Daviess 
("bounty,  was  arrested  on  three  indictments  found  against  lum  by  a  Radical  Grand  Ju- 
ry of  that  count}',  for  the  crime  of  preaching  the  gospel  without  first  having  taken  the 


THK    MISSOURI    "TEST    OATH."  927 

infamous  new  constitution  oatli.  Mi*.  Kenny  is  sixty-one  years  of  age,  has  been  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel  for  forty  years,  is  a  most  exemplary  man  and  Christian,  and 
one  of  the  most  learned  and  eloquent  divines  in  the  country.  The  brutahty  of  the  of- 
ficer arresting  him  is  in  keeping  Avith  the  character  of  the  charge.  Mr.  Kenny  was 
arrested  at  his  home,  after  sunset,  and  notwithstanding  his  age  and  his  protest  against 
the  brutality,  was  compelled  to  ride  ten  miles  to  Galla'tin  in  the  dark.  He  was  releas- 
ed next  morning  on  bail,  to  answer  at  the  next  term  of  the  circuit  court  for  his 
crime.     {Mo.  Rep.  in  Mo.  Bap.  Jour.  Vol.  I,  JSTo.  18.) 


GOSPEL    MINISTERS    ON   THE    CRIMINAL   DOCKET. 

The  regular  tenn  of  the  circuit  court  for  Marion  Coimty  is  now  in  session  in  Palmyra, 
The  criniinal  docket  is  large,  and  diflers  somewhat  from  the  dockets  of  former  years. 
Among  the  criminals  are  fourteen  ministers,  charged  with  preaching  the  gospel  with- 
out first  obtaining  permission  from  the  state.  Their  names  are  scattered  through 
the  docket  with  those  of  thieves,  unlawful  liquor  venders,  horse  thieves  and  adulterers. 
Considering  that  their  guilt  is  acknowledged  by  themselves,  and  attested  by  thousands, 
they  enjoy  a  remarkable  degree  of  freedom,  and  stand  in  high  repute  not  only  among 
traitors  (so-called),  but  among  the  friends  of  the  state  church.  J3y  a  wonderful  con- 
cert of  action  among  the  oflScers  of  the  law  and  an  acquiescence  on  the  part  of  the 
"disloyal"  preachers,  the  cases  were  continued.     {Mo.  Bap.  Jour.  Vol.  I,  No.  30.) 


Bro.  Lion  writes  to  the  Herald  from  Carrollton : 

The  Grand  Jury  convened  at  the  late  circuit  court  held  in  this  coimty,  indicted  five 
preachers  for  having  failed  to  take  the  convention  oath,  and  in  violation  of  it,  contin- 
ued to  preach.  They  are  members  of  the  following  denominations:  One  Reformer, 
one  Methodist  and  three  Baptists — one  of  wliom  is  _your  correspondent.  We  are,  per- 
haps, indebted  to  the  courtesy  of  thq  sheriff  for  our  freedom  from  arrest  thus  far,  who, 
I  understand,  has  determined  to  delay  as  long  as  he  can,  without  being  guilty  of  neg- 
lecting ofiicial  duty.  Comparatively  few  of  the  ministers  of  any  denomination  have 
taken  the  oath,  and  public  sentiment  in  opposition  to  it  is  daily  augmenting.  We  do 
not,  therefore,  now  apprehend  any  very  serious  consequences  from  the  indictments. 
{Republican,  in  3Io.  Bap.  Jour.,  Yol.  I,  No.  30.) 


FREE    CHURCH — FREE    STATE. 


Rev.  Mr.  Devlin  informs  the  Daviess  Coimty  Torch-Light  that,  on  Sunday,  the  12th 
inst.,  he  repaired  to  the  meeting-house  on  Geis'  Creek,  Gentry  County,  for  the  purpose 
of  fulfilling  his  regular  appointment  to  preach.  He  had  not  been  at  the  place  long 
when  a  crowd  of  young  men  came,  who  gave  him  orders  not  to  preach,  closed  the 
church-doors  and' ordered  him  to  leave,  which  he  did  to  avoid  personal  injury. 


ARREST    OF    ELD.    VARDEMAN — COPY    OF    THE    WRIT. 

Staie  of  Missouri,        \ 

Coimty  of  Lincoln.      / 

The  State  of  Missouri  to  the  Sheriff  of  St.  Charles: — These  command  you  to  take 
Wm.  Vardeman,  if  he  be  found  in  your  county,  and  him  so  taken,  you  safely  keep, 
so  that  you  have  his  body  before  the  judge  of  our  circuit  court,  on  the  first  day  of  the 
next  term  thereof,  which  will  be  begun  and  held  at  the  court-house,  in  the  town  of 
Troy,  in  and  for  said  coimty  of  Lincoln,  on  the  first  Monday  in  October  next,  then  and 
there  to  answer  an  indictment  preferred  against  him  by  the  state  of  Missouri,  for 
preaching  without  taking  the  oath. 

And  have  you  then  and  there  this  witness,  Alexander  H.  Martin,  clerk  of  our  said 
circuit  court,  with  the  seal  thereof  affixed,  at  office  in  Troy,  this  1st  day  of  July,  A.  D. 
1866.  A.  H.  Martin,  Clerk. 

{Mo.  Bap.  Jour.,  Vol.  J,  No.  37.) 


ELDER    PRICE. 

As  some  of  the  papers  have  given  currency  to  an-  incorrect  rumor  to  the  effect  that 


928  THE    MISSOURI   "  TEST   OATH." 

Bro.  Price  had  died  from  wounds  received  at  the  hands  of  his  persecutors,  we  publish 
the  following  extracts  from  a  private  Letter  just  received : 

On  the  3d  of  September  Bro,  Price  came  to  a  meeting  at  Mt.  Zion  Church,  near 
Plattsburg,  in  Clinton  County,  I  heard  him  preach  twice,  and  he  expected  still  to 
preuch.  I  was  with  him  three  or  four  du^-s.  His  relation  of  the  atiair  was  about  tlais : 
A  short  time  after  the  disturbance  at  church  (when  one  man  was  killed  and  another 
dangerously  wounded),  some  ten  or  fifteen  men  came  to  his  house  late  in  the  night. 
Pinding  that  they  were  determined  to  enter  the  house,  he  opened  the  door.  They 
seized  him  and  began  dragging  him  from  the  house.  He  requested  them  if  they  in- 
tended killing  him  to  do  it  there  and  not  take  him  away  where  perhaps  friends  could 
not  find  his  body.  He  was  dragged  by  force  to  the  woods  near  by.  They  then  began 
to  beat  him  with  their  pistols — striking  him  on  the  head  and  in  the  side.  They  then 
took  brush  and  hit  him  several  blows,  after  which  he  was  asked — "  Will  you  leave  if 
we  will  release  you  ?"  He  replied,  "  I  will."  "  How  long  before  you  will  leave  ?" 
"As  soon  as  I  can  arrange  my  business." 

He  was  given  two  days.  He  immediately  sold  his  little  farm  and  left ;  and  when  I 
saw  him  he  expected  to  locate  in  the  northern  part  of  Clay  County.  The  whipping 
did  not  hurt  him  seriously,  but  the  blows  from  the  pistols  did,  especially  some  in  his 
side,  from  which  he  did  not  recover  for  two  or  three  weeks.  ^\Tien  I  saw  him  he  was 
almost  entirely  well.  He  recognized  the  persons  who  committed  this  violence  as  be- 
ing the  same  who  disturbed  the  meeting,  although  he  knew  none  of  them  personally 

Bro.  Price  is  a  minister  of  good  preaching  talents,  and  seems  to  be  a  devoted  Chris- 
tian, deeply  imbued  with  the  Spirit  of  his  Master.  It  was  enough  to  arouse  the 
deepest  emotions  to  hear  of  his  sufferings  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  Persecuted,  beaten, 
dragged  from  the  bosom  of  his  family  at  the  hour  of  midnight — all  because  he  preach- 
ed Christ  Avithout  first  bowing  to  tbe  authority  of  man,  {Mo.  Bap.  Jour.,  Vol.  I, 
No.  43.) 


REV.    MR.    SMITH    CAUGHT. 

The  General  Assembly  Preachers  lately  sojourning  in  St.  Louis,  did  not  qualify 
themselves  for  preaching.  The  excuse  for  dodging  the  law  is  that  they  were  not 
resident  preachei-s.  But  tlie  fanatics  of  Audrain  are  not  so  liberal  in  their  interpret- 
ation of  constitutional  law,  as  is  showTi  in  the  case  of  Rev.  John  Smith,  a  minister  of 
the  Disciples'  Church,  a  citizen  of  Kentucky,  and  eighty-two  years  of  age. 

He  very  recently  visited  his  daughter  in  Audrain  County,  and  while  there  con- 
sented to  preach  on  the  Sabbath,  in  JNIexico.  Having  conipbted  his  visit,  he  ^\■as 
about  to  step  on  the  cars  to  return  home,  when  he  was  arrested  for  preaching  with- 
out taking  tne  oath,  and  compelled  to  give  bond  for  his  appearance  in  court  before 
he  was^releascd.  All  this  transpired  last  week,  and  unless  the  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  comes 
from  Kentucky  to  appear  at  the  next  term  of  the  Court  of  Audrain  Count}-  his  bond 
■will  be  forfeited.     (Mo.  Bap.  Jour.,  Vol.  I,  No.  22.) 


Elder  Henry  Louthan  was  arrested  Sunday  June  17,  by  the  sheriff  of  Shelby 
County,  for  preaching  the  gospel  without  talang  the  infamoas  test  oath.  This  gen- 
tleman has  been  a  faithful  minister  for  thirty-seven  j'ears,  in  Virginia  and  Missouri, 
beloved  by  the  churches  of  his  communion,  and  respected  by  all  high-minded  men. 
The  sheriff  had  the  opportunity  of  hearing  a  sermon  before  the  arrest,  and  will 
doubtless  have  other  opportunities  before  the  elder  goes  to  the  "Penitentiary  en- 
larged," as  it  will  be  several  months  before  he  can  have  his  trial  in  that  free  and  en- 
lightened countj^ 


ARREST   OF    BAPTIST    MINISTERS   IN   RAY   COUNTY. 

The  Richmond  Conservator  says  that  on  the  12th  Isaac  Odell  and  James  Duvall, 
two  Baptist  ministers,  were  brought  before  Justice  Quesenberry,  charged  with  the 
"crime  of  preaching."  The  "defendants  moved  the  court  dismiss' the  case  for  the  rea- 
son that  the  warrant  charged  no  criminal  offence  against  the  defendants."  The 
justice  sustained  the  motion  and  dismissed  the  cases, ""  holding  that  preaching,  in- 


THE    MISSOURI    "  TEST    OATH."  929 

stead  of  being  a  criminal  offence,  is  in  the  highest  degree  commendable."  {Mo.  Bap, 
Jour.,  Vol.  I,  No.  26.) 


ANOTHER   ARREST. 


Elder  Wm.  Cleveland,  pastor  of  the  Ebenezer,  Pleasant  Hill  and  Union  Churches, 
Marion  County,  has  been  required  to  give  bond  in  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars 
to  appear  before  the  judge  or  the  circuit  court  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  preaching 
without  sweaiing.  In  other  words,  and  in  plain  English,  the  government  nas  taken 
exceptions  to  the  action  of  certain  churches  in  electing  a  pastor.  It  sounds  for  all 
the  world  like  the  old  colonial  records.     {Mo.  Bap.  Jour.,  V  ol.  I,  No.  22.) 


A   FOUL   MURDER   IN    COLD    BLOOD. 

"  Eev.  Samuel  S.  Headlee  of  the  M.  E.  Church  South,  at  the  time  presiding  elder 
of  the  Springfield  District,  was  shot  do^vn  by  a  villain  near  Pleasant  View  Cnvu-ch, 
Webster  County,  July  28,  1866.  Thither  he  had  gone  to  hold  a  quarterly  meeting 
and  reorganize  the  church,  then  greatly  torn  and  scattered  by  the  troubles  of  the 
country.  Arriving  at  the  church'he  was  met  by  a  band  of  armed  men,  some  twenty 
in  nutiiber,  headed,  or  seemingly  headed,  by  one  Henderson  McNabb."  {Marty?-- 
dom  in  Missouri,  Vol.  11,  p.  428.)  For  a  fuller  description  of  this  sad  affair,  we  re- 
fer the  reader  to  the  following 

SCENE   AT   CONFERENCE. 

"The  conference  of  the  M.E.  Church  South  was  in  session  at  Lexington  last  week. 
The  Lexington  Express  thus  describes  a  scene  witnessed  during  its  sitting : 

The  conference  was  attending  to  the  examination  of  character.  The  bishop  called 
the  name  of  S.  S.  Headlee.  There  was  a  solemn  silence.  The  members  glanced 
mournfully  one  to  the  other,  and  each  seemed  Avaiting  for  another  ,to  assmne  the  sad 
task  of  narn-ating  his  mmatural  but  not  unhonored  end.  At  last  the  Eev.  Dr.  Mc- 
Anally  rose  by  reqviest  and  came  to  the  stand.  Briefly  and  with  deep  pathos  he  told 
the  tragic  story.  Many  eyes  were  suffused  with  tears  and  many  a  heart  heaved  with 
emotion,  as  he  told  in  plain  and  simple  words  how  one  Henderson  McNabb  had 
sought,  as  others  elsewhere  had,  to  wrest  from  the  church  to  which  Headlee  belong- 
ed a  house  of  worship;  how  he  was  prevented  by  Headlee  from  succeeding  in  the 
nefarious  attempt ;  how  Headlee  was  thereupon  commanded  by  this  same  Henderson 
McNabb  to  preach  at  that  house  no  more ;  how  Headlee,  regarding  it  as  a  threat  and 
nothing  more,  repaired  to  the  place  at  his  next  appointment ;  how  he  was  met  by 
McNabb  at  the  place  wdth  several  armed  men  and  informed  that  he  should  not 
preach ;  bow  Headlee  strove  to  allay  the  excitement,  and  asked  that,  for  his  conduct 
he  might  be  left  to  answer  to  the  laws ;  how  McNabl?  pointed  to  the  armed  men  and 
declared  these  to  be  his  law;  how  Headlee  finding  that  he  could  prevail  nothing, 
obtained  permission  to  preach  on  his  own  land  some  three-quarters  of  a  mile  distant; 
how  he  started,  attended  by  bis  congres^ation,  was  followed  by  four  of  McNabb's 
men  and  how  he  fell  thrice  pierced  with  a  bullet. 

Deep,  too  deep  for  utterance,  was  the  feeling  when  it  was  told  how  at  ten  o'clock 
that  night  he  ex-pired  praying  for  his  enemies,  almost  in  the  language  of  his  Divine 
Master,  who  said  "Father  forgive  them."  And  when,  at  the  close  the  speaker  told 
how,  when  he  received  the  mournful  intelligence,  the  foimtains  of  his  own  heart  were 
broken  up  and  he  wept  for  hours  like  an  infant ;  how  the  same  spirit  that  murdered 
Headlee  still  lives  and  reigns,  and  how  others  like  him  would  in  all  probability  yet 
seal  their  integrity  with  their  blood,  the  question  that  agitated  the  disciples  at  the  last 
supper  seeme'd  trembliuj^  on  every  lip,  "  Is  it  I ! "  This  was  the  sLxth  member  of 
this  conference  who  had  been  murdered  in  that  same  region  of  country,  nor  could  it 
scarcely  be  hoped  that  he  would  be  the  last."  {Mo.  Bap.  Jour.,  Vol.  I,  No.  42.) 


59 


CHAPTER  VI. 


STATISTICAL  TABLES. 

Statistics  of  ^lissouri  Baptists  by  Decades — Statistical  Table  of  Missouri  Baptists. 

The  first  table  below  sbows  the  progress  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination in  Missouri,  from  1796,  by  decades.  To  jiroperly  appre- 
ciate this  table  it  will  be  needful  that  the  reader  bear  in  mind 
two  facts : 

1st.  At  the  implantation  of  the  gospel  in  Missouri  by  the  Bap- 
tists, they  had  a  conflict  with  the  powers  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  who  had  possessed  themselves  of  the  territory  and  for- 
bidden the  settling  of  any  minister  therein,  save  those  of  the  es- 
tablished church. 

2d.  Beginning  about  the  year  1836,  the  Regulars  had  a  fierce 
contest  with  the  opponents  of  missions,  which  rent  asunder  quite 
a  number  of  churches  and  split  several  associations.  For  an  ap- 
proximate result  of  this  controversy,  consult  the  statistics  in  the 
table  for  the  years  1836  and  1846. 

STATISTICS  OF  THE  MISSOUKI  BAPTISTS,  BY  DECADES. 


Date. 


1836  jfj 


1796, 
1806,    - 
1816, 
1826,    - 

Baptists, 
ti-Mission 
1R1R  (Baptists, 
^^^^  I  Anti-Mission 
1856 — Baptists, 
1866 — Baptists, 
io7«  (White  Bap. 
^^^^  1  ColM      " 


Anti-Mission    Bap. 
in  U.  S.  in  1876, 


No.  of 
Associa- 
tions. 


11 

7 


31 

37 

62 

3 

65 


No.  of 
Churches. 


2 

14 
91 

150 
80 
292 
118 
539 
749 
1,156 
128 

1,284 

900 


No.  of 
Ministers. 


No.  of 
Baptisms. 


3 
11 

52 

77 

49 

144 

57 

340 

432 

777 

65 

842 

400 


1,125 

3,413 
3,804 
6,904 
1,223 

7,127 


No.  of 
Members. 


12 

50 
426 

2,984 

5,357 

3,366 

15,331 

4,336 

31,358 

44,877 

78,738 

11,048 

89,786 

i     40,000 


Note. — The  Baptist  churches  of  Missouri  suffered,  at  one  time, 


STATISTICAL   TABLES. 


931 


some  annoyance  from  what  was  commonly  known  as  Campbell- 
ism.  The  controversy  with  this  new  doctrine,  however,  did  not 
affect  a  sufficient  number  of  the  churches  to  materially  interrupt 
the  harmony  of  the  denomination  ;  and,  of  consequence,  require 
a  special  notice  in  this  work,  such  as  has  been  given  to  the  anti- 
missionary  schism. 

STATISTICAL  TABLE  OF  THE  MISSOURI  BAPTISTS, 
A.  D.  188L 


Associations. 


o 

■^ 

P 

S-cJ- 

^! 

?io 

>■ 

??• 

s-^. 

S 

?n 

s 

Additions. 

Diminutions. 

b3 

t>« 

N 

,§> 

h 

^3 

o 

s 

a 

1-^ 

cb  a 


Antioch, 
Bear  Creek,     - 
Bethel  (S,  E.),    - 
Bethel  (N.  E.), 
Black  Eiver, 
Blue  Eiver, 
Butler, 

Cane  Creek,    - 
Cape  Girardeau, 
Central  Baptist, 
Charleston, 
Concord  (Cooper), 
Concord  (S.  E.), 
Dade  County, 
Dry  Fork,   - 
Dixon,    -        -        - 
Franldin,     - 
Freedom, 
Gasconade  Eiver, 
Gentry, 
Green  County, 
Jefferson  Count}-, 
Lamine, 

La^vrence  County, 
Lafayette  &  Johnson, 
Linn  County, 
Little  Bonne  Femme, 
Li\angston  County, 
Macon,  -        -        - 
Meramec,    - 
Missouri  Valley, 
Mt.  Moriah, 
Mt.  Pleasant, 
Mt.  Salem, 
Mt.  Zion, 
Nevada, 
New  Prospect, 
North  Central,     - 
North  Grand  Eiver, 
North  Liberty,    - 
North  Missouri, 
Northwest  Missouri, 
Old  Path, 
Osage, 


1865 
1854 
1816 
1834 
1835 
1834 
1867 
1861 
1824 
1866 
1876 
1823 
1867 
1873 
1877 
1874 
1832 
1858 
1848 
1864 
1873 
1853 
1872 
1871 
1874 
1872 
1839 
1872 
1843 
1870 
1860 
1869 
1818 
1878 
1880 
1867 
1864 
1865 
1841 
1844 
1868 
1867 
1867 
1870 


17 
21 
15 
27 
20 
34 
21 
15 
14 
13 
10 
30 
16 
11 
14 
10 
23 
17 
18 
18 
18 
19 
19 
19 
26 
13 
38 

9 
22 
11 
23 
10 
35 

9 
13 
26 
12 
21 
14 
49 
15 
20 
24 
10 


11 

45 

40 

24 

48 

8 

4 

14 

63 

62 

12 

74 

14 

20 

20 

164 

77 

24 

142 

26 

28 

12 

70 

32 

29 

24 

31 

13 

33 

155 

189 

16 

114 

69 

27 

12 

9, 

167 

122 

21 

86 

29 

20 

6 

33 

18 

8 

17 

37 

12 

^'> 

6 

94 

12 

13 

5 

13 

4 

15 

6 

145 

63 

18 

147 

87 

34 

11 

26 

45 

4 

29 

22 

9 

13 

M 

39 

41 

25 

4 

9 

9 

5 

2 

8 

11 

24 

14 

61 

18 

6 

19 

28 

6 

22 

104 

60 

15 

34 

13 

23 

5 
13 

84 

38 

10 

22 

25 

10 

18 

80 

37 

5 

35 

17 

14 

8 

56 

10 

14 

27 

84 

18 

9 

156 

63 

12 

72 

17 

24 

12 

88 

54 

18 

53 

14 

15 

20 

133 

130 

17 

115 

28 

23 

5 

50 

11 

13 

14 

22 

15 

18 

125 

142 

9' 

118 

36 

46 

6 

33 

10 

5| 

42 

25 

10 

11 

90 

45 

26 

48 

37 

24 

6 

18 

6 

4 

11 

10 

4 

9 

169 

65 

20 

83 

33 

21 

10 

66 

27 

4 

30 

11 

7 

18 

137 

85 

4 

88 

32 

34 

8 

37 
15 

38 
31 

3 
31 

6 

11 

24 

95 

80 

20 

30 

29 

22 

8 

37 

17 

3I 

27 

19 

9 

8 

89 

43 

54' 

32 

8 

10 

9 

62 

28 

3 

40 

35 

14 

34 

235 

113 

15 

184 

65 

53 

8 

43 

22 

31 

24 

5 

6 

9 

30 

25 

9 

13 

44 

9 

17 

132 

67 

9 

47 

26 

15 

14 

36 

19 

15 

1   4 

10 

5 

556 

$  101.25 

1,212 

160.25 

697 

2,805 

522.78 

848 

25.65 

2,890 

389.41 

1,169 

131.96 

490 

524 

106.65 

678 

313 

20.40 

2,087 

199.40 

585 

531 

47.85 

757 

34.70 

429 

1,482 

103.20 

1,464 

120.25 

627 

43.15 

1,060 

1^289 

74.50 

1,157 

33.00 

1,493 

159.75 

1,008 

100.00 

2,291 

179.10 

996 

83.40 

3,155 

257.53 

863 

122.16 

1,638 

208.40 

340 

25.50 

2,018 

201.80 

677 

38.85 

2,481 

343.03 

627 

208.42 

968 

59.95 

1,023 

97.37 

652 

42.50 

761 

1,156 

98.60 

4,074 

374.48 

620 

100.00 

1,180 

83.25 

1,069 

192.70 

263 

1   114.95 

932 


STATISTICAL  TABLES. 


STATISTICAL  TABLE  OF  MISSOURI  BAPTISTS^Continued. 


Associations. 


O 

lb 


"^. 


Additions. 


^3 


o  o 


Diminutions. 


•^g 


o  O 


Osage  River,   - 

1844 
1870 

7 
16 

2 
16 

266 
529 

Ozark, 

148 

30 

15 

31 

21 

5 

116.60 

Pettis  Countv, 

1879 

9 

3 

12 

20 

11 

2 

7 

447 

78.35 

Pleasant  Grove,  - 

1877 

16 

7i 

17 

21 

5 

25 

7 

9 

811 

98.30 

St.  Francois,  - 

1852 

19 

111 

43 

30 

11 

35 

23 

19 

1,094 

25.00 

St.  Joseph, 

1871 

22 

71 

112 

73 
63 

7 

32 

16 

26 

1,693 

349.18 

St.  Louis, 

1817 

10 

10 

65 

13 

77 

23 

7 

1,094 

396.55 

Saline, 

1842 

21 

14 

138 

80 

26 

119 

64 

24 

1,809 

158.00 

Salt  Pviver,      - 

1823 

37 

14 

86 

113 

24 

136 

28 

42 

3,132 

820.28 

Shoal  Creek, 

1871 

39 

47 

160 

104 

44 

147 

45 

20 

2,151 

48.55 

Smith  Vallev, 

1870 

12 

9 

30 

21 

8 

19 

11 

4 

357 

17.95 

Southwest  Bethel, 

1853 
1873 
1840 

11 
10 
25 

6 

4 

20 

604 

356 

1,304 

State  Line, 

Spring  Elver, 

240 

101 

37 

68 

34 

12 

53.95 

Tebo,      - 

1855 

30 

22 1 

45 

54 

6 

f    86 

42 

19 

1,904 

139.73 

Union, 

1839 

10 

S 

15 

11 

9| 

17 

19 

7 

453 

101.25 

Union  (Howell), 

1865 

25 

15! 

62 

30 

9 

64 

27 

7 

737 

31.90 

Wavne  Count\',  - 

1875 

21 

3! 

94 

27 

17 

45 

25 

14 

781 

23.45 

West  Forlc,     - 

1845 

22 

12 

108 

65 

41 

46 

48 

26 

1,791 

127.38 

Wehster,     - 

1868 

19 

11 

85 

35 

1 

32 

19 

7 

994 

139.30 

Wyaconda,     - 

1844 

29 

23 

110 

44 

25 

65 

46 

20 

2,220 

356.50 

Zion,  -        -        - 

1855 

17 

13! 

66 

29 

30 

21 

17 

10, 

650 

86.50 

^on-associated, 

30 

25; 

150 

75 

15' 

2,000 

500.00 

Totals,     - 

1296 

841 

5062 

2939 

839 

3132 

1512 

947^ 

79,970 

$  8,374.96 

:N'.  Mo.,  1st  dist.  (col.), 

1666 

73 

38 

471 

45 

293 

70 

118 

92 

4,385 

681.77 

u      u     2d    "        " 

1871 

34 

19 

300 

70 

178 

39 

'>39 

57 

3,242 

144 

2,174 

«      "     3d    "        " 

1878 
1869 

7 
35 

6 

17i 

27.00 

Union 

149 

47 

12 

58 

52 

57.75 

Totals  colored, 

149 

79! 

920 

162 

471 

121 

415 

201 

9,945 

766.52 

Grand  Totals, 

1445 

920' 

5982 

3101 

1310 

3253 

1927 

1148' 

89,915 

$9,141.48 

Total  number  of  Associations,  70. 

Explanation. — The  meeting  place  of  Peno  Church  on  Little 
Peno,  at  Samuel  Lewcllen's,  was  called  Mt.  Pleasant  prior  to 
1833,  the  date  it  went  into  a  separate  organization  with  that  ap- 
pellation (see  pp.  213  and  215). 


INDEX. 


African  churches  of  ?.ro.  "oj 
Akard,  Heury  436 
Alauthus  church  560 
Allee,  David  263 
AHeuville  church  561 
Am.  Baptist  Flag  9U6 
Aniericau  Tract  Society,  on 

slavery  189 
Anderson,  Galuslia  118 
Anderson,  1)  "6U 
Autloch  cliurch,   Warren,  and 

liow  it  dissolved  205 
Antiocli  church  707 
Antiocli  association  563 
Apple  Creek  church  286 
Armstrongs,  J.  C.  7C1 
Associational  powers  273 
Atchley,  H.  11.  643 
Athens  cliurch  556 
Avery,  Henrv  461 
Ayres,  N.  7C2' 
Bahb,  R.  F.  826 
JJackus,  Dr.  J.  S.,  visit  to  Mo. 

470 
IJainbridge,  Darius  209 
Baird,  Mrs.  H.  T.  884 
Kaker,  Barnabas  827 
Baker,  Joseph  146 
Baker,  Andrew,  822 
Baptist  history,  what  is  It?  9 
Baptist  ministers,  arrest  of  928 
Baptism,  first  in  jlo.  36 
Barnett,  Nathaniel  639 
Barnhurst,  W  133 
Barren  church  58 
Barrett,  W.  C.  527 
Barrett,  T.  AV  269 
Basin  Knob  (Lone  Jack)  church 

315 
Bear  Creek  association  571 
Bear  Creek  church  543,  430 
Bee  Branch  church  200 
Bell,  Wm.  U.iOS 
Bellview  church  59 
Benson,  Dea.  J.  G.  ISS 
Berry,  L.  M.  379 
Bethany  Asso.  Gen.  Bap.  659 
Bethel  church  house  39 
Bethel  church,  Carroll,  675 
Bethel  church,  Saline,  4S4 
Bethel  association  (S.  E.)    liis- 

tory  57 
Bethel  church ,  Boone  co  IIS 
Betliel  association,  action    on 

missions  60 
Bethel    association  (of  Marion 

CO)  322 
Bethel  association,  conflict  on 

missions  323 
Bethel  association,  division  of 

324 
Bethel  church  Crawford  302 
Bethel  church  (S.E)  38 
Bethel  church,  Boone  co.,  392 

Bethel  church  Marion  327 
Bethel   Ministerial    Education 

Societv  326 
Bethlehem  church  609  402 
Bethlehem  church,  Lincoln, 573 
Bethlehem  church,  Carroll,  675 
Bethlehem  (now  Sue  Citv)  ch., 

508 
Bevier  Second  Baptist  Ch.,  50S 
Bibb,  M.  T.824 
Big  Blue  (Westport)  315 
Big  Bottom  cliurch  245 
Big  Creek  church  624,  674 
Big  Creek  Association  of  Free 

Will  Baptists  660 


Big  Creek,  now  Index,  church, 

Cass  CO.,  314 
Biggs,  Davis  216 

"    goes  to  sea  217 
Biggs,  JanisD.  240 
Big  Lick  church.  Cooper  co.245 
Big  Sniahar  church  307 
l>ig  Spring  church  507 
Bingham,  Geo.  C.  843 
HIack,  Dea.  R.  D.  617 
Black  I{iver  cliurch  302 
Black,  J.  W.  619 
Black  River  association  382 
IJlackbiirn  church  489 
Black  Wafer  chiu-ch 315 
Blanket  Grove  church  507 
Blue  River  association  307 

"  *'     division  of  309 

Boeuf  church  76 
Boone,  Coi.  Daniel  44 
Boone,  Dea.  Sam'l  761 
Boulware,  Theo.  297 

"       0])iiiion  of  shouting  298 
Boweu,  Thomas  208 
Bowling  Green  church  232 
Bovd,  \V.  \V.  120 
Bradley,  J.  \V.  828 
Breaker,  M.  J.  764 
Brin  Zion  cliurch  315 
Brockman,  James  M.  /iS? 
Brooks,  W.  I'.  756 
Brotherton,  M.  136 
Brown,  Eld.  52 
Brown,  John  W.  384 
Brown ,  Peter  822 
Brown,  E.  T.  655 
Buckner,  X.  X.  368 
Buckner,  Burrow,  441 
Bullock,  Curtis  681 
Bourbois  association  589 
"       on  feet-washing  589 
"       rejects   excluded 

churches  590 
Burlingham.  A.  H.  119 
Burnliam.  W.  H.  419 
Butler  association  649 
Caldwell,  W.  l\  C.  714 
Calvey  church  609 
Camp-meetings,  Baptist  437 
Cane  Creek  association  647 
Canton  church,  Lewis  546 
Cape  Girardeau  association  27' 
Cape  Girardeau  association, 

how  she  raised  money  277 
Cape   Girardeau    association 

sends  out  traveling  preach- 
ers 278 
Cape  Girardeau  association, 

split  in,  and  the  new  one  279 
Cape  Girardeau  church  285 
Carey  Indian  mission  319 
Carrollton  Baptist  church  672 
Carson,  Wm  329 

"       defends    the   Baptists 

against  Dr.   Xelson's  attack 

330 
Carondelet  church  142 
Castor  church  624 
Catholic  intolerance  45 
Cedar  Bluff  church  707 
Cedar  church  564 
Cedar  Hill  cliurch  611 
Cedar  association  563 
Central  Baptist  901 
Central  Mo.  association  594 
C;eutral  association  652 
Chainey,  J.  M.  267 
Chariton  Ridge  church  503 
Charleston  association  735 


Christian  Repository  905 

Christie,  Israel,  sr.  618 

Christie,  Israel,  jr.  620 

Cliillicothe  church  459 

Cliislm  &  Jennings,  and  the  ne- 
gro traffic  252 

Church    difficulty,    and     how 
managed  213 

Circular    letter    on    missions, 
end  of  the  controversey  522 

Clark,  J.  H.  282 

"     holds  the  fort  282 

Clark,  John  46 

•■ '         ' '       leaves  the  Jleth- 

"       odists  47 

"•       and  his  pony  47 

"■       his  night  adventure  48 

Clark,  J.  G.  862 

Clark,  William  266 

Clay,  George  208 

Clear  Creek  church  315 

Cleveland  arrested  929 

Clifton  Hill  cliurch  201 

Coats,  Win.  icu 

Cockerhaiu,  John  60 

Cold  Water  church  54 

Cole,  Matlian   122 

Columbia  First  ]>ap.  church  396 

Columbia  Baptist   college,    its 
origin  405 

Concord  church  and  liow  it  div- 
ided 399 

Concord  association,  ^43 
•■■  "        schism,  252 

"  "  the  factional  253 

"•  "  S.E.,  595 

"■  "  drops  corres- 

pondence with  Franklin  asso- 
ciation 5i)6 

Concordia  German  church  754 

Concord  asso.  divides  her  ter- 
ritory, how  260 

Concord  asso.  coramences  itin- 
erant work  261 

Concord  asso.  condemns  alien 
baptism  261 

Concord  church.  Cooper  co.  149 

Conner,  Lewis  513 

Cook,  J.  F.  874,  illus.  875 

Cook,  Wm  56S 

Cooper  county,  early  settlem't 
of  243 

Corinth  church  546 

Cortois  church  303 

Cottonwood  church  573 

County  Line  church,  Pettis  484 

Crab  Orchard  church  554,  616 
'Crooked  Creek  church  327 

Cross  Roads  church  726 

Crowley,  Joseph  626 

Cuba  cliurch  726 

Cunningham,  Wni  295 

(.'uivre  association  204 

Cypress  church  286 

Dade  County  association  700 

Dale,  Robert  406," 

Davis,  Ephraim  209 

Diamond,  the  Mormon  town  ot 
Daviess  co.  550 

Discipline,  associational  505 

Dixon  association  731 

Dobbs,  Hezeklah  738 

Dodge,  H.  W.417 

Dover  churcli  232,  542 

Downing,  E.  W.  738 

Doyle,  David  410 

Driskoll,  Samuel  764 

Dry  Creek  church  59,  287 

Dry  Fork  association  730 


934 


Index. 


Dry  Fork  cluircli  401 

Uuckwortli,  J.  C.  299 

Dulin,  E.  S.  475 

Duncan,  early  history  of  the 
family  of  576 

Duncan,  Lewis  576 

Duncan,  Wm.  186 

Duncan,  John  H.  233 

Duncan,  R.  S.,  introducfn  10 

Duncan,  Sarah  J.,        '•         12 

Duncan,^ J osiah  765 

Duvall,  Wm.  H.  265 

Early  day  customs  610 

Eaton,  J.  R.  860 

Ebenezer  cliurch  286,  327 

Educational  institutions  846 

Edwards,  B.  F.  765 

Edwards,  James  P.  63 

Ellenorali  cliurch  660 

Elliott,  H.  644 

Ellis,  R.  F.  830 

Ely,  Lewis  B.  374 

Ely  Hall,  Liberty,  illus.  849 

Emerson  church  327 

Emerson,  A.  J.,  illus.  857 

Estes,  Andrew  267 

Evans,  W.  L.  T.  761 

Fairmount  churcli  545, 

Fairview  church,  707 

Fairview  church,  Lincoln,  573 

Farmer,  Joliu317 

Farmer,  Jer.  320 

Farmer,  Henry  769 

Farrar,  John  61 

Fayette  church  727 

Fee  Fee  church  organ  52 

Femme  Osaee  clnircli  77 

Ferguson,  Wm.  902 

Ferguso7i,  AVm.,  Pettis  CO.   &32 

Fiudlev.  Wm.  A.  637 

First  Baptists  in  Mo.  35 

Fishing  River  assoc'n  272 

"  slrange  action  of  272 

Fish  Creek  church  483 

Flood,  Noah  363 

"•  as  a  young  preacher  3C5 
"•  has  great  oi)))osition  366 
"  Lexington  si)eecli  367 

Flood,  Hon.  Joseph 771 

Floyd,  J.  H.3S5 

Feet-washing  in  Bethel  asso.  74 
"        how  done,  illus.  5K5 

Ford,  TliomasH.  407 

Ford,  S.  H.  905 

Fourche  a  Renault  church  726 

Fox  River  church  542 

Franklin  association  290 

Franklin  association,  her  act 
ion  on  the  Am.  Bible  Soc.300 

Frazer  church  474 

Free<loni  association  598 

Freedom  association,  confusion 
in  599 

Freedom  association,  on  rebel- 
lion 600 

Freedom  association,  on  dram 
drinkin;;-  (iril 

Freedom  (■l]urch470,  .555 

Free  Will  Baptists  659 

Fredericktown  church  625 

Friendshi))  churcli  88,  201,  445, 
509,  553,  592 

Frisloe,  Thomas  172 

Fristoe,  Thomas,  visits  Car- 
rol It  on— •'Devil's  lieauquar- 
ters"  176 

Fu<iua,  Wm7G9 

Fuiiua,  J.  B.  823 

Gallatin  church  555 

Crallatin,  burning  of  553 

Gascona<ie  River  associat'n  569 

Gasconade  river  bridge  disas- 
ter 133 

Gaugh,  R.  V.  724 

Gavel,  the  memorial  41 

General  association,  sketch  .3.3S 

General  association,  fierce  oji- 
position  to  341 

General  association,  views  of 
soul  freedom  and  test  oath  350 

General  association,  drops  cor 
respondence  with  S.  B.  C.  353 

General    Association   become 


auxiliary  to  S.B.C.  345 
General  association  drops  cor 

resipondeuce  -with  A.    B.  H 

Society  345 
.General  association,  record  of 

meetings  of  380 
General  Baptists  659 
Gentry,  Christy  331 
Gentry  Association  559 
Gentryville  church  616 
George,  Elias  484 
German  Baptists  of  Mo.  752 
Gilead  church,  Carroll  675 
Gilead  church  541 
Gilmore,   Rob't,   anecdote   of. 

and  missions  70 
Gilmore,  Rob't  233 
Glasgow  church  728 
Glover,  John  P.,  sr.  772 
Glover,  John  P,  touching  inci- 
dent in  life  of  773 
Good  Hope  church,  "Webster, 

707 
Good  Spring  church,  Webster, 

707 
Good  Hope  church,  Chariton, 

675 
Good  Hope  church  480 
Goodson,  J.M.  676 
Goshen  churcli  287 
Gott,  Jonathan  715 
Graham  church  470 
Grand  River  college  889 
Graves,  Franklin  526 
Graham,  C.  T.  625 
Graham,  Pinkney  628 
Grand  River  church  315,  552 
Grant,  AV.  D.  583 
Grand  View  church  402 
Grand  Prairie  church  401 
Gravel  Hill  church  285 
Grand  River  country  177 
Graves,  H.B.  607 
Gray,  Wm.  A.  634 
Greenton  church  315 
Greer,  T.  V..721 
Green,  W.  R.  829 
Greenhalgh,  John  829 
Green,  Tliomas  P.  69 
Green,  Thomas  P.,  anecdote  70 
Green,  David  37 
Greene  county  association  444 
Green,  James's.  336 
Greenlielcl  churcli 445 
Green,  John  T.  54 
Gritlin,  J.  N.  774 
Griffin,  Wm.  503 
Gubelmanu.  J.  S.  753 
(Jwiiin.  Abner  495 
Ham,  Mfplieu296 
Hum,  .Iabez296 
Ilaioploii.  J.  L.498 
Haniiilial  First  church  327 
Hardin.  ('.  H.  883 
Hardin  College  880 
Harmony   ch.  286,  402,  638,  703 
Harmon,  Reuben  724 
Harnionv  association  658 
Harris,!'.  C.  777 
Harris,  Wm.  475 
Harris,  James  423 
Harrisonville  church  315 
Hatcher,  Lemuel  548 
Hatcher,  G.  AV.  681 
Haycraft,  P.  N.  832 
Headlee,  S.  S.,  murder  of  929 
Heath's  Creek  church  483 
Hebron  church  287 
"Hell  Town"  473 
Hendren,  Robert  335 
Herndon,  J.  C.  775 
Herron,  G.  W.  458 
Hickory  Grove  churcli  202 
Hickman,  Joshua  56 
Hickman,  David  H.  357 
Higginsville  German  church  754 
High  Creek  church  473 
High  Point  church  314 
High  Hill  church.  Saline,  481 
Hih,  R.  C.  781 
Hinton,  Isaac  T.  113 
Hlte,  A.  T    and  Stringer  part 

asunder  510 


Kite,  A.  T.,  sketch  of  510 
Hite,  A.  T.,  murder  of  513 
Hollis,  J. A.  779 
Holman,  Russel496 
Hopewell,    Harrisonville,    ch. 

315 
Hopewell  church  560 
Hopewell  church  611 
Hubbard,  J.  155 
Hubbard,  David  234 
Hubbard,  David,  anecdote  of 

235 
Hubbel  Creek  Church  286 
Hughes,  Roland,  sketch  of  348 
Hughes,  Anderson  626 
Hunt,  Stephen  G.  693 
Huntsville  churcli  201 
Hurley,  William  a32 
Hurley,  William,  anecdote  of 

334 
Hurley,  William,    unexpected 

death  ofSSS 
Hurricane  church  675 
Hutton  Valley  association  635 
Hyde,  G.  W.  267 
Independence,  First  church  315 
Indian  Creek  church,  Franklin 

county  611 
Indian  Creek  church.  Pike  573 
Indian  depredations  146 
Indian   depredations   and   Big 

Bottom  cliurch  481 
Illustrations,  list  of  17 
Ingold,  J.  M.  693 
Isbell,  E.  D.  421 
Jackson  church  285 
Jackson,  AViugate  64 
Jackson,  AVingate,  anecdote  of 

65 
Jackson,  W.  M.  782 
James  River  association  732 
Jelferson  City  church  262 
Jetferson  County  associat'n  607 
Jesse,  Jno.  P.  783 
Jesse,  AA^m.  M.  416 
Jeter,  Jer.  B.  115 
Jewell,  F.  E.  621 
Jewell,  Dr.  AVm.  851 
Johnson,  James  568 
Johnson,  J.  T.  M.  788 
Johnson,  Snelling  264 
Johnson,  T.  T.  5s2 
Johnson,  Thomas 36 
Jones,  R.  M.  783 
Jones,  AV.  M.  785 
Juden,  Judge  Thomas,  287 
Kansas  City,  when  founded  315 
Kansas  City,  First  Baptist  ch. 

315 
Kansas  City,  WalnutStreet  ch. 

316 
Kausas  City,  church  troubles 

316 
Kausas  Citv,  Calvary  ch.  317 
Keach,  JolinH.  237 
Kehukee  association  of  A'irgin- 

ia,  on  missions  170 
Keudrick,  A.  A.,  Illus.  144 
Kenuev,  B.  F.  617 
Kenney,  T.  M.  S.  621 
Kerr,  James  49 
Kirksville  church  508 
Kline,  Lewis  E.  913 
Knapp's  Treatise  on  Commun- 
ion 435 
Lafayette  and  Johnson  associa- 
tions 713 
La  Grange  church  543 
La  Grange  college  872 
Lamine  association  720 
Lamine  River  association  428 
Landers,  Elisha790 
Land  rum,  A.  D.  236 
Landrum,    A.    D.,    baptizes  a 

man  secretly,  and  how  236 
Lane,  Josepir644 
Lanier,  J.  P.  789 
Lanneau.  J.  F.  879 
La  Salle  31 
Latimer,  Randal  485 
Lawler.  B.  F.  813 
Lawler,  Deacon  Evan  789 
Lawrence  County  asso.    732 


INDEX. 


935 


Laws,  M.  L.  666 

Lebauou  cliurcli  402,  510,  611 

JLee's  Summit  cliui'cli  315 

Lewis,  Addison  M.  190 

Lexiugtou  Baptist  Female  col 
le§e  875 

Lexington  First  church  314 

Liberty  association  3SD 

Lil)erty  (south)  association  434 

Liberty  churcli,  Clarke  544 

Liberty  churcli,  246,  303,  315,459 

Liberty,  Secoud  Baptist  cliurcli 
519 

Liberty  of  Conscience  and  the 
test  oath— General  Associa- 
tion of  Mo.  on  349 

Ligon,  AV.  C.  716 

Lillard,  J.  M.  549 

Lillard,  J .  M. ,  interesting  bap- 
tismal scene  by  550 

Linn  County  association  460 

Linneus  church  459 

Little  Blue  church  314 

Little  Bonne  Femme  associa- 
tion 391 

Little  Bonne  Feinme  church, 
Boone  county  393 

Little  Flock  church  519 

Little  River  church  286 

Little  Rock  church  560 

Little  Piney  association  424 

Little  Spring  church  726 

Little  Sniabar  church  307 

Little  Vine  church  624 

Livingston  County  association 
461 

Locust  Fork  association  6S8 

Lofton,  G.  A.  135 

Lollar ,  H .  C .  734 

Lone  Jack  church  315 

Long  Branch  church  327 

Longan,  Jno.  B.  sketcli  of  250 

Lougau  outwits  the  lawyer  251 

Longan,  how  he  reproved  the 
holiness  preacher  251 

Louisiana,  First  church  232 

Louthan,  Henry  430 

Loutre,  church  on  145 

Luck,  W.  F.  239 

Luther,  J.  H.  790 

Lykins,  Johnston  319 

McCammon,  Win.  557 

McCroskie's  Creek  church  675 

McCune  college  886 

McCune,  John  212 

McUaniel,  R.  E.  485 

McGuire,  J.  M.  422 

McLaiu,  David  156 

McLain,  adventure  with  tlie 
Indians  158 

McPherso.n,  W.  M.  121 

McQuie,  Walter,  Br,  795 

Machett,  Alex.  722 

Macon  association  503 

Macon  City  church  508 

Major,  Deacon  S.  C.  835 

Major,  Jno.  S.  795 

Mansfield,  W.  H.  180 

Maple,  J.  C.  memorial  address 
40 

Maple,  J.  C.  500 

Marble  Hill  church  625 

Marion  college  abandoned  330 

Marshall  church  488 

Marston,  S.  W.  664 

Martinsburg  church  402 

Mathenv,  M.  P.  793 

Mathews,  F.  M.  732 

Maui)in,  J.  R.  892 

Mayheld-Smith  academy  895 

Meachum,  J.B.  755 

Memphis  cliurcli,  Scotland  546 

Meramec  association  723 

"Messenger  of  Peace"— its  ac- 
count of  division  of  Blue  Riv- 
er 311 

Mexico.church  402 

Miami  church  486 

Miami  churcli,  burning  of  its 
house  488 

Middle  Fork  association  504 

Middletown  churcli  573 

Middle  Wyaconda  churcli  544 


Mill  Creek  church,  Oregon  63S 

Mill  Creek  church  232 

Miller,  J.  B.  643 

Miller,  K.  M,  637 

Miller,  R.  M.  sudden  death  of 
537 

Millersburg  chureh  399 

Miugus,  E.  A.  709 

Miiigus,  Jacob  707 

Ministers   on   criminal  docket 
927 

Missionary  society  of  Missouri 
Baptists  745 

Missions,  foundation  of  522 

Missouri  association  76 

Missouri  association  of  General 
Baptists  659 

Missouri  as  a  territory  31 

Missouri,  when  formed  into  a 
state  31 

Missouri,   its  transfer  to   the 
United  States  31 

Missouri,  its  population  in  1799 
33 

Missouri  Baptist  897,  900 

Missouri   Bajitists,    the   early, 
"Uiiiteil  B:lpti^ts"  256 

Missouri  Kapti.st  Indian IVIissiou 
association  561 

!Mis.souri  Bajitist  Journal  901 

Missouri  Baptist  Sunday-scliool 
convention  661 

Missouri  Baptist  W.  M.  S.   748 

Missouri,  first  settlement  31 

Missouri  once  a  Catholic  coun- 
try 35 

Missouri  Valley  association  669 

Mitchell,  A.  G.  793 

Mitchell,  Geo.  604 

Moberly  churcli  202 

Moderators  of  Salt  River  asso- 
ciation 2.'J2 

Money-begging  inissionaries253 

ilonroe  City  church  327 

Mouticello  church  545 

Moody,  James,  his  open  com- 
munion defection  504 

Moore,  John  E.  7H6 

Mormon  trouble  In  Davlessco. 
550 

Morris,  Wm.  545 

-Moss  Creek  church  (see  Gilead 
church)  675 

Moss,  O.  P.  530 

Moss,  Mrs.  O.  P.  748 

Mound  City  church  471 

Mound  Prairie  church  315 

Alt.  Gilead  church,  Howell  635 

Mt.  Hope  church  572 

Mt.  Horeb  ch.,  Boone  co.  202 

Mt.  Horeb  church  399 

Mt.  Leonard  church  489 

Mt.  Moriah  association  614 

Mt.  Moriah  church  286,  728 

Mt.  Nebo  church,  Oregon  638 

Mt.  Nebo  church,  Linn  co.  459 

Mt.  Olive  church  460 

Mt.  Olivet  church  632 

Mt.  Pisgah  church  232 

Mt.  Pleasant  association,  split 
on  missions  163 

Mt.  Pleasant  association,  or 
gauiz.    145 

i\It.  Pleasant  ch.  Howard  coyl48 

Mt   Pleasant  ch.   232,  327,  402, 
560,  573 

Mt.  Pleasant,  No.  2,555 

Mt.  Pleasant  College  868 

Mt.  Pleasant  College,  illus. 

Mt.  Pleasant  College,  terrible 
ordeal  871 

Mt.  Pleasant  church,  Benton, 
632 

Mt.   Pleasant  cliurcli,  Gascon- 
ade, 591 

Mt.  Pleasant  church,  Greene, 
445 

Mt.  Pleasant  churcli,  Knox  544 

Mt.  Pleasant  church,  Pikeco., 
213 

Mt.  Pleasant  old  school  associ- 
tion  426 

Mt.  Prairie  church  327 


Mt.  Salem  association  336 
Mt.  Suleiii  church  202,  .507,  543 
Mt.  hlhiloh  churcli  202 
.Mt.  'i'ulH.r  a-s.M-iation  503 
Alt.  Zioii  association  726 
Mt.  Zioii  association  misrepre- 
sents Blue  River  310 
Mt.    Zion,    aiiti- missionary, 

association  463 
Mt.  Zion  church  149,  286,  327, 

473,  593 
Mt.  Zion  church,  Carroll  675 
Mt.  Zion  church,  Henry  632 
Jit.  Zion  ciiurch,  Wright  707 
Mt.  Vernon  churcli  726 
Alurphy,  D.  E.  602 
Alurphy,  D.  K.,  night  adven- 
ture of  603 
Murphy,  J.  D.  679 
Murphy,  Sarali  43 
Murphy,  Wm.42 
Musick  family  44 
Musick,  Thos.  R.  50 
Musick,  its  origin,  aprojier 

name  50 
Musick,  Asa,  and  his  rifle,  as 

guard  51 
Nashville  church  397 
Neal  becjuest,  the  344 
Negro  Fork  church  76 
Nevada  association  702 
Nevada  Baptist  church  704 
New  Cape  Girardeau  associa- 
tion, so  called,  289 
New  Hope  church  315,  726 
New  Hope  church.  Clay  518 
New  Hope  church,  Hoft  470 
New  Hope  church.  No.  1,  Car- 
ter 638 
New  Hope  church,  No.  2,  How- 
ell 639 
New  Hope  (see  Stoufs  Settle- 
ment) 232 
New  Prospect  association  710 
New  Providence  ch.  203,  400 
New  Salem  church  232 
New  Salem  church,  Boone  398 
New  Salem  church,  Daviess  616 
Nicholls,  Joseph  574 
Nicholls,  Samuel  548 
Nishnabotany  chureh  473 
Nodaway  association  466 
Nodaway  cliurch  73,  470 
Noix  Creek  church  233 
Noland,  Martin  D.  266 
Norborne  church  675 
North  Central  assoicatlon  688 
Northeast  Mo.  association  692 
North  Grand  River  Ass'n  454 
North  Liberty  association    518 
North  Liberty  association,  ta- 
ble of  churches  of  532 
North  Mo.  association  515 
Nortli  Mo.  association,  Daviess 

county  613 
North  AIo.  association  of  col'd 

Baptists  758 
North  River  churcli  327 
North  Union  association  510 
Northwest  Mo.  association  470 
Northwestern  association  534 
Nowlin,  D.  W.  579 
Nowlin,  D.  W.,  banishment  of 

581 
Nowlin,  Peyton  493 
O'Bryan,  Jordan,  a  layman  244 
Old  Patli  association  695 
Old  Path  association  on  minis- 
terial sujiport  698 
Oliver,  Joseph,  509 
Oliver,  Lmislord,  the  first  set- 
tler of  Newton  county  -446 
Open  communion,  trouble    504 
Order  No.  11,  depopulation  of 
Jackson  and  Cass  counties  313 
Organ,  the  Gale  memorial  109 
Orr,  David  797 
Osage  association  467,  743 
Osage  River  association  635 
Ozark  association  644 
Page,  Wm.  M.  123 
Page, Mrs.  Eliza  125 
Painter,  W.  R.  502 


936 


INDEX. 


Palmyra  cliurcli  327 
Parson's  Creek  church  459 
Particular  Baptists  and  mis. 

sioiis  332 
Patrick,  WUey  J.  241 
Peck,  J.  JI.,  89;  Ulus.  34 
Peno  church  212 
Pet  pig  iu  the  meeting-house 

513 
Pettis  count}'  association  65'. 
Philadelphia  association,    and 

how  it  stood  on  missions  169 
Philadelphia  church  327 
Pierce  City  college  8!)4 
I'ilgrlm's  Rest  church  6U 
Pilot  Grove  church,  Daviess  553 
Pin  Oak  Creek  German  church 

754 
Pioneer's  Home,  illus.   30 
Pioneer  lile  iu  central  Mo.  411 
Pioneers  of  the   Grand  Eiver 

country  455 
Pioneer  Sunday-school,  100 
Pitts,  Samuel  "i'.    l'J7 
Pitts,  Thomas  798 
Pitt,  y.  R.  193 
Pitts  Y.  R. ,  sudden  death  of  195 
Platte  Purchase,  churches  and 

associations  of  468 
Platte  River  association  of  Uni- 
ted Baptists  468 
Platte  Riverassociatiouof  Reg- 
ular Baptists  466 
Pleasant  Grove  association  729 
Pleasant  Grove  church  286,  307, 

459,  473,  545 
Pleasant  Hill  church  327 
Pleasant  Hill  church,  Cass,  315 
Pleasant  Hill  286 
Pleasant  Ridge  church  520,  544 
Pleasant  Vallev  church  617 
Polk,  William  72 
Porter,  James  191 
Post  Oak  church  315 
Powell,  Joab  798 
Price,  Elder  927 
Priest,  William  432 
Primitive  Baptists  and  missions 

168 
Primitive  ehurch,  Its  bond  of 

union  456 
Proscriptive  spirit  of  anti-mis- 
sionaries 342 
Prospect  church  70S 
Providence  church  58,  459,  484, 

544,  632,  675 
Province  of  Louisiana  31 
Pumphrcy,  Elijah  473 
Pure  versions  of  scripture. 

Baptist  views  on  301 
RadclillV  ,\Vni.  504 
Ranibaut,  TIkis.,  liecomespres. 

AVni.  Jewell  College  855 
Ramsay's  Creek  churcli  212 
Ray,  D.  B.  907 
Reaves,  AV.  H.  648 
Record,  the  901 
Redding,  Feli.x  59 
Regular  and  Separate  Baptists, 

union  of  255 
Regular  and  Separate  Bai)lists, 

terms  of  union  255 
Relioboth  church  483 
Religious  liberty,  who  are  tin 

promoters  of  46 
Renshaw,  John  W.  799 
Revival,  tlie  great,  in  (ieorgia 

805 
Rice,  "Wm.  799 
Richardson,  Lowry  646 
Richardson,  U.  M.  528 
Richland  association  635 
Ricliland  cliurch  399,  639 
Richmond,  Kay,  First  church, 

519 
Rich  Vallev  church  6.iS 
Riddle,  Eld.  212 
Rigg,  Thomas  521 
Riggs,  Bethuel  219 
Robey,  G.  AV.  199 
Robideaux  church  593 
Robinson,  John  M.  420 
Kocheport  church,  728 


'  Hock  church  726 
Rock  Creek  church  508 
Rock  Spring  church  726 
Rock  Prairie   association    (see 

Dade  county  association) 
Rogers,  E.  178 
Kothwell,  AV.R.859 
Round  Grove  church  307 
Sac  River  association  438 
St.  Charles  as  the  capital  of  Mo. 

32 
St.  Charles,  First  Bap.  ch.   89 
St.  Charles  Second  ch.  126 
St.  Francisvllle  church  542 
St.  Francois  association  622 
St.  Francois  church  58 
St.  Joseph  association  471 
St.  Joseph  Female  college  885 
St.  Joseph,  founded  474 
St.jJoseph  First  Baptist  church 

St.  Joseph  Second  Baptist  ch. 

474 
St.  Joseph  South  church  474 
St.  Louis  as  the  capital  of  Mo.  31 
St.  Louis  Baptist  Publishing 

Co.  914 
St.  Louis  Beaumont  St.  church 

143 
St.  Louis  branch  house  of  A.  B. 

S.  910 
St.  Louis  First  African  church 

755 
St.  Louis  First  Baptist  church 

S6 
St.  Louis  First  Baptist  church 

its  house,  and  how  lost  104 
St.  Loui-s,  First  German  church 

129,  752 
St.  Louis,  first  settlement  32 
St.  Louis  Garrison  Avenue  ch. 

130 
St.  Louis  Park  Avenue  ch.  143 
St.  Louis  Second   Baptist   ch 

105;  illus.  107 
St.  Louis  Second  Colored  ch.756 
St.  Louis  Seminary  896 
St,  Louis,  stateof  s'oclety  in  1818 

86 
St.  Louis  Third  Bapti.st  church 

129 
St.  Louis  Union  church  144 
Salem  association  290 
Salem  as><>c"u  ,  irouble  in,  291 
Salem  assor'n,  division  of  292 
Salem  church  233 
Salem  church,  Jackson  307 
Salem  church,  Monroe  327 
Saline  association  479 
Saline  County,  the  first  Settle 

ment  or4S0 
Salisbury  cliurch  203 
Salt  i'ond  church  489 
Salt  River  association,  customs 

on  comnuMiion  214 
Salt  River  association,  organ. 

Salt  River  association  ,  split  on 

missions  226 
S.and1Iill  cliurch  544 
Scboficld,  James  800 
Schotiild,  J.  V.  140 
Scott,  Kem))  676 
Scottj  Kemp,  a  thrilling  scene 

in  life  of  079 
Sebree,  Uriel,  sketch  of  .34" 
Secret  night  baptism  237 
Sedalla  association  C.i2 
Sedalia  East  church  052 
Sedalla  First  Baptist  church  6.'>2 
Semple,  R,  B,  801 
Senter,  AV.  31. 138 
Settle,  AA'm.  627 
Seymour,  G,725 
Shclbiua  church  327 
Sherwood,  Adiel  802 
Shoal  Creek  association  7,37 
Shotwcll,  Jabez  518 
Sidney  church  470 
Sitton",  Jesse  219 
Six  Alile  church  307 
Slagle  Creek  church  445 
Slaughter,  A.  888 


Smith,  B.  J.  708 
Smith,  H.  M.  724 
Smith,  James  F.  837 

Smith,  James  F.,  arrest  of  839 

Smith,  James  F.,  inditcment  of 
839 

Smith,  Chad  i  ah  564 

Smith,  Rev,  Sir.,  caught  928 

Smith,  Thomas  566 

Smith  A^ alley  association  591 

Smith  A^ alley  association,  re- 
.lects  alien  baptism  592 

Snethen,  A,  B,  806 

Souora  church  73,  471 

South  Big  Creek  church  554 

Southern  Mo.  Convention  305 

South  Fork  church  543,  655 

Southwest  Bethel  assoc'u  585 

Southwest  Baptist  college  892 

HouthwestMo.  Baptist  Conven- 
tion 739 

South  AVyaconda543 

Sparks,  G.  AV.  319 

Spillman,  \^^  F.  440 

Springfield  association  443 

Springfield  church  445 

Spring  River  association  446 

Spring  River  association,  and 
her  voluntary  division     449 

Spring  RiAer  association  makes 
an  elFort  to  found  an  institu- 
tion of  learning  450 

Sinirgin,  Isaiali655 

Scjuatter  family  92 

Star  Chamber  notes  926 

Star  Hope  church  233 

State  Convention,  Missouri 
Baptists  683 

State  Line  association  637 

Statistical  tables  929 

Stephens'  college  863;  illus.  865 

Stephens,  Elijah  295 

Stephens,  J.  L.  366 

Stephens,  L.  L.  385 

Stephens,  Thos.  P.  293 

Stites,  David  609 

Stogsdell,  G.  B.  646 

Stout's  settlement  (now  New 
Hope)  cliurch  213 

Street,  AVilliani  61 

Stringer,  Euphrates  503 

Stunlivant,  Geo.  AV.  304 

Subscription  paper,  burning  of 
5S 

Sue  City  church  508 

Sugar  Creek  church  233,  542 

Suggelt,  James  406 

Sullivan  church  726 

Sulphur  Lick  church  572 

Sunday-school,  first  Mo.  43 

Sunday-school,  firstin  St.  Louis 
88 

Sutton,  Elisha  807 

Swasliing  cliurch  611 

Sweet  spring  church  203 

T.albird,  Henry  717 

Talbird,  Henry,  as  a  soldier  719 

T.albot,  G.L.  "143 

Tanner  John  74 

Tanner,  John,  shot  for  baptiz- 
ing a  woman  75 

Tatum,  AA^m.  436 

Taylor  B.  T.  270 

Taylor,  Jeremiah  331 

Tavlor,  Mark  A.  815 

Taylor,  Thomas  815 

Teasdale,  John  131 

Teasdale,  John,  railroad  disas- 
ter 133 

Tebo  association  630 

Tebo  church  , Henry,  6.32 

Tecumseh,  the  Indian  chief 
slain  407 

Temperance,  Baptist  views  of 
704 

Tcrrill,  Beuj.  182 

Terrill,  Jesse  ISl 

Terrill,  J.  AV.  197 

Terrill,  pres.  J.  AV.  870 

"Test  O.ath,"  the  916 

"Test  Oath,"  supreme  court 
on  925 

Thomas,  Robert  S.  413 


INDEX. 


937 


Tliomas,  Wm.  H.  529 

Tlionipsou  and  the  negro  boy 
Dick  62 

Thomps()u,.J.  H.  389 

Thompson,  I*.  J.  137 

Thompson,  Wm.  8U8 

'•    serious  accident  of  SO!) 
"    remarkaljle      incident 

in  life  of  810 
"    as  an  orator  813 

Tlionipsoii.  Wilson  61 

Tliomson.  R.  V.  496 

Thorp,  Wm.  151 

Thrilling  incidents  926 

Tichenor,  J,  L.  5U1 

Tipton,  C.  C.  817 

Tompkins,  O.  816 

Towler,  Edward  818 

Trenton  cliiirch  458 

Tiirley,  Leonard  817 

Turner,  Kdward  155 

Turner,  F.  JI.431 

Turner,  Lynch,  and  his  defec 
Hon  163 

Tuttle,  Mr.  Thomas  393 

Two  River  association  429 

"Two  Seed"  doctrine,  and 
wliat  came  of  it  787 

Tywappity  churcli  37 

Union  association  386,  439,  469, 

Union  association,  trouble  in 
and  division  387 

Union  association,  trouble  ad 
justed  387 

Union  association,  Howell  636 

Union,  col'd  association 759 

Union  church  315,  327,  396, 
402,  561 

Union  cliurch.  Cape  Girar- 
deau county  2S6 

Union  churcli,  Grundy,  553 

Union  church.  Saline  489 

Union  cliurch,  Warren,  573 

Union  Hill  cliurch  401 

"United  Bajitists,"  debate  on 
the  term  in  Bethel  associa- 
tion 68 

"United  Baptists,"  origin  ot 
the  term  254 

"United  mission   society"    84 

Unity  cliurch  401 

Upper  Louisiana  31 


Upper  Cuivre  church  76 

Vance,  A.  J.  597 

Vardeman,  Jer.,  Jr.  225 

Vardeman,  Kev.  Jer,  220 

Vardeman,  Rev.  Jer.,  and  the 
dancing  school  222 

Vardeman,  Wm.  H.  840 

'N'ardemau,  Wm.  H,,  arrest  of 
927 

Vardeman,  W.  H.,  imprison- 
ment of  842 

Wakenda  church  675 

Walden,  W.  W.  462 

Walker,  Jas.  818 

Wallace,  Jesse  B.  842 

Walnut  Grove  church  473 

"       "    Boone  (see  Beth- 
el) 392 
"        "    No  1.  675 
"        "    No  2.  676 

Warder,  Jno    466 

Watcliman  Publication  society 
899 

Wavne  conntv  association  742 

Weber,  J.  B.  200 

Webster  association  705 

Weir,  Samuel  621 

Welch,  J.  E.  94 

"    visits  Mo.  in  1814,  58 

West  Bethel  church  546 

West  Cuivre  churcii  233 

West  Fork  association  552 

West  Fork  church  315 

Western  mission,  Welch's  ac- 
count of  the  101 

Western  Watchman  898 

West  Port  church  315 

West  Union  association  469 

Wheeler,  Benj.  620 

Wheeler,  W.  C.  642 

White  Oak  Grove  chui-cli  726 

William  Jewell  college  846 

William  Jewell  college,  illus 
849 

William   Jewell    college,    sus- 
lieusion  of  854 

William  Jewell  college  made  a 
hospital  855 

Williams,  Alvin  P.  358 

Williams,  Alvin  P.,  horseback 
study  360 


Williams,  Alvin  P.,  the  Fuller 

of  America  361 
Williams,  Golden  156 
Willams,  Elijah  438 
Williams,  James  303 
Williams,  Jno.  T.  377 
"     Lewis  79 

"         "    certificate    of  or- 
dination, origin- 
al pajier  82 
"         "    his  adventure  83 
"    Luke,  and  a  revival  at 

the  dance  248 
"         "    the  eventtul  Sun- 

dav  of  2t8 
"         "     sketch  of  2 !6 
"         "    his  escape  from  his 
drunken   master 
246 
"         "    aid  for  Ills  family 

244 
"     Peter  387 
"    Wm.H.903 
Wilson,  Jonas  D.  474 
AV'incliester  church  542 
Windsor  church,  Henry,  632 
Woman's  Baptist  foreign  nils- 
ion  society  of  Missouri  750 
Woods,  Anderson  819 
"        James  632 
"       Peter  257 
"  "  hates  the  Baptists 

257 
Woodward,  Chesley  457 

"  Jno.  557 

Wornall,  Jno.  B.  373 
Wright,  Thomas  J.  210 
Wyaconda  association  539 

on  associational  pow- 
ers 540 
"      churcli  541 
Teaman,  W.  Pope  375 

"  as  cliancellor  376 

Yearly  meetings  214 
Zion  association  640 
Zion  church,  Laclede,  642 
Zion  church,  Montgomery,  572 
Zion  church,  Scotland,  545 
Zoar  church,  Harrison, 554 
Zoar  church.  Saline,  483 


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